Re: a blindunfriendly Sarge installer problem
Hello,
On Tue, Sep 13, 2005 at 06:25:37PM +0200, Christian Perrier wrote:
> Quoting Osvaldo La Rosa (olr@brlspeak.net):
>
> > - my method:
> > I open with alt+f2 a new console where I was able to mount a floppy
> > containing a statically linked brltty bin;
> > then, switching again to alt+f1 or launching dbootstrap was Ok to have
> > braille support during installation.
> >
> > - Sarge's problem:
> > I wasn't able to mount any floppy at all after my alt+f2 enter;
> > so finally I was TOTALLY dependent of a sighted person (already 2 times)
> > to be able to install for a third party a Sarge.
> > This is not a positivie evolution for me and other people like me!
>
> This is probably because the access to a floppy is not active at the very
> beginning of the install.
OK, but it was possible under Woody!
> However, have you tried the so-called "access" floppies of sarge installer?
I read about the Speakup disks but I haven't any feedback about installing
Sarge with braille-feeded disks.
But why needing disks if there is a solution (cf. Knoppix and Mandriva
2005) who is the most easiest and problemless one for both, developers and
for us?
> They are supposed to work with Braille terminals, IIRC.
>
> Unfortunately, the maintenance of this install method has not been very
> active during the last months of sarge installer development. So it is
> likely to be a bit clumsy....or even not funtional at all.
I doesn't met any info about it on the NetInst CD.
> > Why does it works elsewhere?
> >
> > - maybe a suggestion:
> > Mandriva uses the method known from the Knoppix, passing
> > brltty=mm,/dev/ttySn,text.oo.tbl params at the "boot:" prompt.
> > Why not providing such an easy and blindfriendly solution too? by the
> > way, there is no timeout on the Sarge installer's first screen, so as
> > long as we don't type linux26 brltty=etcetera... we're safe of any
> > starting action while ignoring it!
> >
> > I'm using Debian for five years now, as end-user, not as developer, but
> > I'd like to use it forever if Debian people authorizes me to do so!
> > but then without having to depend from other people (and surely if I'm
> > helping myself other novices: how can I do that if I need help myself?)
>
> Well, the main problem is certainly that D-I developers also need help here.
> This is one of the topic we raised as "we need help" during the last Debconf
> talk about D-I development.
>
> We certainly need someone to actually take care of the access install methods.
>
> > - another extra (easy) suggestion:
> > I did another trial of installing the Sarge on a pc using a
> > hardware braille display: such a device reads from the videocard, so no
> > brltty driver needed, but the cursor can't follow the hard cursor, so
> > it's impossible to follow the menu cursor:
> > maybe a good idea was to provide a toolbar such as in Mutt or so, on the
> > bottom of the screen where the current choice is shown.
> > This will not cause esthetical problems for sighted while it will be
> > efficient for us.
>
> Well, for this using the text interface is probably the way to go.
Well no: for sighted persons I understand that they like a simple nice
menu; for us the essential is not the esthetical character, but the
information the cursor is pointing to;
that's why I suggested the bottom toolbar, but of course a textual
interface in general is "the best" for us; I was happy with the Woody one,
but I know that installing Sarge is much more faster and easier.
> Try using "linux DEBCONF_FRONTEND=text" at the boot prompt. >
Yes, why not, but if I can't mount any disk for loading my static brltty I
have no brailel even if I enter that param on boot prompt.
The question is: what made the Woody able to permit mounting a flop so
soon, and can it be reproduced again in the Sarge installer/future
installer[S]?
Or as told before, and taht's the ideal method, passing params, so you do
not need any disks nor being able to mount flops, etc.
> > Note-bis: I thought there was a maintainer of anything regarding
> > Accessibility for Debian, unfortunately my migration to Sarge is not
> > the best experience in my life!
> >
> > At this point I'm more desperate, but I accept the fact that
> > developers/maintainers/volunteers only can do their best when they know
> > about problems.
>
> Probably not only know about them but have more experience/knowledge.
>
> There is a mailing list about accessibility in Debian, IIRC. I try to CC it
> so that developers or any other contributors working on accessibility
> problems may know about this discussion.
Its too long ago since I received any postings from that list, I thought
it has been closed, or I was subscribed uner another address, have to
check that again.
Osvaldo La Rosa.
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