[NFB-Braille-Discussion] Braille transcribing question

[Steve Jacobson]

Josh,

I don't know where you are going with these questions, but I know you were thinking of getting an electric Perkins at one point.  If you are thinking that you could justify getting an electric Perkins to start a transcribing business, I'm not sure that will work.  Sahar, who answered your question by saying she has had a transcribing business for twenty-five years or more, will know more about this than I, but from what I know, most blind transcribers succeed by producing braille from documents they are provided by businesses.  They may also scan documents and correct the errors.  This is going to tend to be the case because to use a Perkins will almost certainly mean they have to get the originating document read or some how made accessible to them.  Therefore, the transcribers I know who are blind would have limited use of a Perkins brailler in their business, although there are certainly some uses.  

Nevertheless, it seems likely that the main part of a transcribing business for a blind person is going to involve a computer and software.  As you may already know, some software does allow for six key input so you can input braille electronically to get it exactly as you want it.  

If you were going to have a transcribing business, at some point you will need an embosser.  Something like the open source embosser you asked about just isn't going to be able to handle the volume, even if you were able to get it built.  While you may not need the fastest embosser in the world, you would need something fast enough to produce what you transcribe in a reasonable amount of time.  Also, it has to be reliable.  You may even need a second embosser so your customers are not kept waiting because your embosser stopped working.  You also need to be able to proofread what you transcribe.  This might mean embossing a copy for yourself or using a braille display.

The point to all of this is that you have to look at any business effort, including a transcribing business, from a broad perspective.

Best regards,

Steve Jacobson

-----Original Message-----
From: NFB-Braille-Discussion <nfb-braille-discussion-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Donald Winiecki via NFB-Braille-Discussion
Sent: Tuesday, December 17, 2019 6:40 AM
To: NFB Braille Discussion List <nfb-braille-discussion at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Donald Winiecki <dwiniecki at handid.org>; Josh Kennedy <joshknnd1982 at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [NFB-Braille-Discussion] Braille transcribing question

Hi Josh,

Yes. Most textbook transcription today happens using translation and
formatting software.

Even so, I won't say that a Perkins brailler or slate are unnecessary or
even obsolete for people who produce braille for more than personal use.
Currently, I have a job in which I am using a Perkins and I regularly use a
slate to braille small jobs, including one-off tactile graphics, dymo-tape
labels, and such.

And believe it or not, I am actually on the lookout for an interpoint slate!

_don


On Tue, Dec 17, 2019 at 5:17 AM Josh Kennedy via NFB-Braille-Discussion <
nfb-braille-discussion at nfbnet.org> wrote:

> Hi,
> But do transcribers still use perkins braillers or maybe electric perkins
> braillers today? I imagine there may still be some textbooks or parts of
> textbooks which require special formatting, where it may be easier just to
> use a perkins brailler and hand-transcribe the material in the textbook so
> the transcriber can make sure the text comes out exactly as he or she
> wishes, placing the perkins brailler in the exact spots to get the desired
> results. Or are computers so advanced now that you can do even the most
> advanced and unusual formatting with translators and computer braille
> embossers, making perkins braillers or 40-cell transcribing slates
> unnecessary?
>
>
> Josh
>
>
> Sent from my iPod
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