[NJTechDiv] OpenBook

[Andy]

For efficiently reading physical mail, it depends on several things: how much mail you have, and if you intend to save the OCRed text for future use. I've found Seeing AI's document reader to work well. Enable Document Detection, scan the document, and save it if needed.



> On Jun 21, 2025, at 10:07 PM, PLipovsky via NJTechDiv <njtechdiv at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
> What about reading mail?
>  
>  
>  
> Best,
>  
> Patricia A Lipovsky 
> (386) 255-0288, Home
> (386) 212-6627, Cell
> plipovsky at cfl.rr.com <mailto:plipovsky at cfl.rr.com>
>  
> From: NJTechDiv <njtechdiv-bounces at nfbnet.org <mailto:njtechdiv-bounces at nfbnet.org>> On Behalf Of Andy via NJTechDiv
> Sent: Saturday, June 21, 2025 8:46 PM
> To: New Jersey Technology Division List <njtechdiv at nfbnet.org <mailto:njtechdiv at nfbnet.org>>
> Cc: Andy <guitarwizandy at optonline.net <mailto:guitarwizandy at optonline.net>>
> Subject: Re: [NJTechDiv] OpenBook
>  
> It depends on what you're trying to do. Most people seem to be using JAWS's OCR features. In general, JAWS's OCR features have just about replaced OpenBook. 
>  
> I think the initial rationale behind incorporating OCR into JAWS was to give users seamless access to inaccessible PDF documents, inaccessible dialogs, etc. From there, it evolved into a pretty stable and workable solution. You can OCR documents, scan documents and Word files and PDFs, etc. For bulk scanning and reading for physical documents, people seem to be using the PEARL camera. I have no experience with PEARL.
>  
> At one point maybe a year ago, Freedom Scientific was selling OpenBook licenses for somewhere around $50. When I asked them about abandonment, no one gave me a clear answer. I strongly suspect it has indeed been abandoned. There is a similar product on the market, Kurzweil 1000. I'm not sure of the status of Kurzweil.
>  
> What are you trying to do, though? I'm finding that Be My Eyes and Seeing AI are sufficient for OCRing physical documents.
>  
> 
> 
>> On Jun 21, 2025, at 8:04 PM, Brian Shell via NJTechDiv <njtechdiv at nfbnet.org <mailto:njtechdiv at nfbnet.org>> wrote:
>>  
>> Hi,
>> Does anyone know if OpenBook has been abandoned?  The last version I can find on FS website looks to be from 2018.  If OpenBook is no longer cool, tell me what is so I can get with the times!
>> 
>> Thanks,
>> Brian
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