Why do you use Linux? expanded from Converting text to mp3

Thu Jan 27 03:42:40 UTC 2022

Dang, y'all are old!

I'm in a Computer Science graduate program. It's practically required
that I have a Linux machine. I don't use it Linux exclusively. In
fact, I just got this Ubuntu machine that I am on now. Why is Orca's
speech so slow? I have it sped up to 100%, and it's still way too
slow! Speaking of customization, the NVDA screen reader on windows
allows me to set the speech rate to a level that is comfortable for
me.

Amanda[0]

On 1/26/22, Linux for blind general discussion <blinux-list at redhat.com> wrote:
> I use linux exclusively and for several reasons.
>
> 1. I worked in Unix and  SunOS since 1986. So Linux was a familiar
> environment
> to transition into.
>
> 2. Because once I get it  to work, it works. That keyboard configuration I
> mentioned
> occurred years ago and I haven't touched it since not even when I switched
> to a different machine. Not even when I switched to different keyboards.
> Not even when I switched to different versions of Linux.
>
> 3. Linux does what I want without backtalk, second guessing, ads, unwanted
> upgrading, or mysterious crashes.
>
>
> 4. Linux trades learning for power and flexibility.
> The few times   I tried learning Windows I quickly grew frustrated at just
> how limited the software was and
> how it forced the user to do things its way instead of letting me do them MY
> way.
> I spent more time fighting with windows than getting things done.
>
> 5. Everyone I know who uses Windows, spends far too much time complaining
> about windows, fixing the
> many problems windows causes by its quirks, arcane mysteries, shortcomings,
> and built in faults,
> so I see no reason to give it yet another try.
>
> On Wed, Jan 26, 2022 at 09:19:09PM -0500, Linux for blind general discussion
> wrote:
>> Okay  then,
>> This illustrates another point which got touched  on in a different
>> thread
>> as well.
>> The, you must be prepared to do programming if you are going to use Linux
>> fluidly, if at all.
>> On an entirely different list I am on, folks were complaining about
>> windows
>> 10 and windows 11, because of the changes.
>> Computers are increasingly such critical parts of our lives, banking
>> shopping, even voting, that many on the list spoke of just wanting to sit
>> down at their computer and have things work...so they still use older
>> editions of things like Windows  XP?  and Windows  7.
>> I admit that is part of why the out of the box concept discussed here
>> where
>> Access is concerned seems a bit, speaking personally, like a
>> misconception.
>> Few on the list I referenced above are using adaptive tools, and some of
>> them are scientists, with many not wanting configuring to be a part of
>> their
>> computer lives.
>>  So, why do you use Linux?
>> what makes it worth the time the training and the trial  / error?
>> Oh, and is it your only operating system?
>> Want to ask the latter because I know someone who indeed uses Linux
>> exclusively, vowing never to touch windows again.
>> Please feel free to express in detail, never mind my personal situation,
>> because the journalist in me is interested as well.
>> Karen
>>
>>
>>
>> On Wed, 26 Jan 2022, Linux for blind general discussion wrote:
>>
>> > Fair point.
>> >
>> > As regards the keyboard, I agree with the main keyboard philosophy, and
>> > in fact speakup does allow you to customize it to use the main keyboard
>> > instead of the
>> > keypad. However, it took me a while to customize it to my liking and
>> > required quite a bit of study and generating of personal keymaps, so
>> > might not be of any interest to those who aren't comfortable making
>> > some low level modifications.
>> >
>> > On Wed, Jan 26, 2022 at 08:16:08PM -0500, Linux for blind general
>> > discussion wrote:
>> > > Which may illustrate my point.
>> > > I can use those without changing what I have now.
>> > > Speaking personally if Linux does not provide equal access to both
>> > > hardware
>> > > and  software speech, in both its command line and graphical
>> > > platforms, I am
>> > > unsure  just where the advantage is for me personally.
>> > > One thing I personally disliked with speakup, at least the times I
>> > > tried it
>> > > years back was the need to remove my hands from the keyboard for many
>> > > things.
>> > > That may not hold true all the way around, but I am a solid typist and
>> > > do
>> > > not like having to remove may hands, say use the number pad, if I want
>> > > as I
>> > > work content.
>> > > That is me though, which is one magical thing about personal
>> > > computers.
>> > > everyone brings their desires and usage goals to their machines.
>> > > Which to my mind again personally means Linux should, if it actually
>> > > can, be
>> > > flexible enough for all choices to work in it command line and
>> > > graphical.
>> > > Karen
>> > >
>> > >
>> > >
>> > > On Wed, 26 Jan 2022, Linux for blind general discussion wrote:
>> > >
>> > > > I don't use Firefox. I use a text based browser, either lynx, w3m,
>> > > > or links (the chain) depending.
>> > > >
>> > > > On Wed, Jan 26, 2022 at 07:48:42PM -0500, Linux for blind general
>> > > > discussion wrote:
>> > > > > Rudy,
>> > > > > As an example, may I ask what edition  of  Firefox you are running
>> > > > > with that
>> > > > > dectalk Express?
>> > > > > Karen
>> > > > >
>> > > > >
>> > > > >
>> > > > > On Wed, 26 Jan 2022, Linux for blind general discussion wrote:
>> > > > >
>> > > > > > Karen,
>> > > > > > I use Linux speakup with a Dectalk express speech synthesizer.
>> > > > > > And I believe speakup also handles the
>> > > > > > slot card version of dectalk though you'll need a desktop PC
>> > > > > > that supports it, so the software is there.
>> > > > > >
>> > > > > >
>> > > > > > Rudy
>> > > > > >
>> > > > > > On Wed, Jan 26, 2022 at 05:22:35PM -0500, Linux for blind
>> > > > > > general discussion wrote:
>> > > > > > > Kyle,
>> > > > > > > i do not consider my hardware decktalk provided via my reading
>> > > > > > > edge to be an
>> > > > > > > example of text to speech.
>> > > > > > > By definition, and there are many, the term, which refers to
>> > > > > > > taking
>> > > > > > > information in text format  and  rendering it aloud does not,
>> > > > > > > speaking
>> > > > > > > personally,  equal pronunciation ease.
>> > > > > > > In fact one theory about this has to do with preserving the
>> > > > > > > audiobook
>> > > > > > > market.
>> > > > > > > granted, as  was pointed out in a thread some time ago, I am
>> > > > > > > not likely to
>> > > > > > > learn about Linux screen readers, no driver exists for my
>> > > > > > > hardware speech,
>> > > > > > > and software synthesizer sources  currently do a number on my
>> > > > > > > brain.
>> > > > > > > Karen
>> > > > > > >
>> > > > > > >
>> > > > > > >
>> > > > > > > On Wed, 26 Jan 2022, Linux for blind general discussion
>> > > > > > > wrote:
>> > > > > > >
>> > > > > > > > That being said, the audiophile in me cannot resist pointing
>> > > > > > > > out that
>> > > > > > > > pronunciation abilities of tts are of far less quality than
>> > > > > > > > those
>> > > > > > > > provided by many actual screen readers, at least the ones I
>> > > > > > > > have
>> > > > > > > > used...which???? does not include any for Linux.
>> > > > > > > >
>> > > > > > > >
>> > > > > > > > That being said, the technofile in me cannot resist pointing
>> > > > > > > > out the
>> > > > > > > > fact that every screen reader for every OS uses nothing but
>> > > > > > > > TTS
>> > > > > > > > technology to read the screen. Well, I guess BeMyEyes
>> > > > > > > > doesn't, but it's
>> > > > > > > > not exactly a screen reader, unless you need the volunteer
>> > > > > > > > to read a
>> > > > > > > > screen for you.
>> > > > > > > >
>> > > > > > > > ~ Kyle
>> > > > > > > >
>> > > > > > > > _______________________________________________
>> > > > > > > > Blinux-list mailing list
>> > > > > > > > Blinux-list at redhat.com
>> > > > > > > > https://listman.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/blinux-list
>> > > > > > > >
>> > > > > >
>> > > > > > > _______________________________________________
>> > > > > > > Blinux-list mailing list
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>> > > > > > > https://listman.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/blinux-list
>> > > > > >
>> > > > > >
>> > > > > > --
>> > > > > > Rudy Vener
>> > > > > > Website: http://www.rudyvener.com
>> > > > > > Twitter: https://twitter.com/RudySalt
>> > > > > > The difference between truth and falsehood is that truth remains
>> > > > > > constant no matter which political party holds the majority.
>> > > > > >  - A. R. Vener
>> > > > > >
>> > > > > > _______________________________________________
>> > > > > > Blinux-list mailing list
>> > > > > > Blinux-list at redhat.com
>> > > > > > https://listman.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/blinux-list
>> > > > > >
>> > > > > >
>> > > > >
>> > > > > _______________________________________________
>> > > > > Blinux-list mailing list
>> > > > > Blinux-list at redhat.com
>> > > > > https://listman.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/blinux-list
>> > > >
>> > > > --
>> > > > Rudy Vener
>> > > > Website: http://www.rudyvener.com
>> > > > Twitter: https://twitter.com/RudySalt
>> > > > The difference between truth and falsehood is that truth remains
>> > > > constant no matter which political party holds the majority.
>> > > >  - A. R. Vener
>> > > >
>> > > > _______________________________________________
>> > > > Blinux-list mailing list
>> > > > Blinux-list at redhat.com
>> > > > https://listman.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/blinux-list
>> > > >
>> > > >
>> > >
>> > > _______________________________________________
>> > > Blinux-list mailing list
>> > > Blinux-list at redhat.com
>> > > https://listman.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/blinux-list
>> >
>> > --
>> > Rudy Vener
>> > Website: http://www.rudyvener.com
>> > Twitter: https://twitter.com/RudySalt
>> > The difference between truth and falsehood is that truth remains
>> > constant no matter which political party holds the majority.
>> >  - A. R. Vener
>> >
>> > _______________________________________________
>> > Blinux-list mailing list
>> > Blinux-list at redhat.com
>> > https://listman.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/blinux-list
>> >
>> >
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Blinux-list mailing list
>> Blinux-list at redhat.com
>> https://listman.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/blinux-list
>
> --
> Rudy Vener
> Website: http://www.rudyvener.com
> Twitter: https://twitter.com/RudySalt
> The difference between truth and falsehood is that truth remains constant no
> matter which political party holds the majority.
>   - A. R. Vener
>
> _______________________________________________
> Blinux-list mailing list
> Blinux-list at redhat.com
> https://listman.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/blinux-list
>
>