Here's an update on Linux.  Blind users can access it through imax speak,
a screen reader developed by a blind computer user in the Silicon
Valley.  Articles about this developer, t.v. ramon, were posted a few
months ago.

kelly

from the current issue of the economist

   Revenge of the hackers [INLINE]
   S A N    F R A N C I S C O


   THE software that helped sink the Titanic is about to take on an even
   bigger ship. So far engineers have used Linux, a powerful computer
   operating system developed by volunteers, mainly for such
   behind-the-scenes tasks as running special effects for a Hollywood
   disaster film. Now Linux could break into the mainstream computer
   market-at the expense of Windows NT, Microsoft's operating system for
   workstations and corporate networks.
   [INLINE]
   Even the brightest stars of the information-technology universe are
   turning to Linux. Oracle, a database firm, is planning to offer Linux
   versions of some of its software. Sun Microsystems already uses the
   program for low-end workstations. IBM might soon do the same for its
   hardware (it recently announced its support for Apache, a leading
   Web-server program that often runs on Linux).
   [INLINE]
   Even without such endorsements, Linux has achieved a measure of
   success. In only a few years, the program has evolved from a hacker's
   toy into software that is, at least in part, technically superior to
   Windows NT. Most of the credit goes to Linus Torvalds, a 28-year-old
   Finn who wrote the first version of Linux as a student in Helsinki in
   1991. He still co-ordinates the development of its software "kernel".
   [INLINE]
   Mr Torvalds may be even more original with business than he is with
   bytes. From the beginning, he has given his software away. Turning
   Linux into an "open source" has recruited others to improve it. The
   Linux subculture is a team of thousands of volunteer programmers
   across the world, most of whom have never met each other and
   communicate only by e-mail.
   [INLINE]
   The Linux world is close to being a true meritocracy. When programmers
   write code for Linux, it gets extensively scrutinised by their peers.
   Only the best patches are incorporated into the operating system.
   Success boosts the reputation of a contributor-and his or her chances
   of landing a good job with a computer company. Mr Torvalds himself now
   works for Transmeta, a chip-design firm in Silicon Valley.
   [INLINE]
   Users also benefit. Anybody can download the program from the
   Internet, pass it on, even make changes to it-but not sell it. The
   only way to earn money on Linux is to provide additional services. Two
   software firms called Red Hat and Caldera, for example, offer tested
   versions of the program along with installation support.
   [INLINE]
   Despite its hacker origins, Linux is increasingly dependable. The
   number of users is hard to calculate, since the software is free and
   many engineers install it without telling their superiors. But some
   estimates put it as high as 6m. And it is growing by more than 20%
   annually, according to IDC, a research firm. Linux is already used by
   most Internet-service providers and, outside America, is becoming one
   of the most popular versions of Unix, the software family to which it
   belongs.
   [INLINE]
   No professional operating system gets better grades from users,
   according to Datapro, another consultancy (see chart). They appreciate
   its performance and its reliability. The software can give an old PC a
   new lease of life by turning it into a fairly good server for Web
   pages or a printer network.
   [INLINE]
   That success, however, underscores its limitations. In companies Linux
   is used mainly on low-end servers. It has barely reached the desktop,
   where Windows reigns supreme. Compared with Microsoft's operating
   system, Linux still has drawbacks. Only Unix buffs find it easy to
   install; developers are still bickering over the best graphical
   interface; and many popular application programs do not run on it.
   [INLINE]
   Even if these problems are solved, Linux will need help to break into
   the mainstream of corporate computing. Managers are leery of software
   developed by volunteers. If anything goes wrong, who is to blame?
   Using Linux carries a risk. Nobody was ever fired for buying
   Microsoft.
   [INLINE]
   The news from Oracle, Sun and the rest goes a long way towards making
   Linux respectable. But the real question is how much weight these
   companies will throw behind it. Of the large software firms, only
   Netscape and Corel have so far pledged full support. Yet it would be
   curious if the others held back, since Microsoft's competitors seem
   always to be looking for a way to stop Windows. For Linux to have a
   chance against the battleship from Redmond, it needs a powerful escort
   fleet.