Hello, I am Didier Spaier, Linux maintainer, so maybe my answer will be a little biaised <smile> . Indeed Slint is accessible to the blind, from installation to usage and administration, including software management, and ship all the software of the kinds you mentioned.
For a compete beginner in Linux the installer may be a little frightening, but if you can get help the first time that should be OK. Also, I am right now adding to the installer a "guided" mode that will be easier to use for newcomers in Linux land. Hopefully it will be ready in some weeks. We have a friendly mailing list, to register read: https://slint.fr/blog/welcome-to-the-new-slint-mailing-list.html Our webiste: https://slint.fr General documentation: https://slackware.uk/slint/x86_64/slint-14.2.1/doc/ Generic instructions for installation: https://slackware.uk/slint/x86_64/slint-14.2.1/README.installation (this will be simpler with the new installer, which will partition the disk if you want) Accessibilty How-to: https://slackware.uk/slint/x86_64/slint-14.2.1/doc/Accessibility/Accessibility Best regards, Didier Spaier [email protected] Le 20/08/2020 à 17:59, Linux for blind general discussion a écrit : > Hi, > I am new to this mailinglist and new to Linux. I have been using Windows for > years but now I want to switch into a free open source software Linux > environment. After quite a while of research, I am finding plenty of general > information on Distros by sighted Linux users, but not a lot of current info > from blind Linux users. So I'm sending this in hopes to get some input from > any blind Linux users, as to what you might suggest as an accessible Distro > for a beginner, especially if it is something other than standard Ubuntu. > I am particularly interested in Slint, Parabola, Devuan, or Trisquel. I know > Slint was created for blind Linux users so I assume that it must be quite > accessible, but I don't know if it is intended more for advanced users, or if > any of you started out with Slint as a beginner? I am interested in the other > Distros I listed, but I don't know how accessible they are. Do any of you > know if those Distros have Orca speaking during the installation? > Do any of you have experience with Slint, Parabola, Devuan, or Trisquel? > Would you recommend either of them as a start out Distro for a beginner? Or > do you use a different Distro that you could suggest? > I know that picking a Distro is a personal choice and apparently Distros can > have varying degrees of accessibility features according to how they are > configured. But my understanding is that some Distros are more accessible out > of the box so to speak than others. > I know that standard Ubuntu is often recommended for beginners for its ease > of use, at least, it seems to be a popular recommendation amongst sighted > Linux users, I don't know if that is also the case with blind Linux users. I > respect those who prefer Ubuntu, however, I am not comfortable with the > corporate connection to Canonical. I am only interested in Distros with a > strong focus on freedom of open source software with no corporate > affiliations. > I am looking for a simplistic and streamline Distro. > All I want is a Distro that will run Firefox, LibreOffice, Python 3, a text > editor, and a file manager. If I can find a Distro that will run those things > and is at least somewhat beginner friendly, I'll be set. > I'll be keeping my Windows laptop and buying a separate laptop with hardware > that is compatible with whatever Distro I choose, so that I can switch over > to Linux incrementally at my pace. So I am not interested in dual boot or VM. > I am determined to learn Linux, even if the first Distro doesn't work out so > well for me, then I will try another one. So to me, it is worth having a > dedicated laptop. > I've been in contact with a laptop organization specializing in Linux > compatible hardware setups, and they will install a Distro of my choice, > making sure the accessibility features are enabled. I can learn how to do > installations independently once I gain the experience and skills over time. > But for now I just want to start somewhere, with something that is as > accessible as possible out of the box and they can install it for me the > first time around. > From what I have read online, there is often a steep learning curve when > adjusting from a Windows environment to a Linux environment. Whereas Windows > just comes with most software preconfigured out of the box, Linux is > customizable so some beginners can have a hard time adjusting to it. So I am > not expecting Linux to just instantly work one hundred percent seamlessly, > especially when adding accessibility features into the equation. There will > probably be some challenges along the way. But it seems that some Distros are > more streamline, minimalistic, and beginner friendly than others. I just > don't want to unknowingly pick the most daunting Distro that Linux has to > offer lol. > I want something where the installation package and boot process is > accessible so that when I patch it in the future, or ever need to do a > reinstall, I will be able to do that independently. > I want something where Orca speaks consistently in essential apps like > Firefox, and also has good braille output as I will eventually connect it to > a braille display at some point. > Do any of you use Slint, Parabola, Devuan, or Trisquel? > Perhaps you prefer other Distros that I havn't heard of yet. I am open to all > suggestions for anything other than standard Ubuntu. > Thanks in advance for any info you could share with a beginner looking for a > Distro with an accessible install and boot process. > Regards, > SL > _______________________________________________ > Blinux-list mailing list > [email protected] > https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/blinux-list > _______________________________________________ Blinux-list mailing list [email protected] https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/blinux-list
