[nfbcs] Programming was Re: JAVA TEXT

Tue Mar 20 19:13:28 UTC 2012

I do most of my Java programming without a Braille display. I turn the 
punctuation level up so that I hear most of it. Sometimes, you just have to 
read through the code character by character, especially when it comes to 
things like matching sets of parentheses. I have also set certain 
pronunciations in JAWS, such as == is spoken as "is equal to" and "!" 
(exclamation mark) is spoken as "not". Yes, it does help to be able to 
remember things. Sometimes, I have found that the best way to find out about 
a variable is to mark my place (write something like ***) and scroll back up 
to the top. Also, if you are working with a well known code library, there 
should be documentation, so you can always go look up what a variable means 
in the documentation. The variables that are important are the ones that are 
part of the entire file, not just part of one method. Methods are usually 
not longer than 40 lines, usually less.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: <majolls at cox.net>
To: "NFB in Computer Science Mailing List" <nfbcs at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Tuesday, March 20, 2012 11:19 AM
Subject: Re: [nfbcs] JAVA TEXT

>I learnd from the Deitel and Deitel book - Programming Java - How to.  I 
>read the 6th edition (for Java 2 Versions 1.6).  It's a pretty good book. 
>As with most books, it has code examples and "tips" liberally sprinkled 
>throughout the book.  A totally blind person would need to have these in a 
>text form of course.  Then there are the diagrams that illustrate the 
>relationship of objects in a specific example ... that might be difficult 
>for a blind person to get ... unless they had some kind of tactile graphic. 
>or a very good person who could describe the heck out of the diagram. 
>These pictures of course are rectangles with text inside of them with 
>arrows connecting to the box and pointing to another box.  The arrow of 
>course, depending on where it's pointing is significant and might show a 
>relationship of some sort.  Diagrams are where I could see a real problem.
>
> And since we're on this subject, how do blind people deal with textbooks? 
> Especially those, like programming books, that have diagrams?  I'm 
> guessing on Bookshare or other service, the text is electronic and you can 
> just read it on a Braille display (Jaws in my mind just wouldn't cut it in 
> all situations.. just reading the text to you ... since you might not get 
> the syntax when a computer is reading it to you and it's really 
> complicated ... but Braille would cut through all of that as I see it). 
> Also, let's say that you're reading and you have a 30 or 40 line sample 
> code section you have to read but you only have a one line braille 
> display.  How do you remember something that was defined back on line 3 
> but is referenced on line 34?  Does a blind person just have to have a 
> superior memory so he or she remembers everything he reads?  I could see 
> getting down to line 34 and a variable is referenced and you say ... "now 
> how was that initialized on line 3??"  and have to scroll back up and read 
> it again, then scroll back down.  That could be a real pain, and it could 
> really impact your productivity unless you were taking notes as you were 
> reading the code ... especially in real-world programs like the 
> application I'm working on in Visual Basic where the thing is over 100,000 
> lines of code.  Only being able to reference line of braille could make it 
> challenging to say the least.
>
> Last question.  How do these textbooks make it to BookShare in the first 
> place?  I'm going to assume they are in electronic format?  Does the 
> publisher supply an electronic copy of the textook and Bookshare simply 
> puts it in it's library and that's it?  That would make it too easy and 
> I'm going to guess that's not the case.  Or, are there transcribers that 
> have to be in place that transcribe the book?  And what is the supply of 
> transcribers, especially in technical fields such as science, math, or 
> technical books such as the programming books?  If there aren't a 
> sufficient number of transcribers available, then I could really see how 
> that could put a damper on being able to get a needed textbook in a timely 
> manner.  I ask this last question because I've been kicking around the 
> idea of getting certified as a transcriber ... a technical transcriber to 
> be exact ... and helping produce the technical materials so blind people 
> have what they need.  But I wanted to know if there are enough 
> transcribers already and there's already a glut of them.  Certainly doing 
> that would be a big learning curve but if it would help others, I think it 
> would be worth it.
>
>
> ---- William Ritchhart <william.ritchhart at sbcglobal.net> wrote:
>> All,
>>
>> Our entire team at work is starting to learn java.  The text that we are
>> using is called, "Head First into Java."  My sighted team-leader and I 
>> are
>> not very pleased with how it presents the material.  It assumes that we 
>> all
>> learn from pictures.  So my question is for those of you who have learned 
>> or
>> are learning java, what text did/are you using?  Tips on what was helpful
>> would also be welcome.
>>
>> I am a totally blind guy.  So I am particularly interested in information
>> from those of you who do not have usable sight.
>>
>>
>> Thanks, William
>>
>>
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