>There's one problem; software is not readily available for them.
   >This is not simply a surrender to fashion as you suggest.  Were it
   >so, software would still be available for those immune to the call
   >of such a trend.  The unfortunate thing is that it is almost
   >inmpossible for us to find DOS based software.  Anything worth
   >having is written for this operating system and we, blinks, had
   >darned well better get jused to it.

Don,
Don't get me wrong, as I do understand why we must learn, even
DEMAND access to the Windows operating system.  However, let me
show you the stats from my file list of my BBS, BlinkLink, which
houses almost exclusively speech friendly, Dos applications:

*****          5,535 total files in all areas
*****    641,666,285 total bytes in all areas

Now then, if all these were outdated programs that have been
replaced by better, Windows alternatives, you may have a point,
but the facts are, NOBODY has stated one thing they have
accomplished with Windows that can't be accomplished with Dos and
one or another of the programs I have here!  This includes
everything from multi-taskers to feature loaded text editors, and
I don't even have a large file base by some standards!  In fact,
the one thing I've noticed since the domination of Windows is the
paucity of shareware for that operating system, save of course
the arcade style games and other graphics dominated programs that
I, as a totally blind individual, simply can't use no matter how
good the adaptive screen reading program!

I realize we're going full circle here, but I honestly believe it
warrants repeating...Other than for Real Audio and perhaps a few
other things, there is very little a totally blind person can do
with Windows access they couldn't do with Dos, most often far
more efficiently!  I'm not so assured as Dan that the dominance
of Windows is due strictly to media hype though, as the GUI has
undoubtedly enabled the technologically phobic to enter the world
of the Internet.  Unfortunately, what has enabled this to become
the case isn't available to those of us dependant upon speech for
access though, and therefore the learning curve decrease enjoyed
by sighted users has, if anything, gotten steeper for us!  Those
few advantages other than the learning curve given by Windows,
well, I'm just not sure the speech user can ever enjoy, but yes,
I agree we must have Windows access, if only for the mere fact
that most everyone else is accessing their computers via that
route!

Actually, I think we're beginning to see blind users now who are
literally gaining their initial access to the computer via the
Windows speech route, and I guess it is highly unlikely that
anyone could convince them to learn Dos as well!  I guess it's
only right, as the number of sighted people with Dos knowledge
isn't increasing either.  Us old-timers will, however, continue
to bore this new generation with tale after tale of what we
accomplished from the C> prompt though, cause that's the right
we've earned with advanced age! <grin>
                                        Willie


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