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OK, here's my thoughts on what's going on here:<br>
<br>
I love the fact that we're able to make DECTalk sing, some people
like it just as a screen reader voice, or in the case of NWAA they
use DT for weather broadcasts. In short, dT is used for singing and
non-singing acts alike. It's important though to keep in mind that
disabled people who may not be able to sing need this to express
their arts in music, write songs and perform, etc. Removing it on
the basis of saying 'it's for screen readers' is inaccurate and, in
my opinion, not necessary. As you may or may not be aware, there's a
non-classic version of SAPI DT flying around in the Interwebs, and
it's possible to use it with a screen reader, and make it sing. So
that argument is tosh, quite frankly.<br>
<br>
I do think singing being enabled is important and don't really
understand why it's going to be disabled.<br>
<br>
Also, let me clear something up, yet again (already stated above for
any doubts to be banished that this is possible), before it gets all
tangled and messy as is often the case with this sort of thing. It
is possible to get a DECTalk SAPI working with screen readers - most
screen readers support SAPI5 as an option so this isn't an issue. It
is also possible to have the same synth sing, or operate with other
software not that of the screen reader. For instance, Microsoft
annah works with JAWS, NVDA, and Window-Eyes, three screen readers.
It also worsk with TTSApp.exe, an external utility that sends text
strings to SAPI5 voices using a simple GUI interface. It's possible
and has been happening for the invention of SAIP4/SAPI5. So there.<br>
I think somewhere down the line a developer/somebody or other is
thinking that it's one or the other - it sings or it gets used with
screen readers. It is possible to do both. That is, one could
hypothetically install the DT SAPI, use it with their favorite
screen reader, then turn around and pipe text directly into it using
a utility like TTSApp.exe. You usually wouldn't get a version of
DECTalk to sing using a screen reader, since these programs use an
array of punctuation filters and it's mostly a failed experiment.
E.g., try putting phonemic text into an email and read it with
MobileSpeak on your smartphone. It won't work, and will just spit
back the text with all the brackets and <> stuff spoken and
phonemes will not be read properly.<br>
<br>
In conclusion, it is possible to market a SAPI dectalk that sings
and satisfies the needs of screen reader users at the same time.
There's no special rocket science wankery which needs to be done or
anything, if it works with singing and can also speak text, and it's
compliant with SAPI standards, what exactly is the problem? I don't
really know where the confusion of having DECTalk sing and being
operable with screen readers came up. Do people seriously think that
a version of DT that is being used with screen readers means it
can't sing? Such foolish thinking. They're not even connected. Of
course you should be able to pipe text into a DT synth and have it
come back singing as long as the punctuation doesn't get all screwed
up - see my comments above. Now, here's the clincher. If somebody
goes in and purposefully messes with the DT engine and makes it so
it cannot sing, regardless of parameters and input methods, then of
course it's not going to sing, and it's not true DECTalk. If the
damn synth supports it, make it happen. I'm tired of this "features
being disabled" crap. Just give me my synth for a decent [low]
price, let me do as I will with it, but for pete's sake don't
disable functions because of misfed information or assumptions
without checking on this list! After all, this is probably where a
good chunk of customers for this synth will hear about its status -
through this list and its members, and the word will spread, etc. If
we get jerked around and hear stuff is going to be intentionally
disabled/be one voice/any other trickery, it's not worth a CENT to
me. Honestly, why, would, you, do, more, work, for, yourself, when
you don't need to! If the voices work, if it's classic sounding,
just sell it! Don't fiddle with it and disable features for the heck
of it.<br>
<br>
Hopefully, I've repeated myself enough and walked circles around
this issue and clarified for the people in charge of this stuff
that, once again, you can sing and screenread with the same voice.
Maybe not at the same time, but it's posslbe quite easily.<br>
<br>
Respectfully (but a little tired),<br>
Faithful DECTalk User<br>
<br>
On 6/27/2011 6:54 PM, Blake Roberts wrote:
<blockquote
cite="mid:20110627225422.699AC1CB960@smtprelay04.b.hostedemail.com"
type="cite">
<meta http-equiv="Context-Type" content="text/html;
charset=us-ascii">
<div><span> The majority of Dectalk users use Dectalk for singing,
90-95 percent. Singing is the primary reason most people use
Dectalk these days. I know people on the Internet who love
hearing Dectalk because of its singing ability, even though
they have no desire to get a Dectalk product. Dectalk singing
has been enjoyed by many people for years and still is. Making
Dectalk sing was very important to Dennis Klat. </span></div>
<span></span> Blake<span></span> <br>
<div lang="en-us"> <b>From:</b> <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:dectalk-bounces@bluegrasspals.com">dectalk-bounces@bluegrasspals.com</a>
[<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="mailto:dectalk-bounces@bluegrasspals.com">mailto:dectalk-bounces@bluegrasspals.com</a>] <b>On Behalf Of </b>FRIDO
ORDEMANN<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Monday, June 27, 2011 6:34 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> DECtalk Discussions<br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [DECtalk] TEST<br>
<br>
</div>
<div>
<div><span>There are other users of DECtalk than those who use
it for singing.</span></div>
<div><br>
<div> <b><span>From:</span></b> <a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:Dectalk@aol.com">"Dectalk@aol.com"</a>
<a class="moz-txt-link-rfc2396E" href="mailto:Dectalk@aol.com"><Dectalk@aol.com></a><br>
<b><span>To:</span></b> <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:dectalk@bluegrasspals.com">dectalk@bluegrasspals.com</a><br>
<b><span>Sent:</span></b> Mon, June 27, 2011 2:10:43 PM<br>
<b><span>Subject:</span></b> Re: [DECtalk] TEST<br>
<br>
<div><strong> Actually I was scared I was removed for
exploding on the list last night. I also find it odd
that Corine never apologized for her misleading post.
I'm still in total shock at how her post was worded.
And to post that on the list when we all have a speak
window or other form of Dectalk. Heck, if I did have a
singing SAPI, why would anyone buy her non-singing
version? </strong></div>
<div><strong> </strong> </div>
<div><strong> That post just totally made no sense to me. I
still feel bad about my response, but I was and still am
angry. </strong></div>
<div><strong> </strong> </div>
<div><strong> </strong> </div>
<div><strong> SNOOPI BOTTEN </strong></div>
<div> </div>
<div>
<div>In a message dated 6/27/2011 1:22:03 P.M. Eastern
Daylight Time, <a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:linuxx64.bashsh@gmail.com">linuxx64.bashsh@gmail.com</a> writes:</div>
<blockquote> Your message came through. It's all good.<br>
<br>
Alex<br>
<br>
On 6/27/2011 12:58 PM, <a moz-do-not-send="true"
title="mailto:Dectalk@aol.com"
href="mailto:Dectalk@aol.com">Dectalk@aol.com</a>
wrote:
<blockquote type="cite">
<div>My mail got too full, so I'm just making sure
everything is ok.</div>
<div> </div>
<div><strong></strong> </div>
<div><strong>SNOOPI BOTTEN </strong></div>
<pre>
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<a moz-do-not-send="true" href="http://bluegrasspals.com/mailman/listinfo/dectalk">http://bluegrasspals.com/mailman/listinfo/dectalk</a>
</span></pre>
</blockquote>
<br>
<br>
<div>-- <br>
Sent via Thunderbird.</div>
<br>
<br>
_______________________________________________<br>
DECtalk mailing list<br>
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:DECtalk@bluegrasspals.com">DECtalk@bluegrasspals.com</a><br>
<span><a moz-do-not-send="true"
href="http://bluegrasspals.com/mailman/listinfo/dectalk">http://bluegrasspals.com/mailman/listinfo/dectalk</a></span><br>
</blockquote>
</div>
</div>
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<pre wrap="">
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_______________________________________________
DECtalk mailing list
<a class="moz-txt-link-abbreviated" href="mailto:DECtalk@bluegrasspals.com">DECtalk@bluegrasspals.com</a>
<a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://bluegrasspals.com/mailman/listinfo/dectalk">http://bluegrasspals.com/mailman/listinfo/dectalk</a>
</pre>
</blockquote>
<br>
<br>
<div class="moz-signature">-- <br>
Sent via Thunderbird.</div>
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