Hi Scott, Since most scanners are unfortunately not supported directly by fine reader express, you have to either know the make an model of one that does and ask for it when you buy your computer, or you have to get hellishly lucky. I don't even know the make and model of a scanner that's directly compatible with fine reader. If you know the make and model of yours and you should be kind enough to post it, that might very well be the first one posted since FRE was released, despite the question being asked about once every 6 weeks for the past year on this list.
The poor OCR results I've experienced with FRE are a direct result of needing to use image capture to acquire scans because wouldn't you know it, my scanner is one of the thousands of models that isn'd directly supported in FRE. I'm glad it's working for you, and I hope they come out with a full product that has vastly improved driver support and will read content automaticly without needing to import it into something like text edit, but for now, it's not ready for the vast majority of us, and it's certainly not something I see most seniors adopting at all, let alone seamlessly. Best, Erik Burggraaf User support consultant, Now posting occasionally on twitter at eburggraaf, 1-888-255-5194 http://www.erik-burggraaf.com On 2010-12-12, at 1:19 PM, Scott Howell wrote: > Erik, > > I have to disagree because I have had very good success with ABBYY's Fine > Reader Express. Now I'm fortunate in that my scanner works fine with the > included software, so I can either use that software and feed the results to > ABBYY or use ABBYY to drive the process. I cannot say how it compares to > Openbook etc. since I have not used such software in over 10 years if not 15. > So, you may be right that these other solutions produce better results, but I > consider the quality of results based on the ability for me to read the > output. SInce I have had such success with ABBYY, which costs about $100 I > think at least for me I have found a viable solution. > Hopefully you will get the software etc. sorted out and be able to provide > some more feedback because this does sound interesting. However, I have to > admit that for me personally, I do not believe I would spend even half that > amount for an OCR solution, but again, remember I'm only referring to what I > would or would not do. > > Scott > > > > > > On Dec 12, 2010, at 8:01 AM, erik burggraaf wrote: > >> Well now, Hold your horses, smiles. >> >> 2 grand is too much for this baby. No doubt about it. There are serious >> drawbacks that need to be addressed. The manual is horrendous The mac >> software isn't integrated with the mac and tries to be windowsish >> apparently. The actual windows software has been crashing like crazy here, >> but that's in my virtual machine, where a lot of things don't exactly play >> ball. It's a testing ground for anything and everything and I'd take my >> crashing issues to a couple of actual windows pc's before I really worried >> about them. The unfortunate thing about the crashes from my standpoint is >> that I can't show the unit to a client if that's what it's going to do . >> >> Now having said all that, we've got a couple of off the shelf solutions for >> the mac for around a hundred bucks. You know what? They suck. I know a >> few really ambitious people on this list have gotten it to fly for them, and >> that's great, but a fare few of us here are high end computer users. You've >> got to realize, The vast majority of blind people are over the age of 60. >> They have interests and poppies and things they like to do and a computer is >> a great help to them, but they can't be having to worry about hardware >> compatibility, and they don't want 5 or 6 steps and 3 programs to do a >> simple scan and read. I'm not gonna take them through image capture, then >> fine reader, then text edit, only to find out that what they scanned didn't >> OCR properly. The first time that happens I'll lose my audience. You've >> got to face the fact that there is nothing for OCR on the mac that is simple >> as openbook or kurzweil, and you've especially got to face up to the fact >> that there's no one program on the mac that has as many features in one >> place as either of those two packages. >> >> For two grand, EyePal doesn't support enough languages. It's not integrated >> with all the services like RFB&D and bookshare. It doesn't have a spell >> check, dictionary or thesaurus. it doesn't read currency. It doesn't have >> automatic calibration features that will optimize the camera settings for >> the particular text you are reading, lighting conditions and so on. >> >> What it does do, is handle large books really and I mean really well. It >> will allow my elderly mac-wealding clients to walk up, put down a document, >> hit a button and find out what's on the paper just like my windows clients >> can. Is that worth 2 grand? I'm not convinced, but I'm not ready to writhe >> it off until I get to see current software working on a real platform of my >> choosing. Meanwhile, I suggest you pour yourself another cup of coffee and >> mellow out. I know exactly how you feel. I felt the same way when the >> original knfb reader came out. Now that product is a stone-age brick and I >> could probably have one for $500 if I asked around. I'll tell you what >> though. I got those so and so's right where it hurt. You know what I did >> with there $3600 piece of astonishingly portable, nice-looking and effective >> technology? Oh ho ho you'll never believe this... I left it in the store. >> *rubs hands together with glee* That showed 'em. Now I've been working in >> AT for almost 3 years, all be it on the very bottom most rung of the ladder, >> and It's not like it was 10 years ago. They're still charging stupid >> amounts of money for high end screen readers and braille displays, mostly >> because it's tradition. They can charge it and people are paying, so you >> can't very well blame them. Newer technologies though are subject to the >> same laws of depreciation as every other damn thing. EyePal pricing just >> dropped in December. I'm hoping that applies to canadian sales as well. >> Next year it will go down again. The year after that, abisee will introduce >> something else and you'll be able to have one of these for a fraction of the >> cost. The market is going a certain way that will eventually freeze out >> gouging prices for access technology, but change is slow and you just have >> to pace yourself and not let it rip you up so much. >> >> Take 'er easy. >> >> Erik Burggraaf >> User support consultant, >> Now posting occasionally on twitter at eburggraaf, >> 1-888-255-5194 >> http://www.erik-burggraaf.com >> >> On 2010-12-11, at 7:19 PM, Yuma Decaux wrote: >> >>> Hi, >>> >>> Just wanted to jump in on this, but 2000 dollars for a demo? I mean, >>> crashing and all, missing manuals or software and a total lack of anything >>> integrated? How come it's that ridiculously priced? It's actually the price >>> of two macbook airs, and i thought apple was going premium with their >>> stuff. I understand the cost of manufacture/quantity of sale/specialization >>> of the device but 2k for something like that is basically laughing at the >>> blind man's difficulties and adding more fuel to the fire. >>> >>> Sorry for my language but i cannot comprehend the level of anger mustering >>> out of me in regards to these so called accessiblity solutions when all it >>> does is one function, and not even that great as i read on this thred. >>> >>> Shaking my head in complete disgust >>> >>> >>> -- >>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >>> "MacVisionaries" group. >>> To post to this group, send email to macvisionar...@googlegroups.com. >>> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >>> macvisionaries+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. >>> For more options, visit this group at >>> http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en. >>> >> >> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "MacVisionaries" group. >> To post to this group, send email to macvisionar...@googlegroups.com. >> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >> macvisionaries+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. >> For more options, visit this group at >> http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en. >> > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "MacVisionaries" group. > To post to this group, send email to macvisionar...@googlegroups.com. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > macvisionaries+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en. > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "MacVisionaries" group. 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