I am setting up a laptop (Sony VAIO PCG-4?) for my learning disabled son (age 11). I have previously used MicroSoft 2Kpro and XPpro / Office 2K platforms for text-to-speech applications as that is what most commercial LD Assist software is written for. However, with MS now requiring that one inventories ones entire computer software configuration with them before getting updates to their software coupled with the high risk nature of doing without those updates, I am reluctant to continue this practice.
What I am looking for is a robust, good quality, text-to-speech reader that can work with Open Office under CentOS4. I have googled extensively but frankly I need a bit of guidance as to what is the best of breed available. If the package uses/supports ATT Natural Voices as an option then that would be wonderful as I already have the necessary licences for those voices. Does anyone here have any experience with this type of software and can recommend a particular package? Commercial apps. are fine. It is functionality I am after, not economies.
My next requirement will be an OCR package equivalent in function and accuracy to AABBY Fine Reader. Any suggestions there?
Regards, Jim
On 7/28/05, James B. Byrne ByrneJB@harte-lyne.ca wrote:
I am setting up a laptop (Sony VAIO PCG-4?) for my learning disabled son (age 11). I have previously used MicroSoft 2Kpro and XPpro / Office 2K platforms for text-to-speech applications as that is what most commercial LD Assist software is written for. However, with MS now requiring that one inventories ones entire computer software configuration with them before getting updates to their software coupled with the high risk nature of doing without those updates, I am reluctant to continue this practice.
No Comment.
What I am looking for is a robust, good quality, text-to-speech reader that can work with Open Office under CentOS4. I have googled extensively but frankly I need a bit of guidance as to what is the best of breed available. If the package uses/supports ATT Natural Voices as an option then that would be wonderful as I already have the necessary licences for those voices. Does anyone here have any experience with this type of software and can recommend a particular package? Commercial apps. are fine. It is functionality I am after, not economies.
The only text to speech app that I'm familiar with on the linux side is Festival, which is included in the base centos repository. Apart from that I haven't had much experience, but I've got a few links that I can provide to hopefully point you in a decent direction. They're not part of the default centos, but if they seem like what you want, feel free request a build. I'm sure there's enough people here willing to help.
http://developer.gnome.org/projects/gap/ <-- Gnome Accessibility project http://www.baum.ro/gnopernicus.html <-- Screen Reader for Gnome http://lars.atrc.utoronto.ca/current.html <-- general accessibility resource site http://www.eklhad.net/linux/jupiter/ <-- Console kernel level screen reader. http://www-306.ibm.com/software/voice/viavoice/dev/index.shtml <-- IBM ViaVoice for Linux
-- Jim Perrin System Administrator -UIT Ft Gordon & US Army Signal Center
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James B. Byrne -
Jim Perrin