Hi Mike,
I am not a personal fan of bottom posting, but will do so in this case..so
see below your own question for my answers smiles.
On Sun, 13 Oct 2024, Mike Coulombe via Freedos-user wrote:
Hi, if this isn't the correct list for this question please let me know which
list I should try. I'm visually impaired and would like to use free dos. Has
any work been done on including a screen reader with software speech? Dos was
my main operating system for several years. I don't have a hardware speech
synthesizer anymore, but do still have my dos screen readers. If software
speech could be added to free dos there are at least two dos screen readers I
know of that have been released as freeware. Or maybe someone has already
created a talking boot disk of free dos? If any programmers are on this list
I wonder if the free software speech called e-speak could be ported to dos?
Thanks in advance for any help.
Kare again: starting all this with a huge disclaimer.
I do personally use DOS, am doing so right now to create this message.
for me personally for many reasons DOS is my main operating system. as
a result I have regularly insured I have the hardware and software to run
DOS as I need.
I personally run ms dos 7.1, not freedos.
My choice in no way shape or form reflections on the freedos project at
all. I simply use DOS consistently, with little time for the experimentation
needful to comparatively run Freedos.
All that means for you is that,i am sharing resources I have never
personally tried.
there is a talking build of freedos 1.3, that uses the ASAP dos screen
reader.
It was compiled by Joseph Norton, with the help of Jerome, who is still
active on this list.
below is a link to both a Dropbox location where the build can be
downloaded. Additionally there is an ISP based download to the zip file.
Lastly, Joseph provided a bit of a hint to how the emulation for speech
works, and how to change the chosen synthesizer for the install, braille
and speak, if you have access to other resources.
Something freedos developers might consider is adding a copy of this build
to the page where downloads of freedos are provided. Mike is the second
person recently seeking this option, I imagine he will not be the last
smiles.
here you go.
First the dropbox link..I cannot remember if that character should be 0 or
1 for a direct download though.
The link for this is as follows:
https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fi/we9cob8r9hbxycud9gnl4/FD13-LiveCD.zip?dl=1
Here is the alternative download link, and his information on how, at
least under windows, the install might communicate virtually.
http://24.158.100.25/fdos/FD13-LiveCD.zip
: joseph.nor...@gmail.com
Hi:
The install program starts ASAP using the Braille 'n' Speak commands.
The install floppy image can be modified to start ASAP with any other synth,
but, after the install, the same modification would need to be made to the
installed system. There is a readme file in the zip file that briefly
explains this.
The reason I chose the BNS is that, if you used a Windows PC to install
through emulation, it's the only software speech I know of that can be
cobbled together.
If you have a serial port on your machine, though, you can use any serial
synth, just telling your emulation software to direct the emulated DOS to
direct com1 to your actual port.
I don't know of a way to set up a turnkey operation, other than, maybe using
a generic serial synth that uses just the text.
Hi:
The BNS simulation is a sort of kluge that runs in Windows.?? It uses
two components, a null-modem simulator, and, a program that receives
data from a serial connection, and speaks it.
The null-modem simulator creates a pair of virtual serial ports on
the windows machine, say com3 and com4.?? Data sent to one of them,
can be received from the other.?? It?@~Ys as if you had a cable
connecting the 2 ports.
Then, if you set up the Braille ?@~Xn?@~Y Speak simulator and tell
it to listen to com3, you can then configure a virtual DOS machine to
redirect its com1 port to use the host machines com4, which sends the
data to the host machine?@~Ys com3 port, which is then spoken
through the BNS simulator.
If you?@~Yre using a plain DOS machine, you don?@~Yt have to worry
about this.??
Karen again: that last sentence is for me, as stated I get the hardware
first. still, hope these resources are a door for you.
Best,
Karen
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