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

Thu Jan 27 12:56:44 UTC 2022

Hi Amanda,

Assuming you are using Espeak-ng (the default), you can speed up Orca's
speech by editing the file
~/.config/speech-dispatcher/modules/espeak-ng.conf.
Look for lines starting with "EspeakMinRate", "EspeakNormalRate", and
"EspeakMaxRate". The values are in words per minute. Adjust them to your
preference and let us know if it helps.

Now for my Linux story:

I started using Linux in 2006, when I was still in high school. I was very
much interested in Unix, so I first experimented with Cygwin, and later
ordered an Ubuntu live CD via the post.
A bit later I switched to Fedora Core 3 modified with Speakup, which was
what I was using when the Windows half of my computer broke itself in 2008.
I then decided to learn to do everything on Linux, rather than taking the
trouble to fix Windows.

Interestingly, when I applied to study Computer Science after school, one
of the concerns of the University was that the CS degree required the use
of Linux, and they were unsure how accessible that would be. Of course I
was able to demonstrate to them how I actually use Linux, which made
convincing them a bit easier. I must mention that at the time (and still to
an extent), computer science was a degree really not often studied by blind
people here in South Africa.

For the most part I have now used Linux full time for about 14 years,
though I do maintain a virtual machine with Windows 10 for the times when I
have to test Windows software for my work.
For me, the biggest advantage of Linux is customizability. I have my setup
configured exactly how I want it, for instance: a screen session on console
1, Emacs with Emacspeak on console 2, and graphical stuff on console 6. My
text consoles are configured to be huge, since the character size makes no
difference to me, and I would rather have to scroll less.

The times I have to boot up my virtual machine, I am surprised by how
different the experience is, with multiple pre-installed services
immediately demanding my attention, asking me to sign into cloud services,
and performing background tasks which I did not order, but with no easy way
of disabling. That said, had I been a full time Windows user, I probably
would have known how to configure Windows exactly how I want it as well, so
I guess a big part of it is also what one is used to and comfortable with.

Regards,

Rynhardt

On Thu, Jan 27, 2022 at 5:43 AM Linux for blind general discussion <
blinux-list at redhat.com> wrote:

>
> 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
> >> > > > > > > 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
> >> >
> >> >
> >>
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> 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 <Blinux-list at redhat.com>
> https://listman.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/blinux-list
<https://listman.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/blinux-list>
>