Re: [Accessibility] Call to Arms

[Eric S. Johansson]

 On 7/27/2010 12:57 PM, Richard Stallman wrote:
>      If you don't have money you can't make choices. If you can't
>      make choices, you don't have freedom.
>
> I think that statement is the root of the error.  To lack money is
> unpleasant, but it does not mean you have lost your freedom.
> (Contrast being broke with being in jail.)

I think choice is a core concept of freedom. There are many things that control 
your choice. overt things such as police force or more subtle such as First 
Amendment chilling effect. We've been talking about one choice restrictor which 
is physical injury. The has the secondary follow of money as a choice 
restrictor. Granted, most of the money issues are based in economic transactions 
(i.e. buying something) but in this case, if you want to have a job, you 
currently have no choice other than to buy recognition software.

> It is also an exaggeration, since there are many choices even a person
> without money can make.  Exaggerations like this are commonly found in
> arguments against the importance of free software and other freedoms.

I'm not arguing against free software or any of the other stuff you mention. I'm 
arguing that a disability reduces choice if you want to stay solvent. If the 
only way to keep the job is to buy nonfree software, you will by nonfree software.
> Meanwhile, even a person in jail can make some choices -- which
> confirms that there is a conceptual error in trying to define
> freedom this way.
>
>      No. It doesn't mean he must have the same wealth, it means they should 
> have the
>      same opportunity within reasonable bounds.
>
> Equality of opportunity is a good thing, but it is not the same as
> freedom.
>
>      I've been there and I'm still there. Let's say I bought into the 
> philosophy. I
>      would get rid of my computer because a free system that I can't use is
>      fundamentally useless.
>
> "Can't use" is such a strong statement that I wonder if it is another
> exaggeration,  Even if you have no hands, there are other ways to input
> besides dictation.
uh, bull fertilizer. I'll retract if you prove me wrong. As far as I know, There 
are no fast and reliable method of inputting text other than keyboards and 
speech recognition.

The input methods I know of include:

typing
speech recognition
Dasher
minion
unicorn stick
X.-Y. toggle stick
scanner


Typing: we all know typing. You press your fingers on various keys with letters 
on top and outcomes text. De facto text input device

speech recognition: faster than typing, if lucky more accurate. Generates a 
whole new class of errors for editing purposes. Not so good with non-textual input.

Dasher: built by research group in the UK, it was the first new handicap 
accessible input model in many years. Requires moderate dexterity plus word 
prediction training in order to increase accuracy and speed. In the beginning, 
speed is very slow and may even be slower than toggle sticks or scanners.

Minion: some poor sod who was willing to be paid to type what they think you 
said. Probably does not understand code but the minute they do, they'll 
recognize that they can make more money writing code for themselves and probably 
choose to do so. Very expensive to pay for a body to type your dictation. For 
developers, it might be cheaper to rent a developer in southeast wherever for a 
fraction of their salary and outsource themselves.

Unicorn stick: this is my favorite. It must've been one drunken frat party when 
they came up with this one. I can just see a bunch of plebes with unicorn sticks 
strapped to their head pecking out messages on a keyboard while holding an egg 
under their chin and going cluck, cluck, cluck.  Like I said, drunken, frat 
party or, horribly cruel trick to play on the disabled.

X. Y toggle stick: variation of the scanner. Use the XY input from the toggle 
stick to select characters off of a matrix on the screen. It's sort of like 
battleship except you win when you get the word you want and you haven't died of 
old age yet.

Scanner: I think this is the device that Stephen Hawking uses. A cursor slides 
over a matrix of letters on the screen and when you get the right letter, you 
push a button or flip a switch somehow to indicate that the cursor is on the 
right character. Usually used with some form of or prediction software to reduce 
the number lifetimes you have to spend entering words. Decidedly non-real-time 
and cumbersome someone even vaguely handed.

I think that was reasonably accurate but admittedly snarky.   Have I missed 
anything?

> In 1983, nobody could use a new computer except with proprietary
> software, So I set about developing the free replacements for that
> proprietary software.  I worked on the major components of a free
> system that were missing.  You could do the same now.  It would be
> ethical for you to use NaturallySpeaking if your main activity were
> working directly towards replacing it.

obviously, I see things in a slightly different line.  I could not work on a 
replacement of NaturallySpeaking because I do not have the knowledge, I do not 
have the ability to create/edit code, and that's not where my interest lies. I 
could work on a tools front-end that would work with either NaturallySpeaking or 
GNUlizzard because I have the interest, the knowledge, and if I could find a way 
to fix VR_mode, we could make NaturallySpeaking and Emacs work so I could write 
Python code!

I'm sorry, this irritates the hell out of me. If I don't have the tools, I can't 
help with the progress which would make it possible to replace 
NaturallySpeaking. As it is, I would need to go buy an editor which uses one of 
the standard edit controls on Windows, pay money for it and hope that I could 
easily synchronize the code between Linux and Windows. We really need to start 
with a small things and make them work which will in turn attract more 
developers, etc. etc. unfortunately I have already flogged that dead horse too 
much  I fear


> For several years I had bad hand pain and mostly could not type.
> I did not even consider using a nonfree dictation program, because
> nonfree software would take away my freedom and I was not prepared
> to dedicate my efforts to replacing it.

You are far better man than I am. All I can see is that you gave up the 
independence of using the computer yourself.  you gave a bit of privacy when you 
allow someone else to see what you want entered. you gave up a bit a security 
when you allow someone to know your passwords. At that time in your life, you 
were dependent on other people to type for you in the same way that I am 
dependent on others to write for me.

My hands are bad enough I can no longer fill in paper forms or take longhand 
notes. It is damned embarrassing having to ask strangers to write for you like 
you are some sort of  illiterate person who wandered in off of the street.  if I 
had the option of buying a proprietary package that would somehow let me 
generate handwriting, I would do so in a heartbeat because it would give me a 
different degree of freedom in my life.  if it was a really useful tool, I would 
talk with others about making a free replacement but, in the meantime,-I would 
be able to write-! That would be so wonderful because I be free of the 
embarrassment, the hostile looks, disbelieving comments. It would be wonderful 
because it would free me to use my hands in one more way.

Damn, I was almost having a mental orgasm at the thought of being able to write 
again. Never thought of celibacy involving pencils but, that's probably what's 
going on.

I really don't expect you to agree and that's okay. That's what discussion is 
all about. I just wanted to record one set of perspectives on accessibility 
desire really

> Our goal is to eliminate proprietary software.  Towards that end, we
> have to teach people it is bad.  We cannot do that and simultaneously
> suggest a "solution" that includes NaturallySpeaking -- that is a
> non-starter here.

I can accept that if we can build a series of components that work together and 
are totally free but not preclude the option of some filthy stinky code monkeys 
going off and putting in NaturallySpeaking as a plug-in.