Like many here, I began with a Tri-Formations Free Scan Speech Terminal, FSST. As well as using it to connect me to main frame computers I also used it to connect to a CP/M microcomputer to run Word Star and program in Dbase. I didn't have the honour of using punch cards.
When we moved to PCDOS, which changed to MSDOS, my screen reader on that platform was something simple like Talk. The IBM microcomputers only had ten function keys and this screen reader used them to read line and perform the other functions. The external synthesizer was awful, I think it was a Type n' Speak. People were pushing ASAP, Artic and JAWS. I ended up getting Vocal-Eyes with the Sounding Board which was a huge step up for me. I continue to use it until we brought in Windows for work groups. I didn't worry about a Windows screen reader, because I could run Vocal-Eyes in all the windows for each application I needed to use. These were still more or less DOS based; examples are Word Perfect, Dbase, terminal emulation etc. When Lotus Notes came into our environment I had to shop for something that would then be Windows happy. Artic kept crashing, ASAW was not quite there and JAWS couldn't see the Notes screens, but Window-Eyes could. Also back then the Jaws cursor didn't show mouse movements on the screen. I had to train people and do demonstrations. Sighted people like their mouse pointers and Window-Eyes allowed me to use the mouse navigation keys to work in those situations. It seems like those of us who started using synthesizers, like the FFST terminals that were built out of a Heath Kit box are mostly OK with synthesizers that don't quite sound like human speech. Heck even those FFST devices would change a couple of words by replacing them with "sugar" or "fudge". Even the tech sector had a paternalistic view toward providing us with products. Vic -----Original Message----- From: Pamela Dominguez via Talk [mailto:talk@lists.window-eyes.com] Sent: Monday, August 3, 2015 3:33 PM To: LB <lab...@fltg.net>; Window-Eyes Discussion List <talk@lists.window-eyes.com> Subject: Re: Screen Reader History Yes, I remember punch cards. I did RPG and COBOL, and I remember the flow charts and everything. You had to write the stuff up in braille, and then make the punch cards, then run the punch cards and print it out. I used to be able to read the punch cards. I know there were those key punch things that looked like electric typewriters, but does anybody ever remember those manual keypunches? They had I think something like twelve keys on them, so you had to press the right combinations in order to make the letter you wanted to write. Like writing braille, sort-of. Pam. -----Original Message----- From: LB via Talk Sent: Monday, August 03, 2015 12:38 PM To: dlh...@centurylink.net ; Window-Eyes Discussion List Subject: Re: Screen Reader History Hi! Yes, memory lane. Remember those nasty punch cards? You certainly hoped that no one tripped you up, or you spilled soda on them, for that nasty picking up the cards and sorting them out...boy those were the days. I had used basic, self-taught for work and re-wrote a Cornel University experts software he had written for the NCR production line. It did little, so I did it. I wrote all 3 points, Data Entry, Data processing, and Data printing of the charts. All were for quality control all through the production line for all printers and terminals produced at the Ithaca plant... Remember, cassette tapes were used back then for data processing, along with 10 inch disks, that had only about 2K of memory/space on them. All the data entered by the secretary was processed one at a time and by noon the data was sorted and processed. I used the 2K disks and limited memory to do al this stuff... Talk about the stone age, you certainly learned to use limited space for everything, for you had no choice. But it worked, in fact, was all done 6 months before I went blind, a car accident, and it was my perfect transition over to a new job at the same company; I was there resident expert and saved the company, so I was told. Then, after loosing the eye sight I was given a Braille machine, which was like having a file cabinet next to you. It was made out of Oak wood, for the printing punches had to be kept quiet and strong enough to be kept from bouncing around, thus the solid wood cabinet was used and a tray under it for the perforated Braille paper that came up through a slot as the tractor pulled it up. Yes, TriFormations produced that Brailler... The good old days, or "Stone Age" as most people would say now. You know, like the slide rule, our hand held computer back in prehistoric times... Bruce Sent: Monday, August 03, 2015 12:16 PM Subject: Re: Screen Reader History Wow! This is bringing back some fun memories! Around 1983 or 84 i started taking some BASIC programming language classes at my local Radio Shack. they had several Model 4's that ran Trsdos and CPM. the instructor had rigged up the systems to speak. it was quite crude and was not a Screen Reader at all. No way to repeat anything. but it was a start, I knew right there and then, I wanted a Computer. I begged, borrowed and stole enough to finally get one of those Model 4 systems. Bought some actual Screen Reader for about $300 and I wa son my way. Loved playing Zork, and many other Infocomm games. I was in a Relationship that went bad. The woman gave me back my engagement ring, and I traded it to a guy that had several IBM XT machines. And once I had my first MS Dos system, there was no looking back. This may have been around 1986 or 87. I am so glad that woman broke up with me! Because she did, I had a Career in Computers. Too funny. Bought a screen reader out of Ohio, think it was called Enhanced PC. then bought the one done by Arctic. finally came on to Vocal Eyes around 1991 or 92. When Windows 3.1 came along, I did purchase some windows Screen Reader out of Canada. It sucked, but I needed it for work. i bought the Window eyes program when it came along. And it was a bit limited, but it worked well enough for me to keep my job. Been with Window eyes to this day. have yet to buy JAWS, although I've helped others who have it. thanks for the walk down memory lane. edline! Now that makes me laugh.i once had to use that very limited editor to write COBOL and JCL. Was using a PC hooked up to a huge mainframe at Boeing. I kept wanting to use Word Star to write my code, but was told to use Edline or else! Crazy times back then. -- Dave <dlh...@centurylink.net> _______________________________________________ Any views or opinions presented in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Ai Squared. For membership options, visit http://lists.window-eyes.com/options.cgi/talk-window-eyes.com/lab4me%40fltg. net. For subscription options, visit http://lists.window-eyes.com/listinfo.cgi/talk-window-eyes.com List archives can be found at http://lists.window-eyes.com/private.cgi/talk-window-eyes.com --- This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software. https://www.avast.com/antivirus _______________________________________________ Any views or opinions presented in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Ai Squared. For membership options, visit http://lists.window-eyes.com/options.cgi/talk-window-eyes.com/geodom%40opton line.net. For subscription options, visit http://lists.window-eyes.com/listinfo.cgi/talk-window-eyes.com List archives can be found at http://lists.window-eyes.com/private.cgi/talk-window-eyes.com _______________________________________________ Any views or opinions presented in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Ai Squared. For membership options, visit http://lists.window-eyes.com/options.cgi/talk-window-eyes.com/archive%40mail-archive.com. For subscription options, visit http://lists.window-eyes.com/listinfo.cgi/talk-window-eyes.com List archives can be found at http://lists.window-eyes.com/private.cgi/talk-window-eyes.com
