[Blindmath] LaTeX and Nemeth

[Jamal Mazrui]

I have been convinced by several others that there is essentially price 
fixing in the market for braille displays, which has impeded innovation 
for many years.  Bendors of braille displays sell them at prices that 
individuals cannot afford, but it is profitable to do so because they 
know that government agencies will pay almost any price when buying such 
an accommodation.  Compared to technology development in almost any 
other area braille display technology has been stagnant.  We need to 
find ways of breaking this destructive cycle so that true competition 
and innovation in braille technology can flourish for the benefit of 
blind peopleh!

Jamal

On 2/19/2011 4:25 PM, qubit wrote:
> Greetings --
> I haven't looked at your article yet but have some questions and comments.
> First, while this is thread is on representation of math on braille displays
> rather than embossed, obviously a graphical representation of an equation
> can't be displayed, as is done in DotsPlus (my personal favorite).  But I am
> wondering where technology is going in the area of tactile displays -- I
> have read over the years I have been subscribed to these lists, that there
> are prototypes of refreshable tactile displays that should be able to
> support even some graphics, and the articles I have read is that they will
> supposedly be cheaper than conventional displays and will turn the industry
> on its ear - but then the product disappears and is never heard from.
> Has anyone else read of such projects? Is there any hope of getting a
> tactile graphical display?
> The first one i read about was developed in Spain, and others I have heard
> of are somewhere here in the US.
> I am thinking by the time one makes it to market, blindness will be obsolete
> *smile* -- now has anyone heard about that project?*smile*
>
> As for latex versus Nemeth, Nemeth is probably terser as you say, but latex
> is more widely known and therefore useful in exchanging homework with
> teachers.  I also consider latex to be easier to pick up (at least for
> English speakers), as the terms are English or abbreviations.
>
> Anyway, my $0.02
> Happy brailles...
> --le
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Susan Jolly"<easjolly at ix.netcom.com>
> To:<blindmath at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Saturday, February 19, 2011 2:48 PM
> Subject: [Blindmath] LaTeX and Nemeth
>
>
> Many years ago I posted an article comparing LaTeX with Nemeth.  I know that
> many braille readers much prefer some flavor or other of LaTeX to nothing
> and possibly even to braille math.  However, the point of my article is to
> show that Nemeth is generally terser than LaTeX and also how the design of
> Nemeth makes it easier to read and remember.
>
> I don't know how accessible this article is.  I'm mentioning it here
> primarily for the benefit of the sighted persons on this list.  (I can't
> remember if I've posted this before.)
>
> http://www.dotlessbraille.org/nemeth.htm
>
> SusanJ
>
>
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