[stylist] Essential Office Tools

Sun Oct 10 19:15:11 UTC 2010

Jewel,

I did a search but couldn't come up with anything by that name. Do 
you have the  name of the person, or perhaps in the help menu there's 
a web address for the program

Thanks.

Brad

Brad

At 01:08 PM 10/10/2010, you wrote:
>One thing. If you're looking for a fully accessible computer planner
>and/or alarm clock, do a Google search for DaybyDay Planning Calendar.
>This calendar costs about $40 (and you can put it on two computers),
>allows for multiple users, has an address book and reminder alerts
>(alarms), goes from I think 400 A.D. (<_< Yes, I checked...I wanted to
>know!) to past 2400 (that's as far in the future as I went, but it
>kept going!). So, this calendar could also be sued by historians to
>keep track of a timeline, or for a history student to do the same. In
>the present time, it is very useful too! You use very basic hotkeys
>(CTRL+A is to add a note, CTRL+D is to go to the Delete menu options,
>etc). You can move by day, week, month, or year, so for example, I
>wanted to put in birthdays, and I put them in for 2010, then moved by
>year and added them each year for like 10 years! I'm not going to have
>to worry about not knowing when birthdays are for a whole decade now!
>
>This program is usable with Windows (I don't know about Mac). It is
>compatible with JAWS and WindowEyes (I think that's what the other one
>is called?). It is also partially compatible with NVDA (the address
>book edit fields don't tell you what each one is for, and you have to
>tab onto the date to read it, but otherwise, I've not seen any
>problems using DaybyDay with NVDA, and I do it every day). This
>planning calendar is amazing and fully accessible, having been
>designed by  a totally blind programmer. I definitely recommend it!
>
>The same programmer (just look on the website for DaybyDay) has other
>programs, including a clock program that is fully accessible (since
>it's made by th e same totally blind programmer). It can do alarms (I
>don't know what the limit is, it's too large...I tried, and didn't
>reach the limit!), and has a really cool feature that I loved when I
>wasn't at my computer (it's too loud when I am at the computer). You
>can set it to speak the time, yes, but I much prefer the Big Ben
>choice. On the hour, it does the full song and a chime per hour (1:00,
>1 chime, and so on). You can tell it if you want it to go off on the
>half hour and quarter hours or not, also. It can do a short chime on
>the quarter hours, and a longer chime on the half hour, but you can
>turn these off if you don't want them. I have found that a grandfather
>clock on my computer reminding me of the time while I'm reading is
>great, because then I notice, hey it's 7pm, time to get dinner ready
>or such like that.
>
>other office tools I find essential.
>-A handheld massager from Bookstone. This little vibrator is very
>compact, easy to stick in a desk drawer and very light. It runs on two
>double-A batteries, and has a single setting. Because my muscles are
>so sensitive, this single setting is perfect for me, as it has a light
>touch. It works great when you sat at the computer too long and
>strained your neck. The curvature of the device means it will even sit
>on your shoulder if you place it right, and work hands-free, so you
>can keep working!
>-An index card box. It's a little box made of plastic with a flap that
>snaps down (some nicer ones have a zipper or a snap latch). I keep a
>stylus in there with the index cars and a Jannus (sp?) slate nearby.
>If I need to take a note (someone's address, phone number, where
>so-and-so left my papers, or what this book sitting in front of me is
>that I need to scan). I write up the note, and the notes for the book
>get put on with tape or a paperclip (hardback versus paperback), and
>the addresses, phone numbers, and little notes like that can go in an
>open box on the desk to be sorted at the end of the day. An important
>notecard could be taped to the bottom of the keyboard at the frong,
>where it'll stick out and I'll touch it every time I type. Another
>location for notes like this is hanging from the underside of the desk
>at the frong. Every time you sit down, you're likely to brush against
>them. No more out of sight, out of mind to worry about!
>-My desk doesn't have a drawer for stuff, just for the computer, so I
>have a fabric box on the top of my desk for stuff (a nice looking one
>from Ikea). It holds tape dispenser, paperclip jar, rubber band jar,
>scissors, hole-puncher (one- and three-hole), , slate (the regular
>size one, not the Jannus slate, since the Jannus stays out for quick
>grab), a jar with extra styli (you never know!), extra packets of
>index cards, stamps, a few pens and pencils and a highlighter for
>other people to use, twist ties for cords and cables, Krammer abacus,
>talking calculator, and a few other items I can't remember...oh yea,
>gum! Gotta have gum.
>
>Then, when I need something, I just stick my hand in, feel around for
>the right shape and grab. Everything's a different shape and texture,
>so I can grab quickly.
>-Bumpdots and circle felt stickers. I have found these to be
>essential, not just for labelling. If I'm reading a Braille document
>and I want to 'highlight' something, I put a small circle felt dot
>sticker right before the beginning and end of what I want highlighted.
>if I'm reading a magazine that I know I won't read all the articles in
>(say , for example, PC World [which I don't get]), I can put a felt
>circle or small bumpdot next to the articles in the table of contents
>that I want to come back to and read).
>
>That's all I can think of for now...
>
>On 10/10/10, BDM <lists at braddunsemusic.com> wrote:
> > Joe,
> >
> > These are my few essential items:
> >
> > 1. File Management: I'm not afraid to create folders on my computer,
> > and  try to maintain them in a very organized manner.
> > . I find the need to clean house once and a while  when in a hurry
> > creating and though it takes a little time, I take it.
> >
> > 2. Digital Recorder: A super help is a digital recorder, my
> > electronic brain, my notepad of sourts.  I have two of these. One
> > cheaper one I bought for like $40 which is an Olympus model and is
> > easy to use with no speech menus. I use it to keep numbers on the
> > fly, notes about my business on the fly, I use it like an inventory
> > sheet in my business marking down what I need where, I use it for
> > anything I don't wish to forget or need to mark down in a hurry. I'll
> > use it to mark down song titles, lines, melodies, etc. as well on the
> > fly. The other one I have is a more expensive Olympus one that
> > records in WAV format if you wish. I use it as both a computer
> > microphone at times as well to note songs I'm working on, record
> > conferences, live song evaluations, and etc.  I couldn't live without
> > one these days. A note that if you have a Victor Stream you can also
> > use it for audio recorded notes too. I've also used the Stream to
> > serve as note promptors when doing a class on songwriting. I made a
> > txt file  of my notes and put it on the Stream and covertly used a
> > ear bud as a promptor. I similarly use my digital recorder as my set
> > list promptor on long gigs of two hours or more. Everyone thinks its
> > a sound system ear monitor :).
> >
> > 3. Day Timer: Probably one of my biggest things is my day
> > timer.  Anytime I need to be reminded of something, an appointment, a
> > special day or To Do item, I'll enter it in there, have it remind me
> > ahead of time and even send me an email as well pop an alert on my
> > screen. It keeps my contacts, notes and details for my address book
> > or To Do items and everything else. It has calendar, address book,
> > expense view, glances or views by day, week, month, year and other
> > stuff, some not accessible but I don't use them anyway so that's
> > cool.  The program is one that use to be supported by Jaws, no longer
> > formally is but it still works if you have  the old scripts. It is
> > Anytime Organizer. I will say the latest version I had tried, version
> > 13, did not agree with my system and I am running version 12 which
> > works great and I will probably not change unless major tweaks are
> > made  from my version. Though I've found their customer service to be
> > atrocious, I still love the program and it is one of which that has
> > kept me from converting to a Mac, which I am yet seriously
> > considering. I just need to find  a Mac anser to this and be open
> > minded to a different, yet free screen reader :). I also occasionally
> > use a free and fairly accessible program called Alarm Clock By Terry.
> > It serves as a countdown timer as well an alarm clock on board. It is
> > pretty accessible. I looked forever to find one that wasn't totally
> > graphical and it wasnt' easy. This one has a couple buttons not
> > labeled but other than that its fine.
> >
> > 4. Braille Tags: I am not a big Braille reader, I have trouble
> > falling asleep trying to read it for any length of time , but I do
> > use it around the office. I use old business cards I have and make
> > notes to print papered items if I just need to file or otherwise deal
> > with them.
> >
> > 5. Clips: One last thing I'll mention since I use to use this and it
> > worked great the way I was running my business/office then. I
> > bought  some of those  paper clips that  from a profile view are
> > shaped like a triangle and have two foldable wire handles on them.
> > You can  afix Braille dymo tape numbers to them. I'd have my reader
> > go through and read  a certain mail item or papered item on to a
> > digital recorder starting off "Item #1:" and proceed to read it. This
> > way I could go and file or attend to it later when I had time and not
> > pay someone to do that for me.
> >
> >
> > Hope that helps.
> >
> > Brad
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > At 09:16 AM 10/10/2010, Joe Orozco wrote:
> >>Dear all,
> >>
> >>I'm curious about what people think are the essential office tools for
> >>writers who are blind.  Our sighted counterparts keep notepads, paper
> >> files,
> >>bulletin boards and all manner of things to keep things organized and
> >> spread
> >>out through their office.  Last year when I switched jobs and took one
> >> where
> >>I have the luxury of working from home, I was a little pleased and somewhat
> >>disappointed to realize that the two main information storage devices I
> >>needed was a laptop and an external hard drive.  I recently invested in an
> >>embosser for those times when I'd like to be able to read hard copy, but I
> >>somehow don't see pasting Braille stickies on a board as all that
> >>productive, out of sight is out of mind and so forth.  The trouble with
> >>working primarily from home is that the work is always there.  Similarly,
> >>working out of a single laptop makes it seem as though my work has never
> >>really disappeared after 6:00 PM.  I suppose I should accepted when my
> >>office tried to buy me a Mac.  It's not too late, but I'm not ready to
> >>explore a new operating system.  So what do you use to keep things
> >>compartmentalized and organized in your office?  Any tips and tricks would
> >>be appreciated.  I'm reading this time-management book and want to see if
> >>there's a different way of arranging my information to boost general
> >>productivity.  Thanks much in advance.
> >>
> >>Best,
> >>
> >>Joe
> >>
> >>"Hard work spotlights the character of people: some turn up their sleeves,
> >>some turn up their noses, and some don't turn up at all."--Sam Ewing
> >>
> >>
> >>_______________________________________________
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> > Brad Dunse
> >
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> >
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>
>--
>~Jewel
>Check out my blog about accessibility for the blind!
>Treasure Chest for the Blind: http://blindtreasurechest.blogspot.com
>
>_______________________________________________
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>
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Brad Dunse

The greatest composer does not sit down to work because he is inspired,
but becomes inspired because he is working

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