Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!cs.utexas.edu!sun-barr!olivea!oliveb!bunker!wtm From: mattioli@took.enet.dec.com (John R. Mattioli) Newsgroups: misc.handicap Subject: Re: Braille and computers Message-ID: <14799@bunker.UUCP> Date: 9 Oct 90 02:01:25 GMT Sender: wtm@bunker.UUCP Reply-To: mattioli@took.enet.dec.com (John R. Mattioli) Distribution: misc Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation Lines: 45 Approved: wtm@bunker.UUCP Index Number: 10948 In article <14465@bunker.UUCP>, Marylee.Dante@p0.f710.n107.z1.fidonet.org (Marylee Dante) writes... > >Does anyone know of a computer program which will take English language >input and convert it to the Braille symbols needed to make a Braille >book? > Sure, there are loads of them but before I say any more let me warn you about something. Conversion to braille is not as straightforward as most people think it is. Undoubtedly you are already aware of that. I'd suggest any transcription be done by someone well versed in Braille who doesn't have to depend totally on the accuracy of a translator. There are many format and translation rules that stump even the best braille readers at times. The top of the line translation and formating program is Duxbury. It translates print to braille and braille to print. It handles many very complex formatting problems and is relatively quick (of course I'm using an 80386 machine so quick has little meaning). It sells for about $500 from Duxbury Systems Inc (508) 486-9766. There are other systems, most of which I know little about as I don't use them. Turbo Braille seems like a very good translator, but I don't believe it translates from braille to print. PC-braille is another translator. I only know one thing about it and it's not all that great. The sales literature proporting to sell pc-braille at the ACB convention had a translation error in it. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- John Mattioli Most improved skier (american blind skiers association 1989) and humble to! (DEC E-NET) TOOK::MATTIOLI (UUCP) {decvax, ucbvax, allegra}!decwrl!TOOK.dec.com!MATTIOLI (ARPA) MATTIOLI@TOOK.dec.com MATTIOLI%TOOK.dec.com@decwrl.dec.com (US MAIL) John Mattioli 550 King St. LKG2-2/BB9 Littleton, Ma. 01460