Just a quick follow-up to let you know that the issues with my wife's
computer are mostly resolved:

1.  Printing
  I haven't had a chance to try everything that was suggested, so I
haven't given up hope of getting her new PC yo talk to her old laser
printer.  But in the meantime we've hooked up her portable inkjet
printer -- it's only for light duty, but it takes the pressure off....

2. Camera
  I got a random spam advertising a sale on "document cameras".  When I
searched on that term, I found two categories of products, typically
sold as classroom equipment rather than as low-vision aids:

a)  USB video camera on a stand to hold it a foot or so above a
tabletop, pointed downward, with software to show the view in real time,
or to take page snapshots and play them back as a slideshow.  I ordered
one for $75 and am experimenting with it -- it seems to perfectly
implement the concept I had in mind.

b)  Standalone unit incorporating lights and camera -- may include USB
output to the computer, but primary use is via VGA output directly to a
monitor or projector without needing a computer at all.  I've ordered
one for $125 and it should arrive well before my wife's birthday.
  (The large monitor I got her has VGA, DVI and HDMI inputs -- her
MacBook is hooked to the DVI and her PC to the HDMI since I'm told that
using the VGA output of her nVidia video card effectively lobotomizes
the graphics processor.)

  So:  She can (now or very soon) print simple documents and read books.
 Success!

David Gillett



         PCBUILD maintains hundreds of useful files for download
                     visit our download web page at:
                  http://freepctech.com/downloads.shtml