[gui-talk] Is Braille truly obsolete: was: Re: Fw: Article: Restaurant Menus That Talk

[George and Pamela Dominguez]

I don't think so, either.  Unfortunately, though, not as many newly-blinded
people take the plunge as we might hope.  That doesn't mean, though, that
none do.  Even some old people do.  I heard about some of them in NFB.  Pam.
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ray Foret Jr." <rforetjr at bellsouth.net>
To: "NFBnet GUI Talk Mailing List" <gui-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Wednesday, April 25, 2007 11:07 PM
Subject: [gui-talk] Is Braille truly obsolete: was: Re: Fw: Article:
Restaurant Menus That Talk


> Joel, with all respect to your reply, I must disagree with you about one
key
> factor here.  Yes, it's true that many are becoming (as you put it)
> "visually impaired"; but, come now.  Do you really and truly believe that
> Braille is obsolete?  Sir, I must take issue with you on that one.  Print
is
> the way sighted people read; yet, so far as I am aware, we hear now only
the
> slightest rumblings from futurists who no next to nothing that print may
be
> obsolete one of these days.  Even they concede there is a way to go yet
> before this happens.  Joel, again I ask you sir.  Do you really and truly
> believe that Braille is so obsolete that those who lose their sight will
> have no use for it?  I respectfully submit that in this, you could not
> possibly be more mistaken.  True, my own reading skills may not be what
they
> should; but, I do not for one single instant believe that Braille is done
> for.  To put it plainly, Technology isn't going to replace Braille;
> so-called blindness experts and insecure blind people's protestations to
the
> contrary not withstanding!!!  Again, I say to you, Braille is not now, nor
> shall ever be obsolete!!!
>
> Sincerely yours,
> The Constantly Barefooted,
> Ray
> Home phone and fax:
> (985)853-0139
> E-mail:
> rforetjr at bellsouth.net
> Skype Name:
> barefootedray
> Blog:
> www.raysworld.blogs.com
> Podcast .rss Feed:
> http://feeds.feedburner.com/worldofray
>
> God bless President George W. Bush!
> God bless our troops!
> and God bless America
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Joel Deutsch" <jdeutsch at dslextreme.com>
> To: "NFBnet GUI Talk Mailing List" <gui-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Wednesday, April 25, 2007 9:56 PM
> Subject: Re: [gui-talk] Fw: Article: Restaurant Menus That Talk
>
>
> Ray,
>
> Without any disrespect to your opinion, there are far more people than you
> may realize who are becoming vision impaired (by which I do not mean
blind,
> but low vision) late in life as well as functionally blind, in ways that
are
> difficult to describe in practical terms if you can't visualize what I'd
> describe. In any case, very, very few of them, even the most enterprising
> and robust, are going to learn Braille,. Nothing against Braille, but it
has
> little or nothing to do with quite a lot of people who need help with
things
> like this. Again, with all respect for your wonderful skill and for the
> importance of kids learning Braille in order to have a chance to be truly
> literate and understand language as a system of symbols and patterns,
> instead of just listening to everything. Someone like me doesn't need
> Braille for almost anything, certainly not for literacy, nor for gaining
> knowledge I need. But I sure could use some help with menus, whatever form
> it takes. I speak for a lot of people when I say that. We're living in
> different cultures of sight loss or no-sight.
>
> Just to think about. Hope you ain't stepped on no rusty nails or water
> moccasins lately.
>
> Best,
>
> Joel (now wearing leather slippers, was wearing New Balance cross trainers
> earlier and  Bostonian leather loafers last night. Will go without
footwear
> when I tumble into bed and when I take a shower. Maybe tomorrow I'll wear
my
> Timberland deck shoes. Will keep you posted.)
>
>
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