Intro, and the dreaded basic question

[Larry Higgins]

Willem, thanks very much for your quick and helpful response. I've 
got plenty of information to work from.

One thing I forgot to ask about is the cost for a copy of  Ubuntu. 
And no, I don't expect for you to tell me that it is free <g>. But 
hopefully, it will be reasonably priced, especially since this 
venture is more or less an experimental one at this stage of the 
going. I don't know how long it will even take me to even get 
started, but when I do, you and the list will be hearing plenty from 
me I'm sure.

Take care, and thanks again,

Larry

At 06:00 AM 1/14/2009, you wrote:
>Good to hear you are finally ready to give linux a go.
>IMHO, one of the most painless ways to get a running, talking linux iwith
>most options included, is to go for Ubuntu.
>These days, Linux can speak from the console/command-line as it could do
>for a long time, as well as speak from the gnome gui.
>I use speakup for speech from the command line and use orca, the gui gnome
>screen-reader when I have to.
>Many people these days only use orca, and they are still alive.
>Go for the latest version of ubuntu called intrepid.
>This is not only because you will have better hardware support on most
>machines, but also because it makes the installation of speakup a lot
>easier.
>Google for audio tutorial ubuntu orca to find the mail archive on the
>orca-list where you can find the links to audio tutorials prepared by
>blind people from the community on installing ubuntu using its own
>software speech and orca from the live cd.
>If you go for Ubuntu, make sure that you get the matching tutorial for the
>intrepid 8.10 version, as there were some changes over time regarding the
>exact installation procedures.
>After a standard Ubuntu installation, you will have orca installed, but
>not speakup yet.
>Another popular linx these days is called grml, giving you a talking
>command-line linux.
>I have not personally worked with that, but by the sound of it, it works
>well.
>Linux, at any rate from the command-line, can be made quite
>speech-friendly.
>Orca, the gui screen-reader is moving forward quickly and I am sure with
>time will also be speech-friendly with most applications.
>For now, it works very well with some apps and less so with others.
>In short, things did get a lot easier over the last number of years with
>regards to linux in general.
>Hope this give you enough to start off with.
>There is a speakup mailing list and an orca one, both archived, so you
>should be able to find info there.
>Because of a lot of changes in the last year, I would suggest that you do
>not look at emails regarding any of these things where the post is older
>than about six months.
>Regards, Willem
>
>
>On Wed, 14 Jan 2009, Larry Higgins wrote:
>
> > Hello listers,
> >
> > My name is Larry Higgins from Sycamore, IL. I am a first time 
> poster to this
> > list, although I have been subscribed to this list for God knows how long,
> > anywhere from 8 to 10 years probably, and have taken only  a 
> passing interest
> > in possibly installing Linux of some variety on one of the many 
> computers that
> > have past through my life over these many years, but could never 
> find the time
> > or drive space to do so. My reason for getting at least serious enough to
> > inquire is as follows.
> >
> > A neighbor of mine took it upon himself to buy for me for Christmas a Dell
> > Inspiron 530 computer that I really didn't need. This thing came 
> with Vista,
> > and I thought that after playing around with Vista for the first 
> time over the
> > next few days, I might get brave and tackle installing a version 
> of Linux on
> > that computer, either running a dual boot, or just removing Vista 
> and starting
> > from scratch.
> >
> > Of course, my questions are the usual ones that might come from 
> the greenest
> > novice.Which version of Linux is best and most popular among Blinux list
> > members, and what would I need to make installation 
> as        convenient, if not as
> > easy as possible? I do not have a refreshable Braille display, 
> only speech in
> > the form of Window-Eyes, which I know from the outset will do me 
> absolutely no
> > good <g>.
> >
> > Will I need lots of sighted help in order to get Linux installed, 
> or is there
> > anything like a hands off installation routine, or am I dreaming?  After
> > getting Linux installed, how speech friendly can it be made to be 
> these days?
> > Also, is there any way to make a GUI speak in Linux, one similar 
> to Windows?
> >
> > With that, I think I'll wait for your answers. I must say, I have 
> heard some
> > nightmarish stories about these kinds of installations, so just hope I'm
> > really ready for this. Heck, if I really want to attempt this, I 
> made need a
> > mentor or two <g>.
> >
> > Any help with these issues will be greatly appreciated,
> >
> > Larry
> >
> > PS I'm sure you might ask if I have been reading this list over these many
> > years, and the answer is no, I am ashamed to say, and I haven't kept an
> > archive of my own either. I will proceed to slap myself on the 
> hand real hard
> > <g>.
> > _______________________________________________
> > Blinux-list mailing list
> > Blinux-list at redhat.com
> > https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/blinux-list
> >
> >
>
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