[nfb-talk] Let's Keep The Books Talking:

Mon Jun 4 14:31:36 CDT 2007

Well, one way or the other, let's hope they can straighten out the issue 
with the GAO and all that in time.  I'm sure we'll hear more about this in 
the coming months; especially after the GAO releases their report.  While I 
think I can predict, with some confidence that we will get this stuff all 
worked out, one thing cannot be denied.  It will be interesting to see just 
what actually happens.

Sincerely yours,
The Constantly Barefooted,
Ray
Home phone and fax:
(985)853-0139
\-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: "kaye zimpher" <kayezimpher at bellsouth.net>
To: "NFB Talk Mailing List" <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, June 04, 2007 1:53 PM
Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] Let's Keep The Books Talking:

I am totally blind and I have used victor reader and I had no difficulty
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ray Foret Jr." <rforetjr at bellsouth.net>
To: "NFB Talk Mailing List" <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Monday, June 04, 2007 1:10 PM
Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] Let's Keep The Books Talking:

> Let me also remind you that you did ask what all the fuss was about.  IF
> you
> really checked your facts, as you say you did, you would not need to ask
> that question.
>
> 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: "Hope Hein" <hmhein at verizon.net>
> To: <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Monday, June 04, 2007 11:24 AM
> Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] Let's Keep The Books Talking:
>
>
> Hi Ray!
> Maybe you did not read my message clearly. I acknowledge that players are
> being made. I simply stated  that as far as I know from the information
> that
> I have read NLS is still working on the transition to digital. Honestly I
> am
> a little annoyed with the tone of your message to me. I do check my facts.
> I
> called Ruth nuwsbaum reference librarian and she stated that they are
> still
> going forward with the program to produce the players. She said that the
> GAO
> is questioning weather commercially available players can be used. I asked
> her about the use of digital Software that can be downloaded from NLS for
> those who could use it and she said that it would be difficult for the
> senior blind to use. I agree with her observation that the players need to
> be manufactured for the senior blind or people who are not able to use
> computers. However, she then stated that the CD players and digital books
> from Recordings for the Blind are difficult for totally blind persons to
> use. I am totally !
> blind and
> I use DAISY, and have used the Bookport and TELEX Scholar with out
> difficulty. I have been using the CD's and the authorization from
> Recordings
> for the blind for the past several years.
> Hope
>
> -----Original Message-----
> .From: "Ray Foret Jr."<rforetjr at bellsouth.net>
> .Sent: 6/3/07 5:10:13 PM
> .To: "NFB Talk Mailing List"<nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
> .Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] Let's Keep The Books Talking:
> .
> .Hope, first of all, let's acknowledge a few simple facts here.
> .
> .1.  You and I and others on this list may possess technological know how;
> .but, as a matter of fact, many talking book readers are senior citizens
> who
> .    a.  don't have computers.
> .    b.  can't be much bothered with them even if they had the chance to
> get
> .one.
> .
> .2.  Most of the digital players on the market today are very menu driven.
> .The so-called "memorize and press" routine just won't work for many
> talking
> .book readers; though it may work okay for you and me.
> .
> .3.  Even on a player which is not menu driven, the physical controls are
> or
> .can be extremely delicate.  Such is the delicacy of some of the controls
> .that a firm press on one could cause the electronics involved to
> misbehave.
> .I know, I went  through at least two Sony Minidisc recorders; and, on
> each
> .one, the controls tended to give out after a while.  Blind and other
> people
> .who have difficulty with light touch controls will have trouble with a
> .commercial player such as we have today.
> .
> .4.  You are wrong about no players being developed.  A working prototype
> is
> .indeed in existence even now.  It's a matter now of finding and
> contracting
> .with a firm to actually make the player; and, this is not an overnight
> .proposition.
> .
> .    May I respectfully suggest you check your facts before making such
> .assumptions as you have made in your message?
> .
> .thank you.
> .
> .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: "Hope Hein" <hmhein at verizon.net>
> .To: <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>
> .Sent: Sunday, June 03, 2007 2:58 PM
> .Subject: Re: [nfb-talk] Let's Keep The Books Talking:
> .
> .
> .Why can't they allow people to download books on to their Notetaker's and
> .computers digitally? They could have an authorization key or a password
> and
> .statement like Bookshare has to ensure that only the intended recipient
> is
> .able to access the material? For people who do not use computers they
> could
> .have a player. The books could be in the plastic containers which would
> fit
> .into the players.
> .
> .I do not understand what the fuss is about. I thought NLS was in the
> process
> .of creating these players and that they would be created by 2008. I do
> not
> .remember where I read the creation of these players. What is happening?
> Have
> .they decided not to create the players?
> .Hope
> .-----Original Message-----
> ..From: "Kenneth Chrane"<kenneth.chrane at verizon.net>
> ..Sent: 6/3/07 5:26:32 AM
> ..To: "kenneth at myfreedombox.com"<kenneth at myfreedombox.com>,
> ."pmsinc at juno.com"<pmsinc at juno.com>
> ..Cc: "Multiple recipients of NFBnet NFB-Talk Mailing
> .List"<NFB-Talk at nfbnet.org>,
> ."CSDB-ALUMNI at googlegroups.com"<CSDB-ALUMNI at googlegroups.com>,
> ."peeps-talk at yahoogroups.com"<peeps-talk at yahoogroups.com>
> ..Subject: [nfb-talk] Let's Keep The Books Talking:
> ..
> ..Name: Kenneth Chrane
> ..Your email address - a copy will be sent here:
> kenneth.chrane at verizon.net -
> ..Reply
> ..Phone: (410) 486-1569 Baltimore, Maryland USA
> ..
> ..Editorial:
> ..
> ..
> ..The Washington Post
> ..
> ..Wednesday, May 30, 2007
> ..
> ..Page A12
> ..
> ..Keep the Books Talking
> ..
> ..Congress should fund the digitization of a vital audio library for the
> ..blind.
> ..
> ..A half-million Americans stand in danger of losing their public library.
> ..They are the nation's blind, and their library is Talking Books, through
> ..which
> ..the National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped of
> .the
> ..Library of Congress (NLS) provides 500,000 Americans with free audio
> ..recordings
> ..of about as many books. Unlike the "books on tape" that are sold at
> retail
> ..bookstores, these recordings are unabridged, extensive and diverse --
> and
> ..are
> ..designed for people who have no other way of reading print.
> ..
> ..Unfortunately, today's Talking Books technology is ready to meet its
> maker.
> ..The program currently uses half-speed audiotapes that patrons listen to
> on
> ..special
> ..devices. These tape players, like the Talking Books record players that
> ..preceded them, are obsolete, and are no longer even being manufactured.
> To
> ..bring
> ..the program into the 21st century, the NLS hopes to digitize its entire
> ..library and create new players. It has spent 17 years researching,
> building
> ..and
> ..testing new products, and it is ready to manufacture a fully accessible
> ..flash-drive player. The Library of Congress has asked Congress to
> ..appropriate about
> ..$76.4 million to produce the players and digitize thousands more books.
> ..
> ..A forthcoming Government Accountability Office report, however, may
> derail
> ..the NLS's plans. In a draft version of the report completed several
> weeks
> ..ago,
> ..the GAO faulted the NLS for not considering existing commercial products
> ..such as CD players and iPods instead of creating a new device. This
> sounds
> ..like
> ..a reasonable concern, given tales of exorbitant government spending on
> $792
> ..doormats and $400 hammers. But creating special, noncommercial players
> is
> ..crucial
> ..to the continued existence of Talking Books. Commercially available
> ..products, which often use visual screens and are not labeled in Braille,
> .are
> ..not accessible
> ..to the visually impaired. More important, to comply with U.S. copyright
> .law,
> ..Talking Books can record and distribute only audio books that cannot be
> ..played
> ..by commercial devices.
> ..
> ..Should the GAO keep this misguided criticism in its final report,
> lawmakers
> ..should not be swayed by it. Instead, Congress should fully fund Talking
> ..Books'
> ..digital upgrade, a project that will grant many disabled Americans the
> same
> ..literary access afforded to the sighted.
> ..
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> ..
> ..
> ..
> ..
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