Linux on BrailleNotes

Garrett Klein kleins at iquest.net
Wed Feb 1 17:55:58 EST 2006


-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA512

Theoretically it could be done... there is a port of Linux to the arm architecture. The main issues I would see, as I've thought about something similar for a PAC Mate, are:

1. Analising, reverse-engineering, and re-flashing the rom.
2. (this wouldn't necessarily be needed for the PAC Mate since its braille display uses a modified USB connector) analising/reverse-engineering the bus/communications protocol between the processor and the braille display.
3. Modifying brltty and the kernel to work with said bus/protocol.
4. Getting something like flite ported and integrated into the firmware (it would all have to be burned into rom).
5. Getting the braille keyboard working, which would most likely involve a completely revamped console/keymap system. Oh, the horror and nightmares that would result from that!
6. Grade 2 Braille support, and back/forward translation (even more terrifying than number 5!).
7. Creating a UI that's at least somewhat similar to KeySoft.

	I don't claim to be an expert at such things, but I consider myself knowledgable enough when it comes to a general understanding of how to get many things accomplished with computers. There's probably tons of stuff that would also have to be accounted for, but once you've got the rom hacked and the hardware drivers written everything else is just a question of effort and perseverence.

Garrett

On Wed, Feb 01, 2006 at 07:57:31AM -0500, David Poehlman wrote:
> As I understand it, not only the software but the hardware is  
> proprietary inside.  You'd have to wipe it and start over.
> 
> -- 
> Jonnie Apple Seed
> With his:
> Hands-On Technolog(eye)s
> 
> 
> On Feb 1, 2006, at 7:41 AM, BlindTech of BlindTechs.Net wrote:
> 
> You know, I have thought about this for along time, and have thought
> about how to go about iit. but never got started on thhe beginning
> points of it, but believe mme, it crossed y mind a million times to
> just say "Foget humanware and they crappy customer service" and just
> some how get linux on my braillenote pk.
> 
> On Feb 1, 2006, at 2:55 AM, Chris Norman wrote:
> 
> > Hi people,
> > Does anyone know weather or not there is a linux distribution which
> > will
> > work on the BrailleNote from PulseData?
> >
> > Cheers,
> >
> > Chris Norman
> > <!-- chris.norman4 at ntlworld.com -->
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > 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
> 
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Speakup mailing list
> Speakup at braille.uwo.ca
> http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup
> 
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNATURE-----
Version: GnuPG v1.4.1 (GNU/Linux)
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=fG3i
-----END PGP SIGNATURE-----




More information about the Speakup mailing list