Linux 9 stretch What to do about reviving speakup?

[Gregory Nowak]

On Wed, Apr 03, 2019 at 08:09:33PM +0200, Didier Spaier wrote:
> Having read spkguide.txt I assume that if we use a kernel with all
> speakup drivers shipped as modules, both in the installer (theses modules
> being in this case shipped in the initrd) and the installed system, a
> user of a hard synth will have to insert before booting the installer in
> the boot command line:
>   modprobe speakup <synth name>
> And this should also be included in the boot command line of the
> installed system (in grub.cfg).
> 
> Is this right?

As far as I'm aware, to load speakup modules on the kernel command
line like in grub for example, one would do:
speakup.synth=name
where name is speakup's designation for a given synthesizer
(E.G. speakup.synth=bns). When using modprobe at a bash prompt, one
would do:
modprobe speakup_name
(E.G. modprobe speakup_bns).

> 
> Then, both in the installer and in the installed system, the main
> startup script will also need to "modprobe speakup soft" before starting
> espeakup, right?

Yes, doing modprobe speakup_soft is necessary before starting espeakup.

> 
> But, with the changes you introduced, maybe we can 
> "modprobe speakup soft" unconditionally, i.e. even if a hard synth is
> already in use? Is this implied by what I read in the commit:

Yes, since this commit, speakup_soft, and speakup_name (where name is a
hardware synthesizer) should work as intended, without speakup sending
speech alternately through both synthesizers. Keep in mind that if a
hardware synthesizer is already being used, doing modprobe
speakup_soft will cause speakup_soft to become the default
synthesizer, unless it is inserted as:
modprobe speakup_soft start=0

> Or conversely, does that means that a user currently running espeakup
> can plug in a hard synthesizer and switch to it after having modprobed
> the relevant speakup module without having to unload speakup_soft first?  

Yes, as far as I know.

> 
> But then, does this change also allows espeakup to be used with a hard
> synth, or does it remain usable only with the soft synth?

No, espeakup works with speakup_soft only.

Greg


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