Back in 1996-7 my computer technician told me about another operating system called "Linux". Of course, I had the problem of getting it to talk. I learnt of emacspeak and svlpro and managed to get my Braille 'n' Speak talking on a SUSE system. I had to learn MS Windows too at that time as I was undertaking a course at University and was quickly growing out of MS DOS.
In 1998/9 I'd found speakup which is a kernel patch that takes signals from standard output (STIN) and passes it out through a serial port to a speech synthesiser. Slackware V4.0 installation floppies were up on the speakup site with speakup already patched into the stock kernel. It was great, I was able to explore what linux had to offer. I found speak freely too to talk to other visually impaired linux users (blinux) on the speakup speak freely reflecter. As a result, I've made tremendous progress in terms of computing ability and understanding. But not only in respect of computing, I've been able to visit Canada and stay with one of the authors of speakup and his wife. Many thanks go to Kirk and Mary.
I currently use debian GNU Linux, which fits very nicely within my view of the world i.e. freedom to share within a like-minded community. For readers who are not visually impaired, its difficult to understand the social oppression that we face. Its well documented that many disabled people within Britain are unemployed, thus poverty stricken, consequently, cannot afford the ridiculous prices of screen readers for the Microsoft platforms. Of course, many have found access to screen readers which consequently, enabled them to gain employment. Which is great however, visually impaired people must take control over what we have access to or not. Currently, many of the developers' of screen readers, are sighted and comercially driven, thus visually impaired people still have to go, with cap in hand, to such developers' and state their case for access to a specific application. For example, being a radio ham, should I wish to use software for my hobby, on the Microsoft platform, I need to ask those very nice people at either Freedomscientic or GW Micro to provide access to Ham Radio Delux or Winpack or any other associated software.
No, for me, that sticks in my claw. I'm not blind, I'll do all I can to participate within a community whereby, we share knowledge, achievements, our failiers and alternative software solutions. I do not have to accept the oppression of the capitalist model.
My sincere thanks to those involved with speakup and associated projects as well as all those who continuely contribute to the debian community!
Copywrite Georgina Joyce
This page was last revised: 27 March 2005