MobileRead Forums - View Single Post

rachaelandrews · 10-15-2008, 11:39 AM

Hi there e-enker

I have read this with interest and wanted to throw in an idea that may prove useful to you. Let me run this by you in case it is.

Your issue, as you explain so well, is with the type of screen and its effects on your condition. That sounds like a real nasty thing to have to deal with so much sympathy here from me. I know what it's like to have issues that effect your computer use, and it can often suck !
My issue is that I am virtually blind. So obviously, I can't use a computer screen in the traditional way either - I just don't have enough sight to see it and enlarging the fonts to the size I need them can make things pretty chaotic on the screen. I like my iliad because I can get really really large fonts on it. I don't get many words to the page but it suits me !
My fiance has no sight at all however. Both of us are big computer users. We both use screen reader programs that read the content of everything on the screen to us via an electronic voice. So hence, we don't need to "see" the screen. We can do virtually everything a sighted person can do, and we navigate the computer via the keyboard as opposed to the mouse. My fiance uses a program called JAWS for windows (he has a windows computer still whereas I don't) and we both use VoiceOver on our macs (which is built into the operating system. You have to buy JAWS seperately and install it.) There are others around, these are just what we use and have knowledge of.
My fiance doesn't even have a screen for his desktop computer (obviously we do for our laptops because they come built in

but with mac you can just turn the screen off completely via a screen curtain function. I imagine you could get the same result on a windows machine by turning the screen brightness and contrst right down to emit virtually no light). The screen reader software doesn't need one to work as it intercepts the video signals at operating system level.
This could work for you too - if you couldn't find a physical screen that would suit you, you could just not have one if you used a screen reader. What do you think ? It's an alternative idea at least.

BTW - you can get screen readers for pdas, and mobile phones too. If you're looking for a truly portable solution. Mobilespeak Pocket is a good one for pdas.

10-15-2008, 11:39 AM	#41
rachaelandrews Enthusiast Posts: 28 Karma: 171 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Norwich, UK. Device: iLiad Second Edition	Hi there e-enker I have read this with interest and wanted to throw in an idea that may prove useful to you. Let me run this by you in case it is. Your issue, as you explain so well, is with the type of screen and its effects on your condition. That sounds like a real nasty thing to have to deal with so much sympathy here from me. I know what it's like to have issues that effect your computer use, and it can often suck ! My issue is that I am virtually blind. So obviously, I can't use a computer screen in the traditional way either - I just don't have enough sight to see it and enlarging the fonts to the size I need them can make things pretty chaotic on the screen. I like my iliad because I can get really really large fonts on it. I don't get many words to the page but it suits me ! My fiance has no sight at all however. Both of us are big computer users. We both use screen reader programs that read the content of everything on the screen to us via an electronic voice. So hence, we don't need to "see" the screen. We can do virtually everything a sighted person can do, and we navigate the computer via the keyboard as opposed to the mouse. My fiance uses a program called JAWS for windows (he has a windows computer still whereas I don't) and we both use VoiceOver on our macs (which is built into the operating system. You have to buy JAWS seperately and install it.) There are others around, these are just what we use and have knowledge of. My fiance doesn't even have a screen for his desktop computer (obviously we do for our laptops because they come built in but with mac you can just turn the screen off completely via a screen curtain function. I imagine you could get the same result on a windows machine by turning the screen brightness and contrst right down to emit virtually no light). The screen reader software doesn't need one to work as it intercepts the video signals at operating system level. This could work for you too - if you couldn't find a physical screen that would suit you, you could just not have one if you used a screen reader. What do you think ? It's an alternative idea at least. BTW - you can get screen readers for pdas, and mobile phones too. If you're looking for a truly portable solution. Mobilespeak Pocket is a good one for pdas. Last edited by rachaelandrews; 10-15-2008 at 11:50 AM. Reason: Forgot to address the pda issue.