Free computer magazine from the UK

Good afternoon, everyone.
I recently found out about a totally free computer magazine from the UK.
It’s aimed specifically at blind and partially sighted computer users, and you can listen to it on line or download it as an mp3 file.
If you want to listen to it on line, you’ll need software to play RealAudio files. You can use the RealPlayer for this, but I recommend using Real Alternative instead.
Anyway, please go to the Talking Computers web site if you’re interested in the magazine.

Running Ubuntu Linux from a USB thumb drive

Good evening.
Since my last post about using Ubuntu Linux with the Orca screen reader, I’ve found out that it’s also possible to run Ubuntu from a USB thumb drive.
If you want to experience working with Ubuntu but you don’t want to install it, then this method might be for you.
You can find detailed instructions about how to set up a thumb drive for Ubuntu by clicking this link.
The good thing about running Ubuntu from a thumb drive is that you can do it from Windows.

Application forms for the 2008 Teruko Ikeda ICT Scholarship now available

Good evening.
Application forms for the 2008 Teruko Ikeda ICT Training Programme are now available.
If you or a member of your organisation would like to apply, please contact NCBM or the Japan Braille Library, and application forms will be sent to you. Alternatively, you can go to the Teruko Ikeda ICT Training Programme 2008 Application Form page to download an electronic version of the form.
If you have any questions about the application process, or how to fill in the forms, then please don’t hesitate to contact NCBM for help.
As all classes are taught in English, applicants must be able to speak and understand English. I shall be calling many of the applicants to talk with them about their application forms, and to check their English language proficiency.
The training programme is aimed at people who have a basic knowledge of computers, and who can use a keyboard. If you can touch-type, this would also be very helpful.
The Teruko Ikeda ICT traning course is not meant for advanced computer users, so please do not apply if you already know a lot about computers, or if you are a computer trainer.
We look forward to meeting the successful applicants in July in Penang.

Linux accessibility with the Gnome desktop and the Orca screen reader

Hello again, everyone.
Recently, there have been some promising developments in the world of Linux accessibility.
For those of you who don’t know, Linux is an operating system like Windows XP or Windows Vista, but it’s free to download and install, and many versions of it now include a built-in screen reader called Orca.
Linux is what is called open source, which means that anyone can make changes or improvements to it. This is good from the standpoint of accessibility, because lots of people are working hard to make Linux as easy to use and accessible as possible.
Right now, the simplest way to start using Linux is to download and install a distribution called Ubuntu.
Ubuntu comes on one cd, and it has a talking installation programme. All you have to do to install it is download the cd image, burn it to a blank cd, put the cd in your computer’s cd drive, and restart your computer. The Ubuntu installer will then start, and you can make it talk. You can download a free Windows programme to burn a cd image to a cd disc by clicking here.
If you want to hear a demonstration of how to install Ubuntu with speech, please go to Darragh Ó Héiligh’s web site and download or listen to his audio tutorial. There’s a direct link to it here, but please take a look at the rest of his site, because it contains lots of very useful information about Linux accessibility. If you want more detailed information about installing Ubuntu with speech, then follow this link.
You can also watch a Youtube video from India about using Ubuntu and Orca.
If you want to learn more about the Orca screen reader, then please take a look at the Orca page on the Gnome Live site. If you don’t know much about Linux and you’d like to learn more, then please take a look at the Linux Home Page.
I think that the idea of a totally free operating system with a built-in screen reader is truly a great step forward for blind computer users. Thanks to Linux, you no longer have to pay a lot of money for a Windows pc and a screen reader like Jaws or Window Eyes. You can just download a version of Linux like Ubuntu, and install it onto a spare computer. Also, the computer does not have to have a lot of memory or hard disc space: according to the Ubuntu site, a computer only needs 256 MB of memory and about 20 GB of hard drive space. That’s all!
I intend to write lots more on this topic in the future, so stay tuned.

New small Mac laptop

Hello, everyone.
This is my first post of 2008, and I think it’s an important one.
As many of you may know, the latest Apple computers include a built-in screen reader called Voice Over. Unlike JAWS or Window Eyes, Voice Over is actually part of the operating system, and not extra software that you have to install. This means that you don’t have to pay more money for a screen reader after buying a Mac computer.
This is a very good thing for visually impaired computer users, because it now costs much less to buy an accessible computer.
At the recent Mac World event, Apple released a brand new laptop called the Mac Book Air. It’s very thin, very portable, has about 5 hours of battery life, and costs about 17,00 US Dollars. This is about the same as the price of a standard laptop running Windows, but there’s one big difference: after buying a Windows laptop, you still have to buy a screen reader, which can often cost more than your laptop. On the other hand, Macs now come with a built-in screen reader which is just as good as Jaws or Window Eyes, and you don’t have to pay extra for it.
If you want to know more about Mac accessibility, then please take a look at Lioncourt.com, or you can subscribe to the Screenless Switchers podcast. Another good site is Mac Visionaries, where you can subscribe to some useful mailing lists about the Mac.