[nfb-talk] Freedom Scientific Releases NewandImprovedOCRRecognition Software for JAWS and OpenBook, @ FreedomScientific News March 30 2012

Michael Bullis bullis.michael at gmail.com
Mon Apr 2 00:24:22 UTC 2012


Hi Constance:
Well, you asked.  So, here it was.  And, you'll note that I didn't even tell them it was April Fools because I did start out by saying, "considering the date."

Sent: Wednesday, April 01, 2009 10:32 AM Subject: [nfb-talk] Blindness Research 


Considering the date, this is well written. 
Mike 
Blindness and Sexuality: Researching Myths and Facts 
Summary Report: 
Distributed by: National Data Distribution Center (NDDC) April 1, 2009 Atlanta Georgia 

The two hundredth anniversary of the birth of Louis Braille is being celebrated by the US mint with the production of a silver coin commemorating the man who created the modern reading system used by many blind people. Unfortunately, although blind people work and live normal lives, they are still different in many ways and their experiences are a matter of curiosity amongst the sighted population.  For most of us, the question, "What is it like to be blind?," has entered our minds more than once. 

Research, some of it useful and much of it not, about how people who are blind perceive the world, abounds.  One of the more interesting topics of study is sexuality among the blind.  The story, goes that blind people are incredible sexual partners--somehow being extremely sensitive to their partners and, being able to stimulate them far more than the average person. 


Masters and Johnson were so intrigued by this subject that they collected data over several years from those who had had sex with blind people. Surprisingly, what they thought would be myths, turned out to be true. The results were stunning.  On average, women rated their blind partners 9.1 on a scale of 10.  The average rating was five for sighted partners. 

"This research has been duplicated several times," says Author Mary Roach, author of, 2008 best seller, Bonk: the Curious Coupling of Science and Sex.  The data hasn't attracted much attention because blindness is such a low incidence event.  "We usually print things that have broad interest.  And, even though this indicates that blind people are incredibly sexual, there aren't really enough of them to go around." 

Comments from sighted partners were astounding.  "He seemed like he knew my soul," from a 23 year old female.  "Her tongue knew just how to touch every part of me if you know what I mean," from a college male.  One woman commented, "The things he could do with his fingers were beyond description in this survey.  It's not that he was built bigger than other men, it just seemed like he touched me inside with it all over,"  she said with a shy smile. 

When William Masters was asked, in a 1971 interview, why he didn't draw more attention to these findings he said, "I didn't know anything about blindness.  We were publishing information of general interest about sexuality and this just didn't fit that mold.  Perhaps some day researchers will help us understand why blind people have such incredible sexual capacities and we'll be able to use that information to increase the abilities of others.  Until then, a very few lucky men and women will experience the phenomena of sex with a blind person." 

There is a down side to this research.  When interviewed, blind people generally expressed frustration about sexuality.  Broadly speaking, they divided sighted people into three groups.  First is the group who simply want to have sex with them for the thrill and experience of it.  "We feel used," was the most common thing reported.  second, was the group who simply couldn't see themselves with a blind husband or wife.  "They want to be with us, but don't see us as fathers and mothers, for example,"  was often heard. the third group were those who "get it" as one blind man put it.  "They can see beyond blindness and except us for who we are.  Blindness just fades into the background and becomes another characteristic." 

The sad truth is that although blind people work, raise families, travel independently and generally speaking, live normal lives, the public perception is the opposite.  The image of the helpless beggar still lurks in our minds.  Sighted people report that the fear of blindness overwelms their rationality.  "I know that I shouldn't let blindness interfere with how I think about my partner, but, I can't help it," said a young college student engaged to a blind physicist working at NASA.  "Yes, he has money, and yes, he's sexy, and oh, my god, can he please me, if you know what I mean.  The hardest thing is getting over this image of him as a helpless blind man. We sail, bike ride and horse back ride.  I can't think of anything he can't do except drive, but, I'll admit, the image of a helpless blind man still haunts me.  People look at him with such pity and I just want to scream, "You don't get it you fools.""  But she admits that making the decision to mary is difficult. 

Chad, a young blind college student says he finds the whole sex thing a bit distracting.  "Sure I can please women more than my sighted friends can, and frankly, it's because they just don't pay attention to women and what their bodies and hearts are saying.  Women will tell you everything you need to know if you just listen and feel." 

We give you all of this information with the caviat that perhaps only one in six thousand people is an eligible blind man or woman, so, happy searching.

This email was cleaned by emailStripper, available for free from http://www.papercut.biz/emailStripper.htm

-----Original Message-----
From: nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Constance Canode
Sent: Sunday, April 01, 2012 7:31 PM
To: NFB Talk Mailing List
Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] Freedom Scientific Releases NewandImprovedOCRRecognition Software for JAWS and OpenBook, @ FreedomScientific News March 30 2012

Loved the joke, and would love to see the sex and 
blind people joke.  I don't remember ever seeing 
it...smile and happy April Fool's Day to all!
At 05:17 PM 4/1/2012, you wrote:
>Congratulations on an excellent april fools day 
>post.  Haven't seen anything this good since my 
>article on sex and blind people several years 
>ago.  And, if it's any consolation, many people 
>complained about that as well.  Apparently there 
>are lots of people who just don't read carefully 
>on this list (laugh). Again.  Congratulations. 
>Mike Bullis -----Original Message----- From: 
>nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org 
>[mailto:nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf 
>Of Ray Foret Jr Sent: Sunday, April 01, 2012 
>5:41 PM To: NFB Talk Mailing List Subject: Re: 
>[nfb-talk] Freedom Scientific Releases 
>NewandImprovedOCRRecognition Software for JAWS 
>and OpenBook, @ FreedomScientific News March 30 
>2012 Well, irrisponsible though it was, it was 
>well written. Sincerely, The Constantly 
>Barefooted Ray!!! Now a very proud and happy Mac 
>user!!! Skype name: barefootedray Facebook: 
>facebook.com/ray.foretjr.1 On Apr 1, 2012, at 
>4:38 PM, Humberto Avila wrote: > Brian, I can 
>agree no more! Life should be taken soft, and 
>humor should be in our lives, and yes, an april 
>fools day joke perhaps, once a year. > > > 
>-----Original Message----- > From: 
>nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org 
>[mailto:nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf 
>Of Brian Miller > Sent: Sunday, April 01, 2012 
>12:44 PM > To: 'NFB Talk Mailing List' > 
>Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] Freedom Scientific 
>Releases NewandImprovedOCRRecognition Software 
>for JAWS and OpenBook,@ FreedomScientific News 
>March 30 2012 > > Peter, > With all due respect, 
>it says April  Fools right at the bottom of the 
>message -- any tech company that went after a 
>prankster like this would be laughed out of 
>court. > > I admit to having been suckered in at 
>first too until I red the last bit -- it's the 
>sign of a superior April Fools product! > > 
>Laugh, it's just life! > > Brian M > > >> 
>-----Original Message----- >> From: 
>nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org >> 
>[mailto:nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf 
>Of Peter Donahue >> Sent: Sunday, April 01, 2012 
>2:26 PM >> To: NFB Talk Mailing List >> Subject: 
>Re: [nfb-talk] Freedom Scientific Releases 
>New >> andImprovedOCRRecognition Software for 
>JAWS and OpenBook,@ >> FreedomScientific News 
>March 30 2012 >> >> Hello Humberto and 
>everyone, >> >>    If I owned an adaptive tech 
>company and you pull >> something like this 
>related to one of my products you'd be >> 
>looking for an attorney by now. I don't care 
>what day it is >> this is really not funny 
>particularly when the person who did >> it 
>freely admits doing so. >> >> Peter 
>Donahue >> >> >> ----- Original Message ----- >> 
>From: "Humberto Avila" 
><avila.bert.humberto2 at gmail.com> >> To: "'NFB 
>Talk Mailing List'" <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org> >> 
>Sent: Sunday, April 01, 2012 11:40 AM >> 
>Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] Freedom Scientific 
>Releases New and >> ImprovedOCRRecognition 
>Software for JAWS and OpenBook,@ >> 
>FreedomScientific News March 30 2012 >> >> >>> 
>Did you read the bottom of my message? >>> >>> 
>-----Original Message----- >>> From: 
>nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org >> 
>[mailto:nfb-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] >>> On 
>Behalf Of Peter Donahue >>> Sent: Sunday, April 
>01, 2012 4:50 AM >>> To: NFB Talk Mailing 
>List >>> Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] Freedom 
>Scientific Releases New and >> Improved >>> 
>OCRRecognition Software for JAWS and 
>OpenBook,@ >> FreedomScientific News >>> March 
>30 2012 >>> >>> Hello Joshua and 
>everyone, >>> >>>   Did you check their Web site 
>to verify if this is indeed >> the truth >>> or 
>an April fool? Before declaring this thing a 
>joke it's best to >>> check the technology 
>vendor's Web site to determine if >> 
>announcements >>> like this are indeed fact or 
>if they're fiction. >>> >>> Peter 
>Donahue >>> >>> ----- Original Message ----- >>> 
>From: "Joshua Lester" 
><jlester8462 at students.pccua.edu> >>> To: "NFB 
>Talk Mailing List" <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org> >>> 
>Sent: Sunday, April 01, 2012 3:28 AM >>> 
>Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] Freedom Scientific 
>Releases New and >> Improved >>> OCR Recognition 
>Software for JAWS and OpenBook, @ 
>FreedomScientific >>> News March 30 
>2012 >>> >>> >>> Lame joke! >>> Blessings, 
>Joshua >>> >>> On 4/1/12, Humberto Avila 
><avila.bert.humberto2 at gmail.com> wrote: >>>> 
>From: @ Freedom Scientific News >>>> 
>[mailto:freedomscientificnews at freedomscientific.com]  
> >>>> 
><mailto:%5bmailto:freedomscientificnews at freedomscientific.com%5d>  
> >>>> >>>> Sent: Saturday, March 31, 2012 2:35 
>PM EDT >>>> >>>> To: Humberto Avila 
>[mailto:avila.bert.humberto2 at gmail.com] >>>> 
><mailto:%5bmailto:avila.bert.humberto2 at gmail.com%5d>  
> >>>> >>>> Subject: Freedom Scientific Releases 
>New and Improved OCR >> Recognition >>>> 
>Software for JAWS and 
>OpenBook >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> Having trouble 
>viewing this email? Click >>>> >> 
><http://www.freedomscientific.com/news/2012-03-31/fs-releases-new-imp  
> >>>> 
>roved-ocr-software-openbook-jaws.html> >>>> here 
>to view in a browser. >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> 
>For Immediate 
>Release: >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> 
>Freedom Scientific Releases New and Improved 
>OCR >> Recognition Software >>>> for JAWS and 
>OpenBook >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> Today, Freedom 
>Scientific, one of the world’s leading >> 
>screen reading >>>> and blindness product 
>makers, has just recently developed and >>>> 
>released a new breakthrough in its line of 
>products of assistive >>>> technology for blind 
>and visually impaired computer 
>users. >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> Have you ever wanted 
>to take OpenBook® with you at all >> times 
>anywhere >>>> you can possibly go with it? Or 
>even better, have you >> always wanted >>>> to 
>be able to pick up a handwritten note on a piece 
>of >> paper and be >>>> able to read it 
>instantly just like anybody else? Or maybe you 
>are >>>> one of those frustrated students that 
>are inundated with >> printed or >>>> 
>handwritten material that you can’t read in or 
>out of a classroom >>>> setting and you have to 
>wait even hours or days for >> somebody to 
>read >>>> to you. Maybe you are at a conference, 
>you are given a >> business card >>>> or a 
>simple handout that is important, and you need 
>to fill out or >>>> read 
>along? >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> Well, wish and wonder 
>no more! Freedom Scientific now has >> the 
>solution! >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> Due to popular 
>demand, and numerous emails and feedback >> 
>requests from >>>> our users, Freedom Scientific 
>has decided to step forward. >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> 
>We have released a new, updated, and improved 
>OCR >> recognition engine >>>> for both, our 
>Openbook® and JAWS® products. This bran new 
>release >>>> includes many new features, which 
>include, but not limited to: >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> 
>* The ability to recognize smaller type font and 
>better >> recognition >>>> of columns in 
>sophisticated tables, which can easily be >> 
>confusing to read. >>>> * The ability to 
>recognize print on smaller pieces of print 
>paper, >>>> such as note slips or contact cards 
>on the spot, with better print >>>> focus and 
>not the scanner bed or camera. >>>> * Finally, 
>the ability to recognize handwriting with about 
>85-90% >>>> 
>accuracy! >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> Yes, 
>that’s right! Our new OCR engine has built-in 
>support for >>>> handwriting >>>> recognition. 
>That means that you can either scan or place >> 
>a handwritten >>>> note >>>> from a co-worker, a 
>spouse, or from a door, into your >> camera or 
>scanner >>>> of >>>> your choice, and Openbook® 
>will automatically recognize it >> and be able 
>to >>>> read it with speech and / or Braille 
>output from your preferred >>>> synthesizer >>>> 
>or Braille display! Not only this. You can open 
>a .pdf, >> .jpg, or .png >>>> image >>>> that 
>someone sent you with handwriting over the email 
>on >> your computer, >>>> perform the OCR 
>recognition command (JAWS 13 and later >> only), 
>and bingo! >>>> You >>>> will hear the 
>handwriting being spoken out to you or sent >> 
>to your Braille >>>> display. Please note that 
>these new features offered by >> this 
>improved >>>> version of the OCR engine for 
>JAWS® or OpenBook® software are only >>>> 
>compatible with Openbook versions later than 8.0 
>and JAWS >> version 13.0 or >>>> later. Please 
>note users of JAWS earlier than 13.0, we >> will 
>release a >>>> version of the new OCR engine 
>that we released with JAWS >> 13.0 later 
>this >>>> month, with the same features as the 
>ones offered now, so >> you aren’t left >>>> 
>out on these new features! This update to the 
>OCR engine >> can work with >>>> both >>>> 32- 
>and 64-bit operating 
>systems. >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> Want some even more 
>awesome news from our OpenBook® >> development 
>team? We >>>> have released OpenBook Mobile®, a 
>scanning and reading >> solution app for >>>> 
>your >>>> iOS device! This means that you can 
>use our popular >> scanning and reading >>>> 
>solution right from your iPhone, iPad or iPod 
>Touch, using >> VoiceOver and >>>> the >>>> 
>camera of your device! Yes, that’s right, 
>OpenBook® is >> going mobile, and >>>> you >>>> 
>will be able to take it anywhere you go that you 
>find >> printed material >>>> that >>>> you 
>cannot read. You will be able to go on a trip, 
>be >> given an airport >>>> boarding pass, and 
>you will no longer need sighted >> assistance to 
>see >>>> whether >>>> your plane was gone before 
>you knew it, or to see your flight >>>> 
>information. >>>> You will be able to go to a 
>church service and be able to >> access 
>printed >>>> booklets of hymns or group prayers 
>easily and independently without >>>> requesting 
>sighted help. Even more fantastic, you will 
>be >> able to walk >>>> into >>>> a classroom 
>door that appears to have no one waiting with >> 
>you, bump into >>>> a >>>> little sticky note 
>with your finger below or above the >> Braille 
>marking of >>>> the classroom number, and not 
>have to wait so many hours >> and precious >>>> 
>study >>>> time trying to find out if the 
>instructor canceled the >> class or 
>whatever >>>> other scheduling conflict that 
>might have occurred with >> that 
>instructor. >>>> If >>>> you have an iPhone, 
>iPod Touch or iPad, you will get it >> out, snap 
>a photo >>>> of >>>> that little sticky note, 
>and you will be able to find out >> what’s 
>wrong >>>> quickly, independently  and 
>immediately with the built-in >> 
>handwriting >>>> recognition of the OCR engine 
>for OpenBook Mobile®! It’s so 
>easy! >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> Currently, OpenBook 
>Mobile® for iOS platforms is available >> at 
>the Apple >>>> iTunes store and it costs $2.99. 
>This app is designed to >> fit any budget. >>>> 
>So, >>>> what are you waiting for? Purchase your 
>OpenBook Mobile® >> app for your >>>> 
>iPhone >>>> / iPod / iPad now, and let your 
>future shine today! The power of >>>> 
>technology >>>> and handwriting is in your 
>hands, like never before! >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> If 
>you have any questions regarding these two 
>new >> initiatives, don’t >>>> hesitate to 
>give us a call at 1-800-444-4443 or e-mail us 
>at >>>> support at freedomScientific.com. We would 
>like to hear from >> you and your >>>> 
>feedback! >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> 
>Sincerely, >>>> >>>> The Freedom Scientific Team 
>************** >>>> >>>> P.S. April Fools! ☺ 
>☺ :))) >>>> >>>> 
>_______________________________________________ > 
> >>> nfb-talk mailing list >>>> 
>nfb-talk at nfbnet.org >>>> 
>http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-talk_nfbnet.org  
> >>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options 
>or get your >> account info for >>>> 
>nfb-talk: >>>> >> 
>http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nfb-talk_nfbnet.org/jlester8  
> >> 462%40students.pccua.edu >>> >>> 
>_______________________________________________ > 
> >> nfb-talk mailing list >>> 
>nfb-talk at nfbnet.org >>> 
>http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-talk_nfbnet.org  
> >>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or 
>get your >> account info for >>> 
>nfb-talk: >>> >> 
>http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nfb-talk_nfbnet.org/pdonahue  
> >> 2%40satx.rr.com >>> >>> >>> 
>_______________________________________________ > 
> >> nfb-talk mailing list >>> 
>nfb-talk at nfbnet.org >>> 
>http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-talk_nfbnet.org  
> >>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or 
>get your >> account info for >>> 
>nfb-talk: >>> >> 
>http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nfb-talk_nfbnet.org/avila.be  
> >> rt.humberto2%40gmail.com >>> >>> >>> 
>_______________________________________________ > 
> >> nfb-talk mailing list >>> 
>nfb-talk at nfbnet.org >>> 
>http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-talk_nfbnet.org  
> >>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or 
>get your >> account info for >>> 
>nfb-talk: >>> >> 
>http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nfb-talk_nfbnet.org/pdonahue  
> >> 2%40satx.rr.com >> >> >> 
>_______________________________________________ > 
> > nfb-talk mailing list >> 
>nfb-talk at nfbnet.org >> 
>http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-talk_nfbnet.org  
> >> To unsubscribe, change your list options or 
>get your account >> info for nfb-talk: >> 
>http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nfb-talk_nfbnet.org/brian-r-  
> >> miller%40uiowa.edu > > > 
>_______________________________________________ > 
>  nfb-talk mailing list > nfb-talk at nfbnet.org > 
>http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-talk_nfbnet.org  
> > To unsubscribe, change your list options or 
>get your account info for nfb-talk: > 
>http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nfb-talk_nfbnet.org/avila.bert.humberto2%40gmail.com  
> > > > 
>_______________________________________________ > 
>  nfb-talk mailing list > nfb-talk at nfbnet.org > 
>http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-talk_nfbnet.org  
> > To unsubscribe, change your list options or 
>get your account info for nfb-talk: > 
>http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nfb-talk_nfbnet.org/rforetjr%40att.net 
>_______________________________________________ 
>nfb-talk mailing list nfb-talk at nfbnet.org 
>http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-talk_nfbnet.org 
>To unsubscribe, change your list options or get 
>your account info for nfb-talk: 
>http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nfb-talk_nfbnet.org/bullis.michael%40gmail.com 
>_______________________________________________ 
>nfb-talk mailing list nfb-talk at nfbnet.org 
>http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-talk_nfbnet.org 
>To unsubscribe, change your list options or get 
>your account info for nfb-talk: 
>http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nfb-talk_nfbnet.org/satin-bear%40sbcglobal.net



_______________________________________________
nfb-talk mailing list
nfb-talk at nfbnet.org
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfb-talk_nfbnet.org
To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for nfb-talk:
http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nfb-talk_nfbnet.org/bullis.michael%40gmail.com





More information about the nFB-Talk mailing list