Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!think.com!yale!bunker!hcap!hnews!101!460!John.Sanfilippo From: John.Sanfilippo@f460.n101.z1.fidonet.org (John Sanfilippo) Newsgroups: misc.handicap Subject: Re: speech synth Message-ID: <18985@bunker.isc-br.com> Date: 24 Apr 91 20:58:59 GMT Sender: wtm@bunker.isc-br.com Reply-To: John.Sanfilippo@f460.n101.z1.fidonet.org Organization: FidoNet node 1:101/460 - VI/BUG, Holbrook MA Lines: 44 Approved: wtm@bunker.hcap.fidonet.org Index Number: 15161 [This is from the Blink Talk Conference] Eric, Being partially sighted, I've had occasion to use a mouse (although it is not a prefered mode for me in most situations!) and one thing I always have difficulty with is just finding the cursor. So a command that will allow the location of the pointer in some predictable spot would be helpful. Perhaps for speech purposes, some control of the mouse speed would be necessary because you don't really know how fast the thing will go when you move that wheel. What would I like to hear? Well it might be nice or even necessary to hear short pitched beeps which change in value (from hi to low as you move up or down). This could be turned off if the user doesn't want it. Perhaps there could be a pair of short pips: the first would indicate the horizontal location, the second the virticle (indicate means approximate). I think the user might want to check mouse location, so some command for that might be needed. In cases where dragging the mouse moves a light bar, I would tend to think that any existing speechware that can track lightbars can just do it without any special mouse software, but I'm just guessing here and not trying to criticize. Back to the pips: perhaps the length and loudness of the beeping noise could generally reflect the size of a box which is now highlighted. Oh: The one application I have (which I rarely use) requires 560k, so the software you write should be capable of running in extended/expanded memory if desired. Can't think of anything else right now. Hope this helps. Not sure I even know what I want ! -- Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!101!460!John.Sanfilippo Internet: John.Sanfilippo@f460.n101.z1.fidonet.org