[nfbcs] JAVA TEXT

Thu Mar 22 11:55:30 UTC 2012

Hi Listers,

I wrote yesterday that I read Thinking in Java by Bruce Eckel. I find my Braille display invaluable. I can run over a line of code much faster with my fingers than with the right and left cursor movements. I just try to get enough out of the text of the book because the diagrams are worthless since I don't have that person sitting next to me to explain them. For some reason we have two different messages going here.

Susie Stanzel

-----Original Message-----
From: nfbcs-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfbcs-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Tracy Carcione
Sent: Wednesday, March 21, 2012 8:54 AM
To: NFB in Computer Science Mailing List
Subject: Re: [nfbcs] JAVA TEXT

For years now, at least one of the big computer book publishers
(O'Reilly?) has been sending books directly to Bookshare.  Bookshare then runs a process to convert them to Daisy and .brf files.  Bookshare is also starting a new project to describe images, so, at least in theory, the diagrams you ask about might be described.

I got an SQL book from Bookshare, in Daisy.  Then I was able to open the XML file that was part of the Daisy package, and navigate through it using headers, like a webpage.  It works pretty well.
Tracy

> 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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