[nabs-l] Seems we lost an ally

Wed Jan 4 21:06:12 UTC 2012

Thanks all,
I figured out what I was doing wrong with the downloads from bookshare.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Joshua Lester" <jlester8462 at students.pccua.edu>
To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list" 
<nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Wednesday, January 04, 2012 2:53 PM
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Seems we lost an ally


> I'd think HTML, (because,) that's text only.
> Gloria, please E-mail me offlist.
> Thanks, Joshua
>
> On 1/4/12, Gloria G <gloria.graves at gmail.com> wrote:
>> Hi,
>> Can anyone tell me when down loading books from bookshare, if I want to 
>> put
>> the book on my victor stream I thought I should download the daizy 
>> version
>> of the book. When I extract the zipped file I get a few choices like DTD 
>> or
>> html. Which of the files do I choose to put on my stream? Thanks
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Ashley Bramlett" <bookwormahb at earthlink.net>
>> To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Wednesday, January 04, 2012 2:16 PM
>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Seems we lost an ally
>>
>>
>>> Hi Joshua,
>>> Actually, I think they still do good in some areas; nice customer 
>>> service
>>> reps and they braille the cd sleeves so you know what book is inside.
>>> I think they will redo their site if someone tells them.
>>> And I don't know an organization that has more textbooks than learning
>>> ally. Now with the daisy format, you can jump to particular pages and
>>> peruse a book faster than before. I remember the days of four track 
>>> tapes.
>>>
>>> Also, I know what its like to use readers, having them not show up and
>>> getting behind in your work or having a reader quit mid semester. So
>>> while they are flawed, IMO its better than before.
>>>
>>> And how can you say they don't care? Have you talked to them about it 
>>> and
>>> gotten a response?
>>> I doubt it. We cannot make assumptions about them without some statement
>>> from them. I do agree it does not seem like their an ally now. Can you
>>> have a sighted person help you navigate the screen till they get it 
>>> fixed?
>>>
>>> You can still use them
>>> Unfortunately, accessibility when you are a minority is an after 
>>> thought.
>>> No it should not be that way, but sadly it is.
>>>
>>> Ashley
>>>
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: Joshua Lester
>>> Sent: Wednesday, January 04, 2012 12:06 AM
>>> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
>>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Seems we lost an ally
>>>
>>> They are only an ally to those with dislexia.
>>> They don't care about us, anymore.
>>> Bookshare may be our only option, now, if only they start doing
>>> textbooks, which I doubt will happen.
>>> Blessings, Joshua
>>>
>>>
>>> On 1/3/12, Carly Mihalakis <carlymih at earthlink.net> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Hi, Josh, and other interesteds,
>>>>
>>>> Ally?
>>>> How can they call themselves something so ridiculous as Learning
>>>> Ally? Really? Some ally. We really are without friends, if that's
>>>> what they consider as such.
>>>> Car
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>   Torcolini at Home <ntorcolini at wavecable.com> wrote:
>>>>> > Yes, but, sometimes, you have to just take what you can get,
>>>>> especially once
>>>>> > you get into college.
>>>>> >
>>>>> > ----- Original Message -----
>>>>> > From: "Chris Nusbaum" <dotkid.nusbaum at gmail.com>
>>>>> > To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
>>>>> > <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
>>>>> > Sent: Tuesday, January 03, 2012 3:48 PM
>>>>> > Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Seems we lost an ally
>>>>> >
>>>>> >
>>>>> >>I personally don't want to have the synthesized voice on the Stream
>>>>> >>read
>>>>> >> a
>>>>> >>book to me, especially a novel or textbook, and would go the RFBD
>>>>> >>route
>>>>> >>whenever possible.
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >> Chris
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >> "The real problem of blindness is not the loss of eyesight.  The 
>>>>> >> real
>>>>> >> problem is the misunderstanding and lack of education that exists.
>>>>> >> If
>>>>> >> a
>>>>> >> blind person has the proper training and opportunity, blindness can
>>>>> >> be
>>>>> >> reduced to a mere physical nuisance."
>>>>> >> -- Kenneth Jernigan
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >> ----- Original Message -----
>>>>> >> From: "Nicole B.  Torcolini at Home" <ntorcolini at wavecable.com
>>>>> >> To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
>>>>> >> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>>>> >> Date sent: Mon, 2 Jan 2012 20:10:14 -0800
>>>>> >> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Seems we lost an ally
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >> You don't have to have a book.  It also plays MP3 files and reads 
>>>>> >> TXT
>>>>> >> files.
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >> ----- Original Message -----
>>>>> >> From: "Joshua Lester" <jlester8462 at students.pccua.edu
>>>>> >> To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list"
>>>>> >> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>>>> >> Sent: Monday, January 02, 2012 6:45 PM
>>>>> >> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Seems we lost an ally
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >> I was shwon one, at convention, 2 years ago.
>>>>> >> I have one, but I'm not sure about working it.
>>>>> >> I don't have any books for it, now.
>>>>> >> I'll save your address, and E-mail you when I get a book.
>>>>> >> Blessings, Joshua
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >> On 1/2/12, Patrick Molloy <ptrck.molloy at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>> >> Joshua,
>>>>> >> E-mail me off list and I can help you figure out the Stream.  It's
>>>>> >> really quite simple.
>>>>> >> Patrick
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >> On 1/2/12, Joshua Lester <jlester8462 at students.pccua.edu> wrote:
>>>>> >> Wow!
>>>>> >> I still use the CD player for my classes.
>>>>> >> I hate the Victor Stream, because I can't figure it out!
>>>>> >> Blessings, Joshua
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >> On 1/2/12, Ashley Bramlett <bookwormahb at earthlink.net> wrote:
>>>>> >> Antonio,
>>>>> >> What are the problems? Do you use jaws? I've tried to figure out 
>>>>> >> the
>>>>> >> download; it took me a while to learn the old way, and now they
>>>>> >> changed
>>>>> >> it.
>>>>> >> I'm not the most patient with technology, keep in mind.  If you 
>>>>> >> have
>>>>> >> a
>>>>> >> cd
>>>>> >> player, you still can order daisy cds, but now that humanware no
>>>>> >> longer
>>>>> >> offers the little daisy players; vr wave, vr vibe and vr classic,
>>>>> >> more
>>>>> >> probably will download.  I still have my old vr wave and thankfully
>>>>> >> it
>>>>> >> works!
>>>>> >> Since as you said downloading is not friendly and a Daisy cd player
>>>>> >> is
>>>>> >> IMO
>>>>> >> easy to use and simple.
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >> Humanware recently released a new victor reader player, vr 
>>>>> >> strattus,
>>>>> >> which
>>>>> >> both plays those daisy cds and downloadable books from many places
>>>>> >> like
>>>>> >> nls
>>>>> >> and learning ally.
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >> I encourage you to write learning ally.  Many are disappointed. 
>>>>> >> With
>>>>> >> changing
>>>>> >> their name, it seems they changed their mission to focus on 
>>>>> >> learning
>>>>> >> disabilities without identifying them as disabled, for politically
>>>>> >> correct
>>>>> >> purposes.  Tell them to still include blind people and that blind
>>>>> >> people
>>>>> >> have
>>>>> >> depended on them for over 30 years since they started.  Don't let
>>>>> >> them
>>>>> >> forget
>>>>> >> us and be specific as to your accessibility challenges.  Stating
>>>>> >> something
>>>>> >> is
>>>>> >> not accessible won't help.
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >> Also IMo, their site is more hard to navigate.  More images and
>>>>> >> complex
>>>>> >> organization.  Like no longer can you see the book catalog from the
>>>>> >> main
>>>>> >> page
>>>>> >> and when you search books you cannot read the edition/publisher
>>>>> >> anymore
>>>>> >> without clicking on something extra.  So I see like ten books with
>>>>> >> the
>>>>> >> same
>>>>> >> or similar name and it takes longer to figure out what to pick.
>>>>> >> frustrated,
>>>>> >> Ashley
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >> -----Original Message-----
>>>>> >> From: Antonio Guimaraes
>>>>> >> Sent: Monday, January 02, 2012 8:35 PM
>>>>> >> To: nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>>>> >> Subject: [nabs-l] Seems we lost an ally
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >> Dear NABS members,
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >> It is more than obvious to me that the new Learning Ally download
>>>>> >> features fall short of offering blind screen reader users the
>>>>> >> services
>>>>> >> we've come to know in previous years.
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >> Today I experienced at least an hour of frustrations trying to use
>>>>> >> their
>>>>> >> new and improved program for downloads.  I have listened to their 
>>>>> >> You
>>>>> >> Tube video explaining the process, and then reached out to people
>>>>> >> like
>>>>> >> you for some feedback.
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >> There are several reports that blind readers can not use Learning
>>>>> >> Ally's
>>>>> >> download features.
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >> I am not a happy scholar.  I am writing to find out if you too have
>>>>> >> come
>>>>> >> up against issues with the download service.
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >> The NABS division and its membership should not accept lack of 
>>>>> >> access
>>>>> >> from an organization that has long been at the forefront in 
>>>>> >> providing
>>>>> >> access to recorded texts for blind users.
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >> Your experience will only help confirm some of the reported issues,
>>>>> >> and
>>>>> >> hopefully result in rectifying what must certainly be an oversight 
>>>>> >> on
>>>>> >> Learning Ally's part.
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >> Sincerely,
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >> Antonio Guimaraes
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >> _______________________________________________
>>>>> >> nabs-l mailing list
>>>>> >> nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>>>> >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
>>>>> >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info 
>>>>> >> for
>>>>> >> nabs-l:
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/bookwormahb%4
>>>>> >> 0earthlink.net
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >> _______________________________________________
>>>>> >> nabs-l mailing list
>>>>> >> nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>>>> >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
>>>>> >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info 
>>>>> >> for
>>>>> >> nabs-l:
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/jlester8462%4
>>>>> >> 0students.pccua.edu
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >> _______________________________________________
>>>>> >> nabs-l mailing list
>>>>> >> nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>>>> >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
>>>>> >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info 
>>>>> >> for
>>>>> >> nabs-l:
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/ptrck.molloy%
>>>>> >> 40gmail.com
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >> _______________________________________________
>>>>> >> nabs-l mailing list
>>>>> >> nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>>>> >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
>>>>> >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info 
>>>>> >> for
>>>>> >> nabs-l:
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/jlester8462%4
>>>>> >> 0students.pccua.edu
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >> _______________________________________________
>>>>> >> nabs-l mailing list
>>>>> >> nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>>>> >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
>>>>> >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info 
>>>>> >> for
>>>>> >> nabs-l:
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/ntorcolini%40
>>>>> >> wavecable.com
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >> _______________________________________________
>>>>> >> nabs-l mailing list
>>>>> >> nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>>>> >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
>>>>> >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info 
>>>>> >> for
>>>>> >> nabs-l:
>>>>> >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/dotkid.nusbau
>>>>> >> m%40gmail.com
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >> _______________________________________________
>>>>> >> nabs-l mailing list
>>>>> >> nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>>>> >> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
>>>>> >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info 
>>>>> >> for
>>>>> >> nabs-l:
>>>>> >>
>>>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/ntorcolini%40wavecable.com
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >
>>>>> >
>>>>> > _______________________________________________
>>>>> > nabs-l mailing list
>>>>> > nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>>>> > http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
>>>>> > To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info 
>>>>> > for
>>>>> > nabs-l:
>>>>> >
>>>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/jlester8462%40students.pccua.edu
>>>>> >
>>>>>
>>>>>_______________________________________________
>>>>>nabs-l mailing list
>>>>>nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>>>>http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
>>>>>To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>>>> nabs-l:
>>>>>http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/carlymih%40earthlink.net
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> nabs-l mailing list
>>>> nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
>>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>>> nabs-l:
>>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/jlester8462%40students.pccua.edu
>>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> nabs-l mailing list
>>> nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>> nabs-l:
>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/bookwormahb%40earthlink.net
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> nabs-l mailing list
>>> nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>> nabs-l:
>>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/gloria.graves%40gmail.com
>>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> nabs-l mailing list
>> nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>> nabs-l:
>> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/jlester8462%40students.pccua.edu
>>
>
> _______________________________________________
> nabs-l mailing list
> nabs-l at nfbnet.org
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for 
> nabs-l:
> http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/gloria.graves%40gmail.com