Screen-free Linux?
<rant> I've just about had it with software projects trying to create
the perfect windowing environment. Sorry, but I think perfection has
already been breached by the Windows 95 GUI. </rant>
What I'm looking for is a species of Linux that lets users interact with
the computer without the use of a monitor. And I'm not thinking of
servers and render farms. What I have in mind is a Linux that can be
operated by the blind or by a person who simply wants to save on his
photons bill.
Ideally such a setup would involve speech recognition. But since speech
recognition is still a bit tricky even on souped-up proprietary systems,
a cost-effective solution could be limited to the use of synthetic
speech feedback. Instead of seeing the results of doing a "grep" one
might hear a robotic voice saying: "grep dash-C happy T-M-P-dot-T-X-T
.... zero"
What I've found basically are systems (like emacspeak) which, based on
their descriptions alone, appear to require the use of special speech
synthesiser cards or propriety software.
Does anybody know of a system that can use a consumer-grade sound-card
plus speaker/headset setup and is DFSG-compatible and downloadable from
the Net? The screen-free Linux should be usable from boot-up to shutdown
so that a person can email, browse the Web, write a novel, compile emacs
or do all the other things a typical computer does (minus the pop-up
ads). A bonus would be if the system can use standard end-user programs
like mutt or lynx.
Any ideas?
Sites I have consulted: http://ocularis.sourceforge.net/,
http://www.cs.cornell.edu/Info/People/raman/emacspeak/emacspeak.html,
http://www.linux-speakup.org/
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