Well, as some one who sees and provides training on 5 or so different lines of these things, I will say the focus blue is low on my list of favourites for the shape of its cells and controls. These things, much like our preferences in speech synthesizers, are deeply a matter of personal preference. I didn't realize the compatibility of focus displays was quite as backward as it is until my client bought one. Most people who buy a focus here are freedom scientific fanboys beyond all common sense and they tend to end up with jaws, not to mention openbook plus a pearl camera, or worse, a sara CE. Most of my window-eyes clients end up with a humanware display which is one of my personal favourites. Hims has won a bit of my business as well. I'd be comfortable recommending a braille edge.
It's just devistatingly unfortunate for this one client. I I try not to steer people to one thing or the other, but I do wish i'd steered this one client away from a focus into just about anything else. Best, Vaughan Dodd <[email protected]> wrote: Hi Erik. And the pity of all of this as seen from my viewpoint is that the Focus Blue displays have so much potential. Buttons to spare in particular. I wonder if GW's braille knowledge is somewhat under resourced, and I wonder why there is a lack of input from them, on their list, regarding this thread. Vaughan. From: erik burggraaf [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Wednesday, 6 March 2013 12:19 p.m. To: Vaughan Dodd Cc: 'Sky Mundell'; '[email protected]' Subject: Re: Direct Braille Input from Focus Braille Displays I'd like to second all this. The week or two after 8 was released Arron or some one from GW started a monstrously huge thread on key features. I suggested massive improvements to braille support including support for input on all displays, support for grade two, support for more braille tables and so on and was told officially that it was already there. So, either they were deliberately misunderstanding me or I was unclear since I was possibly emailing from my mobile device which itself is several generations old now. The thread came at a time when I was just embarking on my first experience of the new focus blue with window-eyes, and finding it a crushing disappointment. It's the most abominably primitive experience I've faced since I tried to book up a braille sense to jaws 4 or 5 years ago. Compared to what we have on other platforms, even brailleback on android has grade one input and that thing is practically still beta. In fact if you were inclined to use it, you'd be better off scrounging whatever their latest beta is and trade stability for feature enhancements. best, Erik Burggraaf Follow my series of articles about setting up a small business through the ontario disability support program at http://www.erik-burggraaf.com/blog Ebony Consulting toll-free: 1-888-255-5194 or on the web at http://www.erik-burggraaf.com On 2013-03-05, at 3:24 PM, Vaughan Dodd <[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: I think it might be helpful if Gw Micro were more direct about how or if it will support those of us who have Focus braille displays. If Sky and others make the effort to set up custom braille entry hot keys, but if the whole thing is proprietary to Freedom Scientific anyway - might Sky and I be wasting our time? And yet - we can configure other aspects of the hot keys facility for operation of the Focus, so is it that GW's braille display support is not being developed from the initial big leap forward several Window-Eyes cycles ago? GW does need to put some more effort into braille support, because direct braille input (regardless of display) is now an expectation if the specific devices have braille input keys. Braille displays are coming down in price, they are more numerous, and they add enormous power to a screen reader application. And while on the subject of direct braille input, instant translation facilities are well overdue whether people use UEBC or some other recognised international code. Maybe I'm in luck for the next Window-Eyes release? . Vaughan. From: Vaughan Dodd [mailto:[email protected]<http://msd.govt.nz>] Sent: Tuesday, 5 March 2013 1:25 p.m. To: 'Sky Mundell' Cc: '[email protected]<mailto:[email protected]>' Subject: RE: Direct Braille Input from Focus Braille Displays Have you tried to create the custom keys needed for braille input? The problem we have is that it isn't really in Freedom Scientific's interests to support better access to their displays through Window-eyes, and Gw Micro doesn't (generally) develop specific customisations for braille displays. They rely on the manufacturers of the display or enthusiastic Window-eyes users. I might just have to get myself a braille ascii character chart and set about this myself. Vaughan. From: Sky Mundell [mailto:[email protected]]<mailto:[mailto:[email protected]]> Sent: Tuesday, 5 March 2013 1:20 p.m. To: Vaughan Dodd Cc: [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> Subject: Re: Direct Braille Input from Focus Braille Displays Hello, I have a focus 40 blue and although it works with Window-Eyes I can only type in BerailleIn with JAWS unfortunately the guys who make that display isn't very competitive. From: Vaughan Dodd<mailto:[email protected]> Sent: Monday, March 04, 2013 12:48 PM To: mailto:[email protected] Subject: Direct Braille Input from Focus Braille Displays Hello everyone. Has anyone developed the Window-Eyes hot keys to the point where we can direct braille input from the Focus Braille Displays? I have to use my Focus Blue while my Braille Edge goes in for servicing, and knowing that Freedom Scientific will never write Window-Eyes applications, I wonder if an individual might have set up direct input from their own Focus display and maybe the hot key assignments can be distributed for those who are interested. Of course - it might be that the driver won't allow for this, but at this stage for me, it is a case of if I don't ask - I don't know. I believe that if I use the custom hot key features for braille hot keys I might be able to achieve what I require, so with respect to this specific display, is it worth customising the braille keys? Thank s. Vaughan. ------------------------------- This email and any attachments may contain information that is confidential and subject to legal privilege. If you are not the intended recipient, any use, dissemination, distribution or duplication of this email and attachments is prohibited. If you have received this email in error please notify the author immediately and erase all copies of the email and attachments. The Ministry of Social Development accepts no responsibility for changes made to this message or attachments after transmission from the Ministry. ------------------------------- ------------------------------- This email and any attachments may contain information that is confidential and subject to legal privilege. If you are not the intended recipient, any use, dissemination, distribution or duplication of this email and attachments is prohibited. If you have received this email in error please notify the author immediately and erase all copies of the email and attachments. The Ministry of Social Development accepts no responsibility for changes made to this message or attachments after transmission from the Ministry. ------------------------------- ------------------------------- This email and any attachments may contain information that is confidential and subject to legal privilege. If you are not the intended recipient, any use, dissemination, distribution or duplication of this email and attachments is prohibited. If you have received this email in error please notify the author immediately and erase all copies of the email and attachments. The Ministry of Social Development accepts no responsibility for changes made to this message or attachments after transmission from the Ministry. ------------------------------- ------------------------------- This email and any attachments may contain information that is confidential and subject to legal privilege. If you are not the intended recipient, any use, dissemination, distribution or duplication of this email and attachments is prohibited. If you have received this email in error please notify the author immediately and erase all copies of the email and attachments. The Ministry of Social Development accepts no responsibility for changes made to this message or attachments after transmission from the Ministry. ------------------------------- ERIK burggraafEbony ConsultingI am currently on the road and staying in touch on my handheld. If you reply to this message it will be delivered to the original sender only. If your reply would benefit others on the list and your message is related to GW Micro, then please consider sending your message to [email protected] so the entire list will receive it. GW-Info messages are archived at http://www.gwmicro.com/gwinfo. You can manage your list subscription at http://www.gwmicro.com/listserv.
