Category: Safe Haven
Hi all,
I just got my copy of braille book review, which has a brief listing of the latest talking books from nls, and I was reading in the in brief section about the digital audio books they'll be migrating to by the year 2008. I'm not a happy camper about the change, from the way it talked, you will have a digital player, and you'll have to download the books on to the computer, and maybe transfer to the digital player. I really don't want to depend totally on the computer for all my reading. I'm on dial up, and who knows how long it would take for me to download one single book. Second, my computer isn't very strong and powerful, and I don't know if it could handle it. I like the cassettes, when you stop a tape, it's nothing to pressing the play button to start it up again. I'm glad it won't happen for at least 3 years though. I don't think I'm going to like it at all. I bet I'm the only protesting voice in the crowd. I really don't understand much about how it will wor, there's just what they were saying in the catalog. Does anyone know about these talking digital players, or daisy readers, or whatever the heck they're suppose to be? Has anyone ever experimented with one?
Wonderwoman
Never experimented with it, but I hear what you're saying. While it could be cool to have it all on the computer and basically right at yoru fingertips, stopping and starting will be hard, and so will possibly downloading and using thme. However, like anything, I bet you'll get use to it, and maybe they'll customize the player with bookmarkers and such like. I'm sure it will be fairly straight forward, and they'll have lots of support to help users with it. Also, probably by 2008, maybe you'll have a new computer and DSL? Lol?
Caitlin
Not that you need DSL and a new computer, it would probably work just fine. Caitlin
Well, the only way I foresee a new computer in my future, is for this one to crash, and I hope that doesn't happen, and I don't see dsl or high speed cable in my future, unless my isp goes out of business, and they sell it for the same price per month as my current isp. There's no telling the system requirements you will have to have for it, and I have 98 mb of ram, upgraded from 32 mb of ram, and 200megaherts processor, and a 2.37 gb hard drive, and my free space is down pretty low now. At least it won't be here for 3 more years, so I can put off thinking about a lot for a while.
wonderwoman
I don't think its going to be as bad as you are expecting. Having digital books has a lot of advantages. I actually have a book courier, which is a portable mp3 player and book player. It plays text files and various audio files. I use it for mp3 books as well as books from audible. Its really nice because you can harry a lot of books with you in a really small device. Its especially good for traveling. You can also set bookmarks so you don't lose your place, and most digital players remember where you were last reading. Its actually better than tapes, you never have to worry about broken or damaged tapes right in the middle of the good parts. and also, you can instantly download stuff, no more waiting for books.
So I don't see the digital thing as a problem. Most countries are heading in that direction already, we are the last country to do so.
Well, if they r going to migrate all of their systems over to digital formats, I wonder if it would be possible to just convert those files on to conventional CD's and send them out to their patrons who do not wish to download the books off of the internet. This would be cheeper than sending out tapes, and easier since these patrons would not have to learn how to use an entirely new system. and, I don't see why you wouldn't be able to keep the CD's then. I mean, they will have the orriginal files at NLS, so they really wouldn't miss them all that much. Is this being talked about? I haven't read that anouncement, but they have been talking about going digital for at least 2 years now. I think most of Europe is already in the process of going digital, so the US, as with many other things, is once again lagging behind.
Hi kc, No, they're not talking about converting them to cds. They're just talking about flash players, and you insert a card, which is about the size of a credit card, only slightly larger. I get braille book review and talking book topics catalog every 2 months, and they have a bit of an in brief section where they talk about various thing, some of which has nothing to do with the exact library where I get my cassette books, but I think its going to happen in libraries all over the world. Having to depend totally on the computer to read is terrible! I don't mind reading somethings you normally wouldn't get at the library for the blind, but if I still have this computer then, it won't handle it. I'm on dial up, and I might not have the system requirements for it. But what you suggested would be a good idea, but that's not even being discussed.
wonderwoman
Actually the flash card just means that it will be digital. Most likely they will mail the flashcards they will have a special player for them and you can send them back when you are done. There probably would be an option for downloading them from the computer as well, but I don't see this being a problem. Most computers don't actually have flash card readers installed by default, so I'm sure there will be special players.
Actually, I can tell u y it's not being talked about. Because under the current copyright law, these books can only be produced in specialized formats. So this isn't NLS's fault, but u should blame congress instead. Well, actually, u shouldn't, because if it weren't for that clause in the copyright law, u would never have been able to legally access the books you can today for free. I'm actually anoyed it has taken NLS so long to get their act together on this. But I think they should have a transition period where u have both the option to access the new digital files, as well as still being able to get the books on cassette. In fact, the US is so far behind on this technology, I read somewhere that the CNIB already distributes digital audiobooks in Canada.
Yes you're right, the CNIB has been distributing digital material for some time. There was a transition period for a few years, but now they're only producing new material in daisy format. As I understand it, you can still get older material on tape, but nothing new is being taped. Now since the CNIB started so long ago, they're stuff is sent out on cd-rom discs, which you can read either on your computer, or with a stand alone player. A lot of people believe they should have waited to do the flash card like the Americans are doing, but I'm not sure I agree. There will always be some newer and better technology coming out, and at some point you just have to decide what you're going to use and run with it.
BTW, the digital books are very easy to use. Also they are created in such a way where you can jump to different sections easily and quickly. For example, in a text book, you might jump between parts of the book, or individual chapters within a part, or individual sections within a chapter. For recreational reading this isn't important, but it's great for reference material. I personally couldn't stand to use beep tones to get where I needed to be, and have no desire what so ever to return to taped material.
I assume then wet jerk, you're already reading books on the daisy reader then. Well, maybe if it's not necessary to download the books off the internet, It might be doable. I personally think today's technology is mostly catering to the younger generation. I would be quite shocked to find out other people in their 40's like me, are looking forward to the change. I believe in absolute simplicity.I feel a bit better that I might not have to depend on the computer for my entire reading. I hope to still have this computer in 3 years, and I hope it will still be in good shape. Like I said, this computer couldn't handle it, it really couldn't, and I will probably still be on dial up, so I hate to think how long it would take to download a whole book on dial up. I just wonder if when the time comes, if I'll get a warning letter before it goes in to effect, or they'll just stop sending tapes, or if I'll automatically get a player? I guess the catalogs would be on digital cards too. I would ask you to describe it, but I'm the type who has to touch something, feel it in order to know what it's like, and unless I had one right here with me, a description wouldn't do me much good.
wonderwoman
I'm not sure that I would say that today's technology caters to the younger generation. I've met people here in Canada in their forties and beyond who are using the daisy players quite successfully. What they've done is they've released several different daisy players. If people aren't comfortable with technology, they can get a very simple player with only a few buttons. On the other hand, if you wanted to take advantage of some of the more advanced features of daisy, more sofisticated players are available. I'm sure the situation will be similar in the States when the flashcard players become available.
Thanks wet jerk, can you listen to books on it as it is, I mean can you get books without having to download them on to the player if you can't or don't want to download them from the net? Thanks,
wonderwoman
Yes, the way it works is they mail me the cd's just like they used to mail out the tapes. When you guys finally go digital, I suspect they will mail you the flashcards just like they now mail out the tapes. The majority of blind people are senior citizens, so they're not going to assume that everyone has a computer or net access.
Well if it works that way here in the states, that will take a load off of my mind. Thank you very much for your help.
wonderwoman
And, looking ahead, I think that the digitizing of the books may open the door of accessibility to more people. Particularly, deaf-blind individuals. I mean, since the dasy format syncrinizes the audio with the text, I would think they could make a utility to extract the text from the audio. That way, those with a braille display can access these files witch were previously only available in audio formats. It can also be a matter of convenience for those who are just blind. If they would rather read the book in braille, this option will be available to them also. Does the CNIB make their patrons return the CD's when they r done with them?
Yes, it is necessary to return the cd's that the CNIB sends out. But I believe they do have a system in place where you can download books. I've never done this, so I could be wrong on whether or not it is available.
But what you said is exactly the goal of the daisy format. The idea is to have one source file for every book in the library, regardless of format. This source file could then be used to generate audio versions, braille, or computer text.
This all sounds so great. I hope it progresses well. Caitlin
Oh and Trinity where'd you get your portable booky thing? Just wondering. Caitlin
I hope it goes well too, but I don't know, I always liked putting a tape in while I'm having breakfast, and being able to take a cassette from my chair to the computer, and listen to a cassette book while I'm on messenger just sitting there. I have 2 cassette players, one from the library for the blind, and the other my mom bought from american printing house for the blind.
My cassette players will be almost useless, except for playing music I taped off the radio.
wonderwoman
Well the new digital machines will be portable, so you can still listen to them where ever you go. As for your tape players, you're still going to get another three years out of them at least. But if one of them dies before then, I wouldn't bother buying a new one if I were you.
I got my bookcourier from Independentlivingaids. You can get them from speaktome as well. If you want more information go to www.bookcourier.com. Its a really nice machine. If you want more info I can give it.