There is presently a version of ubuntu Linux called
Vinux developed in the UK and it is very much up to date. The
catch is that there are a number of Intel-based systems that
have trouble with the sound right now. I own one such system and
it is extremely frustrating right now, but many systems do, in
fact work with this version of Linux. The problem is not
directly related to access technology, but to the architecture
of the current sound platform, alsa and something called
pulseaudio. Right now, if you have one of the cursed systems,
you couldn't use ubuntu11.04 if you were totally sighted if you
wanted to listen to music or watch movies. The sound is totally
broken.

	When this problem gets solved, a whole range of
middle-aged P.C.'s that are otherwise quite suited to running
Linux will be just the ticket.

	I almost hate to say all of this because it sounds like
I am just griping and complaining. Linux is open-source and, if
you don't like the cooking, there's the stove and all the pans
and dishes. Get after it.

	I am just telling everyone this so you know what might
happen.

	Just for the record, there is an older version of Vinux
that came out around 2009 that seems to work on dead tree stumps
if you can find a place to insert the boot disk and other such
little niceities. It is Vinux2.0 and it is no longer supported.

	What you want is Vinux3.x with x being 2.something right
now.

	You can download a live CD and try it out to see if your
system is going to run and talk to you or just sit there like
mine presently does. If it comes up talking, you are in luck.

Patrick Gormley writes:
> Colin I don't think the Linux that was specifically usable by blind people
> that was developed in the uk may not have been updated.  Nextup might work
> you'd have to experiment to see if it would work. 73- pat kk3f