Speakup with Fedora or Redhat

[Darragh Ó Héiligh]

Espeak would probably be your best bet to get started.

In terms of modules for Speakup, you'd use the SoftSynth module and it
would connect to speech-dispatcher and speechd_up which in turn
connects to the synthesizer.  This is probably less complicated now.
It has been a few years since I've done anything with that.

You should look at the build instructions for Vinux on the vinux
project blog.  It gives some great ideas for creating an accessible
linux environment.

One thing to keep in mind and it was the most important line of the
installation howto.  Installing Linux and getting it to your liking is
the hardest part about Linux.

Don't expect it to work the way you want it to over night if your
going to heavily use software speech in the CLI.

In saying that, if your good with using Orca in Gnome, you can get
Fedora up and running in about an hour and everything will be fine
within reason.

On 08/01/2010, Tim Culhane <tim.culhane at criticalpath.net> wrote:
> Hi,
>
> Ok,  looks like I will be going with Fedora for now.
>
> So,  looks like what I need to do is:
>
> Get fedora installed
> Download and compile Speakup into the Fedora kernel
>
> Where exactly do I get the synthesizer modules for Speakup?  Are there any
> free modules to get me started, or do you need to pay for them all?
>
> Which  software synthesizer is considered to be the best, or most widely
> used?
>
> Regards,
>
> Tim
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: speakup-bounces at braille.uwo.ca [mailto:speakup-bounces at braille.uwo.ca]
> On Behalf Of Darragh O Heiligh
> Sent: 06 January 2010 13:40
> To: Speakup is a screen review system for Linux.
> Subject: Re: Speakup with Fedora or Redhat
>
>
> Tim,
>
> Answers to your questions are below:
>
> 1.  If I go with Redhat as opposed to Fedora, which version of Redhat should
> I use.  Will speakup be compiled into this kernel or does it need to be done
> manually.  If it needs to be done manually is documentation available for
> this process?
>
> As far as I am aware, Speakup was only supplied with only one Red hat
> kernel.  It is no longer part of the stock kernel for Red hat. Installation
> instructions should be available somewhere. If you have problems finding
> instructions or you'd like some suggestions / help with the process, give me
> a shout.
>
>
> 2.  If there really isn't much difference between Fedora and Redhat, which
> version of Fedora should I use?  Is there a modified speakup distribution
> for Fedora 12?  If not,  can speakup be compiled into the Fedora 12 kernel?
>
> What version and flavour of Linux that you choose depends on what you want
> to do with it.  Of course, it also depends on how much support you can get
> from the community. Especially when you are just starting out with it. For
> that reason alone, I would suggest that you go with Fedora.
>
> Fedora 12 does not yet have a speakup modified version available via
> speakup-modified.org for some reason.  However, there are no reasons that I
> am aware of why you shouldn't be able to compile speakup into the kernel.  I
> have Fedora 12 on a box at home.  I might try to get some time to do this
> shortly and report back.  If I'm successful, I'll place the audio recording
> of the process to www.lalrecordings.com so that others can follow.
>
> The installation process for installing speakup into the kernel is
> reasonably similar for most versions and distributions.  1... download and
> install dependencies, 2.  download the speakup source, 3. install any
> dependencies for your software synthesizer, 4.  use make cloneconfig if your
> distribution supports it.  If not, copy the config file from ....... aah! I
> cant remember where that is stored.  5.  use make menuconfig to add speakup
> and the synthesizer module as a module as part of the kernel or a loadable
> module that can be loaded in the application space. finally, use the
> commands for preparing and compiling the new kernel. That's a really
> summarised process but it will give you an idea what is involved.
>
>
> 3.  I will need to use a software based synthesizer.  I believe TTSync is
> the one closest to Eloquence, which I use on windows.  Will TTSync work with
> the latest versions of speakup on Fedora and Redhat?  Since it is software
> based, I'm assuming that TTSync won't speak from boot up?  If not, can I use
> an alternative during boot up and then switch to TTSync?
>
> There's a bit to answer there...
> Yes.  you can have two synthes available to you. just compile them as
> loadable modules. TTSynth will almost definitly work for you, you'll just
> need to spend time finding and installing the dependencies... and in some
> cases, the dependencies of the dependencies.  It can be messy but worth it
> if your set on using that synthesizer. You are right that hardware
> synthesizers are your only option for reading boot messages in realtime.
> There is a list of synthesizers in the Linux install howto on
> www.speakupmodified.org I personally use an apollo but I hate it.
>
> Hope this answers your questions.
>
> Oh, sorry for not answering your mail a few weeks ago that you sent
> directly. To answer your question, the only talking boot loader that I am
> currently aware of is the one available during the installation of OpenSuSE.
> I know there were a lot of plans in that community to extend the
> functionality but due to various priorities getting in the way, I haven't
> followed the work on this.  I'd suggest talking to Brian, one of the main
> men in the OpenSuSE accessibility movement.
>
>
>
> If this is concerning you though, there are ways of making the navigation of
> the boot screen a bit easier by making modifications to the menu.list
>
>
> On 06/01/2010, Tim Culhane <tim.culhane at criticalpath.net> wrote:
>> Hi,
>>
>> I'm in the process of getting a new PC in work.  I'm going to be
>> installing a partitioned drive with linux on one of the partitions.
>>
>> I work as a software engineer and many of the products I work with run
>> on Linux,  and the preferred  flavour is Redhat Enterprise Server.
>>
>> AsI'm blind I want to use a flavour of linux which works with speakup
>> on my desk top.
>>
>> I know that speakup works with Fedora  and that Fedora is based on
>> Redhat. There appears to be a modified speakup distribution of Fedora
>> 9 available.
>>
>> So,  I've the following questions:
>>
>> 1.  If I go with Redhat as opposed to Fedora, which version of Redhat
>> should I use.  Will speakup be compiled into this kernel or does it
>> need to be done manually.  If it needs to be done manually is
>> documentation available for this process?
>>
>> 2.  If there really isn't much difference between Fedora and Redhat,
>> which version of Fedora should I use?  Is there a modified speakup
>> distribution for Fedora 12?  If not,  can speakup be compiled into the
>> Fedora 12 kernel? Is there documentation?
>>
>> 3.  I will need to use a software based synthesizer.  I believe TTSync
>> is the one closest to Eloquence, which I use on windows.  Will TTSync
>> work with the latest versions of speakup on Fedora and Redhat?  Since
>> it is software based, I'm assuming that TTSync won't speak from boot
>> up?  If not, can I use an alternative during boot up and then switch
>> to TTSync?
>>
>> Many thanks for any assistance you can give,
>>
>> Regards,
>>
>> Tim
>>
>> -------------------------
>> Tim Culhane,
>> Critical Path Ireland,
>> 42-47 Lower Mount Street,
>> Dublin 2.
>> Direct line: 353-1-2415107
>> phone: 353-1-2415000
>>
>> Tim.culhane at criticalpath.net
>> http://www.criticalpath.net
>>
>> Critical Path
>> a global leader in digital communications
>> ------------------------
>>
>>
>>
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