Re: Projects in accessibility for debian.
Hi. Why didn't you use the config from a Debian kernel instead of a
Knoppix kernel?
Have use looked at the Debian packages for gnopernicus, emacspeak, yasr,
or brltty?
I find Debian to be as accessible as any other Linux Distro.
Kenny
On Mon, Dec 20, 2004 at 10:16:51AM +1100, Mirabella, Mathew J wrote:
> Hi all.
>
> What work is underway to make a comprehensive accessible installation CD
> of the latest debian and to provide quick and easy ways of installing
> access software on the system?
>
> I was reading some notes on the web that mention a number of debian
> based systems customised for different purposes. These include distros
> for med, children, scientists, education, desktop etc. And
> accessibility was also on the list.
> http://people.debian.org/~tille/debian-med/talks/paper-cdd/debian-cdd.ht
> ml/. In some ways, I think some of these are better off made as tasks
> in the debian installer and/or aptitude, but they are good offshoots in
> their own right.
>
> However, there does not seem to be a system available for accessibility
> (the link from the above goes to the debian accessibility page where
> this mailing list is mentioned). I did see Oralux (a version of knoppix
> that is customised for audio and for accessibility).
> http://www.oralux.org/
> However, this is a LIVE CD, not really a debian installation CD.
>
> Is there any work under way to produce a full distribution of debian,
> with installation as well as package management, with speech all the
> way? I know there are access floppies, but there are no installation
> CDs with speakup etc. that install a new kernel 2.6 etc.
>
> I have built a 2.6.9 kernel from make-kpkg with speakup (from cvs) that
> I have installed. This was based on the debian kernel sources 2.6.9 and
> the knoppix CD kernel config so as to support most hardware etc, then
> patched with speakup. This seems to work ok, but I think it would be
> valuable for debian to have a 2.6.9 kernel with speakup on an access cd
> (netinst or cd number 1 of the full set).
>
> Basically all that is needed then is a category in the aptitude package
> called "accessibility" which contains all of the access software
> packages in debian, such as emacspeak, emacs apps that are enabled in
> emacspeak (such as w3m, vm, etc). speakup patches, yasr, gnopernicus,
> other gnome apps, brltty etc. etc. This makes sense because unless you
> are in need of access software, you would not really go looking for it,
> but when you go looking for it, there are no places where you can find a
> comprahensive list ready to install. The aptitude system now provides
> that ease of installation, so categorisation of this kind would make
> sense. This could even be by way of a "task" in the installer.
>
> With this in mind, an installation CD, based on CD 1 and the netinst CD
> of debian sarge, could be developed which contains all of the packages
> and an easy way to install them (perhaps in the installation task
> selection?). A Live cd (like oralux) is a great idea too.
>
> One further issue is the use of software speech with speakup, requiring
> modules and audio to be enabled. Oralux is working on this for the LIVE
> CD, but I know it is possible to build a speakup kernel with speakup as
> modules and to have the speech dispatcher and flite etc. installed, and
> for speakup to start using it asap and speaking during bootup. Thus, it
> would be possible to have the installation CD act like this as well, if
> the user chooses software speech from the boot prompt.
>
> What work is being done here and how far have people got.
>
> Does anyone want to look at my 2.6.9 kernel with speakup? The config
> from knoppix seems to want to build in the PCI and SCSI and IDE HD
> access stuff rather than have this as modules, and so there is no initrd
> created. Any opinions on this kind of config? I have speakup built in
> rather than as modules as I initially had a mind to put this kernel on a
> boot cd for the installer, and had not worked out yet how to make sure
> speakup works as modules when booting onto that CD. (by the way, I have
> not yet got the CD customised and working as yet, I only just confirmed
> that the kernel installs from a deb package and works).
>
> Mat.
>
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