Speakup kernel patch dropped from Ububtu Gutsy

[John covici]

I was going to install ubuntu on a laptop, but now I think I will use
gentoo instead which seems to not find speakup too difficult to
maintain and has a very nice frame buffer patch as well.

on Tuesday 05/15/2007 Gene Collins(collins at gene3.ait.iastate.edu) wrote
 > 
 > To put it in language you'll understand, that stinks.  Not everyone
 > wants to use a gui interface.  There are still functions under the gui
 > that are not accessible.  As for the argument that Speakup is not
 > popular, you have only to look at the number of Speakup users on this
 > list.  As for the maintenance issue, speakup is no more difficult to
 > maintain than any other of the hundreds of modules that habitually are 
 > included.  The thing that makes building your own kernel more difficult
 > is Ubuntu's insistence on using an initrd for a standard system.  All
 > the extra hardware discovery stuff isn't necessary once a system is
 > installed.  Besides which, without speakup, there is no way to do a
 > server install, and Speakup has never been included in a manner that
 > would allow a blind person to do an install from a server cd.  Mot to
 > mention the times when Orca or Gnome crashes in some fashion, and the
 > only way to recover things is by using Speakup from a text console.  If
 > you really have maintenence issues, talk to Kirk and find a way to
 > resolve them.  I think the decission to drop Speakup from Ubuntu is
 > extreemly short sighted.
 > 
 > Gene Collins
 > 
 > >Hi,
 > >
 > >As part of an ongoing effort to bring our kernel tree closer with the 
 > >mainline kernel (ideally identical) we have opted to drop the speakup 
 > >patch from our tree.
 > >
 > >We have found it fairly difficult to maintain and it has not seen the 
 > >kind of usage that the graphical systems (Orca, etc) have.
 > >
 > >It seems that many speakup users traditionally prefer to compile their 
 > >own kernel, which will of course still be an option, and as Ubuntu 
 > >approaches a fairly standard kernel this should be fairly easy.
 > >
 > >This does by no means mean that we are reducing our focus on 
 > >accessibility. We have a range of new projects in the works both for the 
 > >visually impaired and other groups. See: 
 > >https://wiki.ubuntu.com/Accessibility/Specs
 > >
 > >Henrik
 > >
 > >
 > >ps. I originally sent this on 30/04, but as was not subscribed it must 
 > >have bounced
 > >
 > >_______________________________________________
 > >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

-- 
Your life is like a penny.  You're going to lose it.  The question is:
How do
you spend it?

         John Covici
         covici at ccs.covici.com