[nabs-l] new open source Braille translation software for the blind

[Jedi]

Hello.

I don't think a Braille translation software package is out of date at 
all. For example, I may want a book from NLS web Braille and need to 
translate it into a text format for use with my laptop and Braille 
display. Alternatively, it would be nice to be able to translate a text 
file into a Braille format to send to a transcriber for printing. That 
sort of thing.

Respectfully,
Jedi


Original message:
> -----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
> Hash: SHA256

> Hi all,
> Please forgive the cross-post, but I wanted to reach the students since
> it's the group of the NFB that I know the largest number of, as well as
> the computer science people in hopes of eliciting a response from them.
> I will warn you now that this message is a little long, but I'd
> appreciate if as many of you as possible read it and provide me with
> your feedback. Whether or not I attempt this project will be directly
> influenced by how much feedback I get on the idea.

> I've been kicking an idea around in my head for a while and I want to
> know if there would be a large enough group that would find it of use.
> I'm thinking of possibly writing a completely extensable, flexable, and
> open source Braille translation package. I know about the nfbtrans
> software already, and it's a good peace of software, all be it a little
> dated at this stage of the game. What I'm thinking is a translation
> package that takes a different aproach. The major features would be as
> follows.

> * Modular design, allowing for Braille formats to be easily supported.
> Grade 1, grade 2, Nemith, and even foreign language Braille should not
> require complete rewrites of the software. All that need happen for a
> new format to be supported is for someone to write a module for it.
> Depending on what my research reveals, I might even be able to provide a
> generic module that allows for simple one to one print to braille
> mappings for some of the simpler Braille codes.

> * Modular design allows for a wide variety of Braille printers to be
> supported. At first, all that will be supported is to print a document
> directly to the serial or parallel port, but in the future support for
> the advanced features found on individual printers will be supported.

> * Command line interface at first, with the eventual goal of having a
> fully featured editor with Braille translation such as that which you
> find in commertial translation packages.

> * Software is able to be used directly, such as by a student or
> professional wanting to translate a document into Braille, or as a back
> end solution, being called by some other program to perform translation.

> * Licensed under the GPL or similar license. This allows people to use
> the software, free of charge, as well as to modify it. It is insane that
> translation software is so expensive.

> * High quality. Performance, features, etc. should be as good or better
> than that available in the commertial products.

> So, here are my questions to you all.

> 1. Is there still a need for such software, or have devices like the
> braille note made it something that is no longer strictly necessary?

> 2. If such software existed, would you use it personally or do you know
> anyone who would?

> I'll look forward to hearing back from all of you!
> - --
> Those of you who think they know everything are very annoying to those
> of us who actually do.
> Joseph C. Lininger, <jbahm at pcdesk.net>
> -----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
> Version: GnuPG v1.4.9 (MingW32)

> iQEcBAEBCAAGBQJK0akrAAoJEMh8jNraUiwqPpgH/2/ds8unDsCFSDNVAyO6s7hl
> 4ChYqGjD9t6+SheiraCRULCuvEBCJb7avBban1XK1bHHVsNxKSA6BukBunLYMATt
> hFDrT12HmHRwbgB2LjYTKIqFXLnYB8x0huzbJyy51AiavqFP5o7NbPQkhN7fvBDy
> UMMyH7VLZzuNyWidnR5rx4Ugxbc5NcnsFq1czkooc3qKEcd0MTg/xu+QAMF2DLyz
> uv8wxEQYEZx5cEpM6GxjwBEZkjK5ZNukay5YxEzMD93qxnQyHibAdqVa9pMG1pwy
> 9KfQQ+AeyJOS4vRNf+PzhQ21uHNDxMtztS3Fs+G4+0Xp9nrzVsFUsR0cUCPXVQ4=
> =nmE8
> -----END PGP SIGNATURE-----

> _______________________________________________
> nabs-l mailing list
> nabs-l at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for nabs-l:
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/loneblindjedi%40samobile.net

-- 
Email services provided by the System Access Mobile Network.  Visit 
www.serotek.com to learn more about accessibility anywhere.