From owner-freebsd-hackers Fri Jul 24 03:49:59 1998 Return-Path: Received: (from majordom@localhost) by hub.freebsd.org (8.8.8/8.8.8) id DAA11860 for freebsd-hackers-outgoing; Fri, 24 Jul 1998 03:49:59 -0700 (PDT) (envelope-from owner-freebsd-hackers@FreeBSD.ORG) Received: from fredead.systems.pavilion.net (sam@fredead.systems.pavilion.net [194.242.128.49]) by hub.freebsd.org (8.8.8/8.8.8) with ESMTP id DAA11854 for ; Fri, 24 Jul 1998 03:49:57 -0700 (PDT) (envelope-from sam@pavilion.net) Received: (from sam@localhost) by fredead.systems.pavilion.net (8.8.8/8.8.8) id LAA18287 for freebsd-hackers@FreeBSD.ORG; Fri, 24 Jul 1998 11:49:32 +0100 (BST) (envelope-from sam) Message-ID: <19980724114932.D17465@pavilion.net> Date: Fri, 24 Jul 1998 11:49:32 +0100 From: Sam Eaton To: freebsd-hackers@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Re: Accessability (was Re: question) References: <199807232134.OAA01224@dingo.cdrom.com> <199807240108.SAA22750@usr06.primenet.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit X-Mailer: Mutt 0.93.1i In-Reply-To: <199807240108.SAA22750@usr06.primenet.com>; from Terry Lambert on Fri, Jul 24, 1998 at 01:08:00AM +0000 Sender: owner-freebsd-hackers@FreeBSD.ORG Precedence: bulk X-Loop: FreeBSD.ORG On Fri, Jul 24, 1998 at 01:08:00AM +0000, Terry Lambert wrote: > > Finally, a number of blind programmers I know use pin-reader devices > which are optically coupled to allow them to use X windows. It > would be useful to provide some mouse-based access to a magnified pin > frig region under the mouse cursor for these devices. The devices can > also be serially interfaced. The method of connection would have to > be a daemon on the serial port the device is connected to that has > access to the linear frame buffer. Because X allows X-Grab-Server(), > it is not sufficient for this to be a normal X application, since it > would need to work for user login, etc.. Coincidentally, just after I read this, I spotted this announcement : ----- BRLTTY - Access software for Unix for a blind person using a soft Braille terminal Version 2.0, July 1998 Copyright (C) 1995-1998 by The BRLTTY Team, All rights reserved. Nicolas Pitre Stéphane Doyon Nikhil Nair (and others) Home Page: http://www.cam.org/~nico/brltty [snip] BRLTTY attempts to fill this gap. It runs as a daemon, possibly started at boot-time, and allows a soft Braille user to access text mode applications directly from the Linux's virtual consoles. Since BRLTTY is written as a daemon, it should allow a user a completely free choice of application and development tools. CURRENTLY SUPPORTED HARDWARE ============================ BRLTTY requires Linux kernel 1.1.92 or later (for `/dev/vcsa0'). It has been tested on The following Braille displays are supported (serial communication only): - Tieman B.V.: CombiBraille 25/45/85; - Alva B.V.: ABT3xx series; - Telesensory Systems Inc.: PowerBraille 40 / 65/81; Navigator 20/40/80 (latest firmware version only?). - Papenmeier Screen 2D Terminal - EuroBraille family of displays (tested only on ClioBraille 40) Where to find it ================ BRLTTY version 2.0 can be downloaded from the following FTP sites: sunsite.unc.edu /pub/Linux/system/access/brltty-2.0.tar.gz ftp.leb.net /pub/blinux/brltty-2.0.tar.gz If it's not there, it may still be in the incoming directory. It is also possible to download the package from the home page at: http://www.cam.org/~nico/brltty ---- Unfortunately it's only for Linux so far, but looks like a starting point? Sam. -- ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Sam Eaton Senior Systems Manager, Pavilion Internet Plc "Fortified with essential bitterness and sarcasm" ------------------------------------------------------------------------ To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-hackers" in the body of the message