Interesting bit on the meaning of 'kludge'. I reckon the BookPort kludge - if that's what it is - is better than nothing, even if you do have to choose beforehand how much speed increase you want. I can think of other kludges though that may not be so easily tolerated. Maybe I could go on to talk about particular pieces of sotware, but I won't. Ray Personal emails: Email me at mailto:ray-48@xxxxxxxx ----- Original Message ----- From: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Hi Guys, You need to spell it correctly. It's kludge with a k. Here's a definition from Google. George. kludge In information technology, a kludge (pronounced KLOOdzh) is an awkward or clumsy (but at least temporarily effective) solution to a programming or hardware design or implementation problem. According to Eric Raymond, the term is indirectly derived from the German klug meaning clever. Raymond considers "kludge" an incorrect spelling of kluge, a term of the 1940s with the same general meaning and possibly inspired by the Kluge paper feeder, a "fiendishly complex assortment of cams, belts, and linkages...devilishly difficult to repair...but oh, so clever!" A kludge originates because another, more elegant or appropriate solution is not currently possible (perhaps because of time constraints). Hardware and software products are sometimes the result of adding a new and basically incompatible design to the original design rather than redesigning the product completely. What is a kludge can be a matter of opinion. Users often have a different opinion than the designers, who understand the problems that had to be overcome. To the extent that information technology products are combinations of elements originating from a variety of design philosophies and constraints, almost any product is bound to contain some element of kludginess. A kludge could be considered a type of workaround. > -----Original Message----- > From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Steve Nutt > Sent: 08 August 2005 08:03 > To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > Subject: [access-uk] Re: Book Courier > > Hi Barry, > > A cludge to me, is a kind of work-around, rather than a real solution. > > All the best > -- > Computer Room Services: the long cane for blind computer users. > Telephone Voice: +44(0)1438 742286, Fax/BBS: +44(0)1438 759589 > mobile: +44(0)7956 334938, > Email: Steve@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx > Web site: http://www.comproom.co.uk > > -----Original Message----- > From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Barry G > Sent: 07 August 2005 20:57 > To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > Subject: [access-uk] Re: Book Courier > > Hi Steve, Cludge, never heard that one, will google it! > Barry G > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Steve Nutt" <steve@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> > To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> > Sent: Sunday, August 07, 2005 8:25 PM > Subject: [access-uk] Re: Book Courier > > > Hi Barry, > > I realise you was not knocking the BC, but I just wanted to > point out that the speed control on the Bookport is a cludge, > rather than a real workable solution. > > All the best > -- > Computer Room Services: the long cane for blind computer users. > Telephone Voice: +44(0)1438 742286, Fax/BBS: +44(0)1438 759589 > mobile: +44(0)7956 334938, > Email: Steve@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx > Web site: http://www.comproom.co.uk > > -----Original Message----- > From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Barry G > Sent: 07 August 2005 09:51 > To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > Subject: [access-uk] Re: Book Courier > > Hi Steve, I wasn't knocking BC, it's an excellent wee beastie > and I wouldn't be without it - and I am not inclined towards > the bookport either... I was just interested, I do like the > ability to speed things up, off the shelf speed is so > painfully slow! I have a Victor Vibe and use that for DAISY > books and I guess I'll continue to use that for the time being. > > All the best, > Barry G > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Steve Nutt" <steve@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> > To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> > Sent: Sunday, August 07, 2005 9:38 AM > Subject: [access-uk] Re: Book Courier > > > Hi Barry, > > No, you don't at the moment. But lest anyone says you do on > the Book Port, this is not quite true either. With the Book > Port, you have to set the speed of the narration on the PC > side, then transfer the file. In other words, once the file > is in the Book Port, you can't control it either. So this is > a kind of cludge, rather than a real speed control. The only > way that Springer could give you control in either device > itself, would be to modify the hardware. > > All the best > -- > Computer Room Services: the long cane for blind computer users. > Telephone Voice: +44(0)1438 742286, Fax/BBS: +44(0)1438 759589 > mobile: +44(0)7956 334938, > Email: Steve@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx > Web site: http://www.comproom.co.uk > > -----Original Message----- > From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Barry G > Sent: 07 August 2005 08:18 > To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > Subject: [access-uk] Re: Book Courier > > Hi Steve, do you get control of speed with RNIB talking books on BC? > Barry G > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Steve Nutt" <steve@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> > To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> > Sent: Saturday, August 06, 2005 10:44 PM > Subject: [access-uk] Re: Book Courier > > > Hi Barry, > > Wow, you're a little behind the times <Smile>. We have had > Daisy for about six months. > > All the best > -- > Computer Room Services: the long cane for blind computer users. > Telephone Voice: +44(0)1438 742286, Fax/BBS: +44(0)1438 759589 > mobile: +44(0)7956 334938, > Email: Steve@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx > Web site: http://www.comproom.co.uk > > -----Original Message----- > From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Barry G > Sent: 06 August 2005 17:52 > To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > Subject: [access-uk] Re: Book Courier > > Hi Sharon, that's interesting, must go and try that, although > I'll need a bigger card! I thought that only the TNAUK files > were readable on BC. > Barry G > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "SHARON BOWELL" <sharon.bowell1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> > To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> > Sent: Saturday, August 06, 2005 4:58 PM > Subject: [access-uk] Re: Book Courier > > > Hi Mark, > > RNIB talking Books can be played on the BC, using the > transfer tool to transfer them across. > > I do this all the time, and was one of the main reasons I > bought my BC. > > Sharon > > -----Original Message----- > From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Mark Matthews > Sent: Saturday,06 August 2005 16:54 > To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > Subject: [access-uk] Re: Book Courier > > Actually I've got a feeling where the RNIB is concerned, the > material is in a closed format that has to be played on one > of the devices supplied. > > I received my BC yesterday, and am just digging into it all > now. Smile. I must say so far I'm very impressed! > > Cheers, > > Mark > > Mark Matthews > Cardiff, Wales, UK > E-mail:mark.matthews53@xxxxxxxxxxxx > MSN/Windows Messenger:markmatthews3@xxxxxxxxxxx > Skype:mmatthews1981 > Webpage:http://www.qsl.net/gw0wgk > > -----Original Message----- > From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of James O'Dell > Sent: Saturday, August 06, 2005 4:39 PM > To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > Subject: [access-uk] Re: Book Courier > > > Hi Mandy > > I think the main UK dealer for the Book Courier will be > either Techno-vision Systems or Computer Room Services. Both > have representatives on this list. > As far as where you can get books is concerned, it will read > plain text documents using an internal speech synthesiser, > such as the texts from the various public domain archives out > there, like Project Gutenberg, or any books you have scanned > yourself. It will not read e-books in formats such as pdf > format, or Microsoft Reader format, which are the main > filetypes used for commercial ebooks. It will play mp3 files > and daisy books such as those from the RNIB Talking Book > Service if you have a big enough compact Flash card to copy > them onto, and you can also play any audio books you have > bought from audible.com on the unit. I think that's it, I'm > sure George and Steve can give you more information if you need it. > > James > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Mandy Palmer" <amanda.palmer@xxxxxxxxxx> > To: "Access-Uk@Freelists. Org" <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> > Sent: Saturday, August 06, 2005 4:11 PM > Subject: [access-uk] Book Courier > > > > Hi there, I've been reading some old messages from this > list all about > > the book courier. Please can someone tell me about it, and > where does > > one get the books from that can be read on it. Are they down > > loadable, and where does one down load them from, may be stupid > > questions but I'd rather find out more about it until I go > and spend > > the money buying one. From what > I've > > read and heard it seems to be worthwhile having? > > > > Mandy > > > > ** To leave the list, click on the immediately-following link:- ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe] ** If this link doesn't work then send a message to: ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ** and in the Subject line type ** unsubscribe ** For other list commands such as vacation mode, click on the ** immediately-following link:- ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=faq] ** or send a message, to ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the Subject:- faq