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From: Dave.Tanner@p0.f210.n273.z1.fidonet.org (Dave Tanner)
Newsgroups: misc.handicap
Subject: Re: Braille Translators
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Date: 10 Jan 91 17:59:41 GMT
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[This is from the Blink Talk Conference]

In a message of <15 Dec 90  00:04:35>, Daveed Mandell (1:101/460) writes:

 > >How about PC-Braille from Arts?  What do you like about Turbo Braille,
 >and is Duxbury much better than Turbo Braille, format-wise as well as
 >translation-wise?
 >--Daveed--

David, I do not have the latest version of PC Braille or Duxburry,
but I would say that a lot of the difference in the quality of the
translation between Duxburry and Turbo Braille are going to depend
on how much time you want to spend inserting the special codes to
get exactly what you want out.  Either of the translators are good
if you want to spend the time inserting the special codes.  Turbo
Braille will be easier to get decent format out without special
codes than Duxburry, but I think you would be very disappointed
with PC Braille

Remember too that in order to get a lot of the special features
offered by Duxburry you will pay over $700 for that translator.  If
you are concerned about the best possible formatting and have the
time to put in the extra work to insert the special comands in your
document then go for the Duxburry, but the latest version of Turbo
Braille and a copy of Word Perfect or Wordstar will probably give
you almost as good a translation for less money and time.

The bottom line probably is what is the application for which you
wish to use the translator?  If it is for professional quality
translation for distribution to large numbers of Braille readers
then get duxburry and a person who can spend the time learning the
software really well and spend the time customizing each document
for translation.  But, I would think that for most of your personal
and professional Braille printing Turbo Braille will be able to
handle the job quite well.

     D. T.

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