Uncategorized

PDF2TXT: Access PDF Docs in a Flash

by

I urge all blind computer users to download, install and use Jamal Mazrui’s PDF2TXT utility whenever quick, effective access to PDF documents is required. My new position requires that I review and search a large quantity of documentation, most of which is only available in PDF. PDF2TXT has been an absolute Godsend in this area. The program quickly converts single PDF documents or a large batch of PDF files into plain text format that is extremely usable and understandable for those of us relying on screen readers. Though I have known about this handy software for quite some time now, I delayed giving it a try myself. Don’t make the same mistake. Get PDF2TXT today!

Persistence Pays Off – My Job Has Been Saved!

by

Shownotes

Persistence really does pay off. The lesson here is the importance of taking action. A choice is made whether or not you decide to be proactive. Learn about how my job has been saved, take the Pessimist Optimist or Realist quiz and listen to Natalie Brown perform her inspirational song Wind At My Back. The International House of Pancakes (IHOP) will be giving away free short stacks between 7:00 AM and 2:00 PM nationwide. All who take advantage of this free offer are asked to donate to a non-profit organization supporting greater literacy for low income children. Let’s all go out there, eat some breakfast and support an important cause.

Download and Listen

Show #88: Happy Birthday Karen, Wedding Chat and More

by

Shownotes

88 is the amateur radio code for love and kisses. Karen and I chat about her birthday, the Bishops’ visit, the marriage proposal show, our wedding plans, my impending unemployment and more. Thanks, Tina, for the flute rendition of Happy Birthday greetings to Karen at the beginning of the show. Please, everyone, tell us your thoughts on our audio quality. We were using the Giant Squid omnidirectional stereo binaural microphones clipped to our shirts and connected to the Edirol R1.

Download and Listen

Google Accessibility Petition: Google Struggles with Accessibility as Services Expand (VoiceOfTheNationsBlind.org)

by

Christopher Danielson, editor of Voice of the Nation’s Blind, the online magazine of the National Federation of the Blind covers the struggle of the blind community to get Google to pay serious attention to accessibility issues in his article Google Struggles with Accessibility as Services Expand in the January – February issue. Despite the promise of an implementation of audio CAPTCHA by the end of April 2006, the petition effort continues. Google will be held to its July 2005 and January 2006 promises of equal access to its word verification scheme.

Bread and Butter

by

A friend and supporter makes the following commentary concerning the needless loss of my job.

Hey Darrell,

God I’m sorry for the bad news I just heard in your Show #86! This has
really got to blow big time. Quite unbelievable that such a simple
change that someone is unwilling to make should cost you your bread and
butter. Nothing else matters when it can affect the food you put on the table. I wonder why the unwillingness to make that adjustment to the software? What does the client lose by using the “standard mode” instead of the other “enhanced” or whatever mode the default is. Can’t this mode be enabled just for your point of access and everyone else use the other mode? Just grasping at straws.