Talking bios

[Janina Sajka]

I should think the opposite is a bios you can't read without sight.

Allan Shaw writes:
> From: Allan Shaw <technews at sympatico.ca>
> 
> 
> ... I wouldn't consider having to connect a Braille 'N Speak to your system 
> a system with a perfectly accessible bios, in fact the exact opposit!
> 
> At 11:45 12/23/03, you wrote:
> >Let's generalize this a bit further.
> >
> >Virtually all non Intel computers can be accessed over a serial port at
> >9600 baud. At least, this has been historically true for systems from
> >DEC, Sun, etc.
> >
> >In other words, the inaccessible bios was first created for Intel
> >computing platforms.
> >
> >I believe this is an important point which should not be forgotten in
> >any advocacy for accessibility on future bios implementations. We're not
> >asking for something new. We're asking that something be maintained.
> >
> >For example, my DEC Alphastation 200 has a perfectly accessible bios. I
> >simply disconnect the monitor and plug a Braille 'N Speakup into its
> >first serial port and have at it. It's brilliant, and this is how I
> >configured the bios on the computer that is now my home server.
> >
> >My experience with this ten year old DEC is the historic norm for
> >computing.
> >
> >Allan Shaw writes:
> >> From: Allan Shaw <technews at sympatico.ca>
> >>
> >>
> >> Back in the very early days of the 8286 CPU's one of the leading bios
> >> manufacturers at that time whom i believe was called Phoenix had a 
> >utility
> >> which came with any system containing there bios which would allow you to
> >> modify/configure/set the parameters within the bios by running this 
> >utility
> >> from at that time a command prompt.
> >>
> >> I had a system with this type of bios and was using the Artic speech
> >> product and could change anything I require within the bios and then only
> >> had to reboot my machine to pick up the changes.
> >>
> >> so as with many things, all we need to do is once again make the old
> >> something new again and develop something similar for the modern day bios
> >> and make our life a little easier.
> >> If the Phoenix company is still around, maybe that would be a good 
> >place to
> >> start.
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >>
> >> _______________________________________________
> >> Speakup mailing list
> >> Speakup at braille.uwo.ca
> >> http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup
> >
> >--
> >
> >Janina Sajka
> >Email: janina at rednote.net
> >Phone: (202) 408-8175
> >
> >Director, Technology Research and Development
> >American Foundation for the Blind (AFB)
> >http://www.afb.org
> >
> >Chair, Accessibility Work Group
> >Free Standards Group
> >http://accessibility.freestandards.org
> >
> >_______________________________________________
> >Speakup mailing list
> >Speakup at braille.uwo.ca
> >http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup
> 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Speakup mailing list
> Speakup at braille.uwo.ca
> http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup

-- 
	
Janina Sajka
Email: janina at rednote.net		
Phone: (202) 408-8175

Director, Technology Research and Development
American Foundation for the Blind (AFB)
http://www.afb.org

Chair, Accessibility Work Group
Free Standards Group
http://accessibility.freestandards.org