[linux-audio-dev] Re: [off-list] Read this after your first cup of coffee

[John Check]

On Saturday 21 August 2004 11:49 am, Paul Davis wrote:
> >Sorry to be pedantic here Paul, but Outspoken is in fact a screen reader.
> > Ther e
> >is a difference between a screen reader and speech recognition.
>
> oops, my mistake. i should have know better, given that ardour/ksi is
> *designed* from scratch to be used with a screen reader :)
>
> >In terms of using GUI software, there is in fact software for Windows,
> > that allows blind/vision impaired users to use Cakewalk Sonar with a
> > screen reader. Just how this is done, I do not know, but it is done.
>
> i think they use an accessibility layer similar to ATK. as long as the
> widget/toolkit library used by Sonar uses this layer, then a screen
> reader can figure out what is on the screen and control it, in the
> same way that (in theory) all GTK2 apps can be controlled using screen
> readers.
>
> note, however, that my very limited experience with ardour/ksi
> suggests that a fairly low limit to the onscreen complexity that can
> be reasonably managed using keystrokes (which is what the linux screen
> reading systems do).
>
> >> the point about GUI systems for tasks like audio editing is that the
> >> screen functions as a sort of backing store for your memory. you don't
> >> have to remember where all the audio regions/events/clips are, because
> >> the screen will show you, both statically and more importantly while
> >> moving one (or more) them around. if you can't see the screen, then
> >> you either have to (1) remember where everything is yourself, and edit
> >> using only that memory or (2) devise some other form of mnemonic
> >> design that performs the same role as the screen does for
> >> non-sight-impaired users.
> >
> >I guess this is why people are able to use CakeWalk, and have screen
> > reading software developed for it, simply because it doesn't use regions,
> > however I
>
> cakewalk (classic and sonar) emphatically *do* use regions. i don't
> now if outSPOKEN can interact with their "editor canvas" as opposed to
> the buttons etc. that function as controls. it would be interesting to
> know, although it still leaves a huge area of basic functionality
> unexplained (possibly because its not basic and is actually
> unnecessary - we got most of the best recorded music to date without
> any of this DAW crap!).

Also a noteworthy point.

>
> --p