[DECtalk] status of DECtalk SAPI from Enable Rehab

Alex H. linuxx64.bashsh at gmail.com
Tue May 10 16:45:24 EDT 2011


Then you probalby won't need to use this unless you want to use the
future SAPI version. Basically it's freedom of choice and for
screenreaders like NVDA who don't have any DECTalk support at least as
of now, it'll be a great thing! Plus, DT Access32 has some wierd
pronounciations and sounds sort of messy compaired to the 4.3/4.4
demos. It says "breen" instead of "been" and stuff like that and is a
bit breathy.

Alex

On 5/10/11, Brandon Misch <bmisch2002 at gmail.com> wrote:
> that makes since but what about those instances where screen readers already
> have working dectalk in them? talking about window-eyes and system access
> here.
>
> On May 10, 2011, at 11:32 AM, Alex H. wrote:
>
>> It would probably be easier to develop one SAPI driver than a few
>> screen reader modules. I'm assuming it will be SAPI.
>>
>> Alex
>>
>> On 5/10/11, Brandon Misch <bmisch2002 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>> will that module have its own driver or will it work through sapi?
>>>
>>> On May 10, 2011, at 8:49 AM, Corine Bickley wrote:
>>>
>>>> The Enable DECtalk module for screen readers will work with any screen
>>>> reader that runs on a 32-bit machine.
>>>>
>>>> On Sat, May 7, 2011 at 2:02 PM, Pitermach <pitermach at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>> <blockquote>
>>>>> then we
>>>>> will offer that version for sale as an add-on to screen readers of the
>>>>> user's choice.
>>>>> </blockquote>
>>>>> does this mean, then, that you will develop some propriatary
>>>>> jaws/wineyes/nvda drivers or are you refering to making that one into
>>>>> sapi?
>>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>>> From: "Corine Bickley" <corine.bickley at gallaudet.edu>
>>>>> To: "DECtalk Discussions" <dectalk at bluegrasspals.com>
>>>>> Sent: Saturday, May 07, 2011 7:56 PM
>>>>> Subject: [DECtalk] status of DECtalk SAPI from Enable Rehab
>>>>>> Hello DECtalk friends,
>>>>>> We at Enable, two former students of Dennis Klatt and his
>>>>>> friend/mentor
>>>>>> Prof. Ken Stevens, learned of an interest in a version of DECtalk that
>>>>>> was
>>>>>> SAPI compliant. Both of us had worked for short intervals with Force
>>>>>> Computers and then Fonix to try to keep DECtalk alive commercially in
>>>>>> 2000.
>>>>>> However, our efforts were not appreciated at either company. We both
>>>>>> were
>>>>>> laid off. However, we stayed in touch with Ed Bruckert who has kept
>>>>>> DECtalk
>>>>>> alive for over 30 years. Ed was our manager at Force and then Fonix.
>>>>>> Sadly,
>>>>>> Ed is now legally blind and can only advise, not program. He helps
>>>>>> with
>>>>>> advice as he best as his memory allows.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Ed has explained that DECtalk has not made any money for many years.
>>>>>> Enable
>>>>>> will never make any money off of any version of DECtalk, but in honor
>>>>>> of
>>>>>> Dennis we'd like to keep DECtalk available. No other company else has
>>>>>> any
>>>>>> interest in doing so. After much negotiation, Ed was finally able to
>>>>>> convince Fonix to let Enable license whatever old copies of DECtalk
>>>>>> code
>>>>>> that we could find. That cost alone is far more than any profit Enable
>>>>>> will
>>>>>> ever realize from sales of DECtalk. Also, Fonix owns any changes we
>>>>>> make
>>>>>> to
>>>>>> DECtalk code. They, Fonix managers, are smart. You may conclude that
>>>>>> we
>>>>>> at
>>>>>> Enable are stupid, at least naive, but please be assured that we are
>>>>>> well
>>>>>> intentioned and want to make DECtalk available to whoever wants it, if
>>>>>> anyone does. It seems now that no one does, at least not any version
>>>>>> that
>>>>>> Fonix will let Enable have access to. However, I can rest easy in
>>>>>> knowing
>>>>>> that we tried. I'm sorry to all of you that we failed. We wish you
>>>>>> well
>>>>>> in
>>>>>> continuing to use whatever versions of DECtalk you have access to.
>>>>>> It's
>>>>>> wonderful that those versions still exist - do enjoy them.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> One of the old versions of DECtalk does work with at least some of the
>>>>>> voices, such as Paul. That old version is now being evaluated by the
>>>>>> Acoustical Society of America's Standards Committee for
>>>>>> intelligibility
>>>>>> of
>>>>>> TTS systems for blind users. If that old version evaluates adequately
>>>>>> (the
>>>>>> first report will be presented this summer at an international
>>>>>> conference
>>>>>> by
>>>>>> Drs. Ann Syrdal and Taniya Mishra), particularly at high speeds, then
>>>>>> we
>>>>>> will offer that version for sale as an add-on to screen readers of the
>>>>>> user's choice. Both the Paul and Betty voices are being evaluated. If
>>>>>> anyone
>>>>>> on this listserv is interested in hearing the samples as well as the
>>>>>> other
>>>>>> synthesizers included in the evaluation, please access the site:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> http://dudley.research.att.com/tts/TESTS/TTSrateIntelligibility/html/index.h
>>>>>> tml
>>>>>> Sometimes this link is down because the ATT researchers are accessing
>>>>>> the
>>>>>> results. Please try later if it doesn't work when you first try it.
>>>>>> Several
>>>>>> kinds of TTS systems are included, each with a male and a female
>>>>>> voice.
>>>>>> You'll have to re-enter the site quite a few times to hear samples of
>>>>>> all
>>>>>> the different voices in all the different TTS systems. The
>>>>>> presentation
>>>>>> is
>>>>>> randomized, so there's no way to know whether you will hear DECtalk or
>>>>>> some
>>>>>> other system each time.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Again, best wishes to all on this listserv in your continued use of
>>>>>> DECtalk.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> corine bickley
>>>>>> Enable Rehab, president
>>>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>>>> DECtalk mailing list
>>>>>> DECtalk at bluegrasspals.com
>>>>>> http://bluegrasspals.com/mailman/listinfo/dectalk
>>>>>>
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>>>>>>
>>>>>
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