Zachary Kline wrote:
> Hello,
> Let me start things out here by saying I'm not a Unix programmer.
> I've no overwhelming need, commercial or otherwise, to use the operating
> system at all.
> I'm a hobbiest, which I suppose is a bit of a rarer breed for BSD than for
> something like Linux.
> However,, to add interest to the title of hobbiest, I also happen to be
> a blind computer user.
> Linux provides programs and kernel patches to enable me to use the system
> completely, even so far as to listen to the innumerable bootup
> messages--always interesting.
> However, I've recently discovered OpenBSD by the only way I currently can,
> emulation. I'm running it on a VAX provided to me by the work of Bob Supnick
> and the SIMH team.
> The reason the I386 version of BSD is generally more difficult for me to use
> involves the fact that the normal installation program doesn't provide a
> screen reader, which is something Linux got right, at least some
> distributions of it.
> What I am interested in here are ways that an OpenBSD system might be made
> accessible. Does anyone here have any thoughts on this issue? I'm more than
> willing to discuss possible approaches.
> Yours,
> Zack.
>
Zack,
whilst OBSD might not have support for a screen-reader during the
install process, what it /does/ have excellent support for is
installation using a serial port. I recently installed a number of
Soekris[0] embedded router boxes with OBSD using a serial cable
connected to my Ubuntu laptop. I should think that if you have a Linux
machine with a working screen reader and a serial port, you could
install OpenBSD from scratch on another machine.
Admittedly, I am unsure how you could go about entering the required
set tty com0
stty com0 19200 (or speed of choice)
boot
at the right time without being able to see the bios sequence on a
non-soekris machine, but if getting someone to help you up to this point
was an acceptable compromise, I believe you should be able to do
everything else yourself.
I have also has success with certain Dell servers, which allow console
redirection to a serial port from the BIOS. However, I could not say
which ones support this, and buying a server just to play with your
hobby may be a bit much.
If you have any further questions, I'm sure there are those on this list
far more qualified to answer them than I, but should you wish to do so
you are welcome to contact me off-list.
--
Si1entDave
[0] http://www.soekris.com/
PS: Yay! First post where I was making a contribution rather than asking
dumb newbie-questions. :-)
