Hi, I have used a qwerty keyboard on my laptop for many years. I use the letters F, G, H, and J as my home keys with my thumb on the spacebar and just move my fingers accordingly. Now I am actually faster at touch typing than I am at brailling into a BN, simply because the design of the keyboard, that is the space between the 6 keys is quite a distance with one hand. I usually accidentally press dot 5 because my thumb cannot reach dot 6 without pressing dot 5 also. I have only recently considered a qwerty keyboard. I didn't really look at the possibility when I got my BN, because I was so excited about using braille as my primary language again, after using a PC for quite a few years. I don't know what it is about braille, but I feel a bit closer to whatever I am writing when I use braille. This is probably because it is more tactual than listening to a computerised voice every time you press a letter. How does the qwerty keyboard go with things like braille music etc? Also, at the moment I am experimenting with a braille code called BUOC, which stands for Braille User Oriented Code, an extension of grade 2 braille. I may be wrong but I can't imagine the qwerty keyboard would go very well for using this either.
Thanks in advance. Ross, and guide dog Qesta. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Terri Pannett" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Braillenote List" <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, November 16, 2004 11:16 AM Subject: Re: [Braillenote] Some suggestions for PDI to think about. > Although some might like a detachable braille display, I wouldn't. The > built-in braille display is one of my favorite features of the BN. > > As far as a 40 cell display goes, PDI sells the Brailliant. I know that I > have brailled music using 30 cells and I actually prefer 30 cells to 40. > Although I used to use 11 by 11.5 paper, I prefer using 8.5 by 11 when I > need to emboss braille music. > > It would be nice to have a battery pack a user could install themselves. A > USB port would be nice, but that would mean a hardware upgrade and that > would cost money. > > I think a person _could use a QT keyboard one-handed by simply moving your > hand back and forth along the keyboard. If you need to capitalize a, s, d, > f, or g, you could turn on caps lock then press the letter. > > Another suggestion for those with limited hand use would be to add some > voice recognition software and a mike. The person could dictate into the > mike and the words could appear in braille on the BN's display. > > I can't remember the other suggestions, so I'll stop. > > Terri Pannett, Amateur Radio call sign KF6CA. Army MARS call sign AAT9PX, > California > ___ > To leave the BrailleNote list, send a blank message to > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > To view the list archives or change your preferences, visit > http://list.pulsedata.com/mailman/listinfo/braillenote > > >
