[Hammarlund] Please Read, Admin Request

Wed Aug 4 11:49:33 EDT 2004

You are certainly welcome. 	

What you experience can also be caused by imbedded 'unspeakable' characters
and/or symbols. The phonetic logarithms used for the LPC (linear predictive
coding) will sometimes attempt to match one of the forty-four sounds that
comprise the human speech language system and be unable to do so because of no
instructional codes that relate to the argument "if X, then Y, else Z" etc. When
this occurs the computer generally will lock up. However, this is most apt to
occur when a hardware synthesizer, such as the DECTALK PC, that I use, is
installed internally using an open IRQ. The hardware synthesizer affords the
user the most flexibility and least memory conflicts with the HMA of the system.

this can also be connected via the COM#1 serial port as an external peripheral.	

The alternative is to use an internal sound card. Which is known as a 'software
synthesizer'. Most times it negates the ability to use .wav files and other
sound related output. However, due to the fact it does not use the same
sophisticated set of arguments to speak, it is less likely to experience, or
cause, a system lock up. The downside is a much poorer quality of vocalization
andintelligibility is compromised. The up side is that you do not have to pay
hundreds of dollars for a speech card or external device.	

Because some foreign languages use special characters that have no speakable
conversion, a lock up may be encountered. This is the one that I personally run
into the most. Unfortunately there is no way to circumvent this problem to date.

I was there when Texas Instruments Inc. first announced the TTS (Text To Speech)
in 1980 in an article entitled "The Chip Heard Around The World". I was the guy
who made the accidental discovery of how their software could be used to assist
the blind. I still have that original machine language code for the TTS system
on a 5.25 inch 90K diskette in my desk drawer! I used it to write a talking word
processing program in 1985 called Speech Writer. Fully self-contained, no need
to purchase a software program to make the IBM XT talk for $550. The word
processing program took 28K, with an additional 32K for data storage. It ran in
64K of RAM! The entire TTS code, word processing program and many user generated
files fit on that 90K diskette! Bet ya can't do that today!  	

Duane W8DBF	

----------
From: Oliver J. Dragon <spress at rcn.com>
To: hammarlund at mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Hammarlund] Please Read, Admin Request
Date: Wednesday, August 04, 2004 10:37 AM

Thanks, Duane, for your comment. My screen reading software goes into an 
very extended pause when it encounters embedded ellipses, and as I am 
unable to see what's on the screen, my initial reaction is that my software 
has crashed. Frustration quickly follows.

So here's my request in support of Duane's comment.

Thanks to all,
Ollie.

At 10:04 AM 08/04/2004, you wrote:

>
>Please do not use multiple punctuation marks as a substitute for a period, as
>in:  Thanks to all...More coming soon...See ya... This causes those who use a
>synthetic speech device all sorts of issues they should not have to be 
>subjected
>to. A single '.' will suffice.
>
>Additionally, please do not use multiple exclaimation marks, question marks or
>commas. Use just one, that is all that is needed.
>
>The use of multiple periods causes the speech conversion software to think 
>it is
>one continuing sentance. The sotware looks for a single or double space
>following a 'period' to indicate the end of the sentance. The multiple "..."
>causes it to read on as if it were the same sentance. This results in 
>confusion
>to the reader/listener, as the thoughts are all run together.
>
>Whether you realize it or not, you should have been taught in early elementary
>school when you learned how to read that there was a specific pause length
>following a 'period' and a 'comma'. The 'period' is twice that of the 'comma'.
>The speech software takes all of the rules we humans ignore into account. When
>we ignore the correct procedures, it results in less than desireable for those
>who must use screen reading software.
>
>It requires no additional time or physical effort to type it correctly, so
>please make an effort to do so and avoid multiple punctuation marks. Thank you
>on behalf of all the print handicapped, as well as the visually 
>impaired.
>
>Duane Fischer, W8DBF
>
>
>
>_______________________________________________
>List Administrator: Duane Fischer W8DBF
>** For Assistance: dfischer at usol.com **
>----
>http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hammarlund

_______________________________________________
List Administrator: Duane Fischer W8DBF
** For Assistance: dfischer at usol.com **
----
http://mailman.qth.net/mailman/listinfo/hammarlund