[Blindmath] mathplayer, jaws, and math in graphics?

[Kevin Chao]

Hi Dr. Stacey,

I very much  appreciate the clarification on roles of MathML and LaTeX.
If I may, I have a few more questions.
* MathML output is only accessible with MathPlayer, which works with
Internet Explorer and JAWS. Is that correct? So, there's nothing for
Firefox or NVDA?
* What are commonly  used converters for LaTeX, which will get it
processed into a suitable format to be read?

I'm very interested in examples of MathML and LaTeX output.

Thanks,

Kevin

On 4/3/11, Andrew Stacey <andrew.stacey at math.ntnu.no> wrote:
> There seems to be some confusion regarding LaTeX and MathML here.  I'd like
> to
> help straighten that out, if I may.  The confusion is with regarding their
> roles.
>
> LaTeX is an input format.  It is how we mathematicians write our articles,
> books, webpages, and anything else where mathematics is involved.  (And
> often
> anything where mathematics isn't involved.  I use LaTeX to design my
> children's birthday invitations.)  It is not designed to be read as-is.  It
> is
> intended to be processed into a suitable output format and then read.  If
> anyone thinks that they can read LaTeX and understand what is going on, then
> I have a few documents I can post samples from which will soon disabuse you
> of
> that notion.  Of course, very simple LaTeX can be read.  Something like x^2
> + y^2 = z^2 is fairly easy to understand, but try something more complicated
> like \sum_{m = 2 \over m \text{prime}}^{\infty} \frac{1}{m^s} and you'll see
> what I mean.  And that's fairly simple compared to what can be written.
> When
> you realise that LaTeX (or rather, TeX) is completely programmable, then
> you'll see that you can find absolutely anything in a LaTeX document.
>
> MathML is an output format.  It is not designed to be written directly, but
> it
> is designed to be read.  Of course, one needs a suitable renderer: a browser
> for the sighted and something like MathPlayer for those who want their
> mathematics read, but then the same is true of any output format.  As it is
> an
> open standard, it is a reasonable task to design a program to render MathML
> in
> to any desired medium.
>
> It is possible, though not always straightforward, to convert LaTeX to
> MathML.
> One reason why it is not always straightforward is that TeX (the program
> underlying LaTeX) often needs to know things about its output.  When run
> normally, TeX has complete control over the process and so can know exactly
> how the output will be seen.  When producing MathML (or XHTML), it can't
> know
> exactly how the output will be seen.  But those are technical difficulties
> that can usually be avoided.  The main difficulty is that most websites
> don't
> bother with this route.  They convert the LaTeX mathematics to a graphic
> which
> is then displayed, with the original LaTeX as the alt text.  Because of how
> it
> is produced, the LaTeX is usually very simple (no complicated macros), and
> so
> it may be possible to get by with reading the alt text.
>
> So if you want to read mathematics, look for MathML.  If you want to write
> mathematics, learn LaTeX (or another TeX variant).
>
> Andrew Stacey
>
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