Well, we all have our advantages and disadvantages over each other. I do, indeed, have some advantages over you, but at the same time I think you have advantages over me and, at least from my perspective, It looks like you are in a better position to start scanning than I was when I started. As for your problem with comprehending manuals, that is exactly what I was talking about when I said that I read them and did not understand them. The secret is to take them a little at a time. Read as little as a sentence. Ask yourself what that sentence means. If it contains words that you do not know the meaning of then look them up or ask someone here on the list. One sentence should not be that difficult to understand and it should not be very daunting. Once you do understand it then that understanding will help you with the understanding of the next one. Soon you can take two, three, even more sentences at a time. I do know what you mean about reading manuals though. Sometimes there is something I need to review in a manual for something that I have gotten into using regularly. I go to the manual and try to find the part I need and I find myself reading through the whole thing looking for the part I need and not understanding anything. Still, though, the more I learn the easier it gets to learn the next thing and the more I learn about a device the quicker I can go to the part of the manual I need. There are even a few things that I can learn now in about fifteen minutes that even a year ago would have taken a week and every day of that week I would felt like I had run a marathon. And I really am referring to exhaustion. The effects of mental exhaustion are not very different from physical exhaustion. It leaves you just wanting to fall into the oblivion of sleep.
By the way, I just thought of another example of a manual that is impenetrable. Some time back there was a discussion of a text editor on this list called Ed Sharp. It was recommended as a good program for editing books for Bookshare. I downloaded it. I have yet to understand the slightest thing about how to use it. The help pages, the menues, everything about it is completely incomprehensible to me. All I can say is that it seems to be designed by techno people who assume that all users will also be techno people. "I distrust those people who know so well what God wants them to do because I notice it always coincides with their own desires." - Susan B. Anthony
The Militant: http://www.themilitant.com Pathfinder Press: http://www.pathfinderpress.com Granma International: http://www.granma.cu/ingles/index.html----- Original Message ----- From: "Kim Friedman" <kimfri11@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Thursday, December 24, 2009 8:49 PMSubject: [bksvol-discuss] Responding to your messageRE: Re: unable to scan yada yada Prayer Group Gets Decked Out (book 7)
Hi, Roger, I am one of these people who falls asleep when I have to read a manual. By proofreading, I'm learning some controls in Microsoft Word 2003that I didn't know or forgot. In the '90's, I went to an occupational centerto learn how to use the computer. The problem was that the computer wasn'taccessible and a sighted person had to read the screen over my shoulder. Nota thing to make one feel capable or competent. So I can say I was intimidated and insecure when it came to computers. I didn't have any idea what a computer should have, even. Do I know what I'd need if I had to buy one? I sort of know in a general way, but you can't call me by any stretchof the imagination a techie. I think you have a bit of an advantage over mebecause you remember print and what it's like. I have handledthree-dimensional representations of block print letters but have never seen print. I learned to type in fifth grade and I'm typing now on this computer,but I don't know what print books are like. I know they're between covers and the print can be written in different styles, but I don't understand those styles. I too didn't get on the Internet until last year because I didn't have a computer then. One thing I'd also like to understand and that's computer audio (another thing that intimidates me). I think what helps me is being able to talk to other users who can translate what they know from computerese into English. One thing I have done is to write downprocedures in language I can understand so it is there in case I need to doa particular thing again, e.g., how to defrag a computer disk. I'm glad Iwrote that one down. Also, there are some web sites where downloading stuff is easy whereas other web sites are more difficult. One thing I can promiseyou is if I know something you don't know, I will do my best to explain it to you. I think that two-way conversation is very effective when it comesdown to understanding things because if you ask a question they can clarifythings for you, at least it helps me. Regards, Kim. P.S.: I hope you havemore friends who can help you out. I applaud your ability to parse out whatto do, but I think things go a lot faster once you have a support group of people who are routing for you. K. -----Original Message----- From: bksvol-discuss-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx[mailto:bksvol-discuss-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Roger Loran BaileySent: Thursday, December 24, 2009 5:17 PM To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: unable to scan yada yada Prayer Group Gets Decked Out (book 7) Why am I worried about it? Well, I don't suppose I am really worried. Itjust kind of bothers me that someone is afraid of tackling something that I am almost certain the person will find quite easy once it is tackled. Really , it is not that hard. And even if it does turn out to be not something youwant to continue with you can always stop. I say that with knowledge of my own experience. I first got a computer back in the 1990s and I was really lucky to be able to figure out how to even plug it in. I was completely on my own with no help whatsoever, but I had spent a good bit of money on it and I was determined to learn how to use it. Amazingly enough there was a telephone number in the material I got with it for technical support. I never called it because I didn't even know what it was for and the wordtechnical made me think that whatever it was for it was something beyond me.Well, I had the version of open book installed on that computer that wascurrent then and I did manage to learn how to use it. I even scanned severalbooks for myself. The trouble is that Open Book was about the only thing Iever learned how to do with it. In 2003 I started with another computer and had Internet for the first time. Again, I had to teach myself, but knowledgebuilds on knowledge, so the learning was getting easier and easier. I canstill say, though, that the learning experiences left me mentally exhausted.When I got on the Internet I checked out Bookshare at least once or twice,but at the time I was a bit put off by the up front 75 dollars and I startedto read the help pages, but they weren't much help because I didn't even understand them. I even remembered emailing Bookshare support and asking a question and then when I got an answer I did not understand the answer. Inabout July of 2008 there were certain reasons that I was getting fed up with RFB&D. I resolved those problems, though, and I am still using RFB&D. But Idecided to check out Bookshare again. Well, by that time I had learned enough about computers that I found myself actually understanding the helppages this time. After reading up on the site for a while I decided to giveproofreading a try. It turned out to be really simple, but when I tried toupload my first effort I couldn't do it. I then subscribed to the volunteerlist and asked what I was doing wrong. Bob gave me detailed enough instructions that I was successful and then I became enthusiastic aboutproofreading and started to do other books. Now the computer I now have hasOpen Book 6.0 installed on it but I had never used it. It was another case of looking into it when I first got the computer and finding that it was nothing like the version I had taught myself to use earlier and I did notunderstand it. If I had looked at the help menues I wouldn't have understoodthat either, but I did not even know how to look at the help menues. I cansay that I had a fear of trying even after I was volunteering for Bookshare.Other volunteers did urge me to try, though, and in about January of 2009 I did try scanning a book. Interestingly enough by then I knew where to go tolook at the help menues and I read them. The first reading was kind of cryptic for me though. I then went back and read one section at a time andmade myself understand it before going on and pretty soon I had scanned andsubmitted my first book. It was Revolution for the Hell of It by AbbieHoffman and if you download it and if the proofer has not done a perfect jobyou will see that my more recent scans are a lot better, but, well, we allhave to take baby steps. Now, I prefer to submit than proof. That is because if I pick out a book to scan I am much more likely to find one I am actuallyinterested in rather than by relying on other people's preferences bypicking them out of the checkout list. Now, I see you in a similar position to my own. You don't think you know anything about scanning and it seems so much of a daunting task to you that you are afraid to start. I also see youin a much more advanced state of computer knowledge than I was when Istarted to scan. With all the trepidation I had when I started it turned outto not be that bad after all. I am almost certain that you will find iteasier to learn than I did because you already know so much more than I didwhen I started. I expect that you will certainly get stuck along the way here and there, but you have the volunteer list full of people using thesame kind of equipment you have and I am sure that they can work with you tohelp you over those rough spots. Try it. You might like it."I distrust those people who know so well what God wants them to do becauseI notice it always coincides with their own desires." - Susan B. Anthony The Militant: http://www.themilitant.com Pathfinder Press: http://www.pathfinderpress.com Granma International: http://www.granma.cu/ingles/index.html ----- Original Message ----- From: "Kim Friedman" <kimfri11@xxxxxxxxxxx> To: <bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Thursday, December 24, 2009 5:13 PM Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: unable to scan yada yada Prayer Group Gets Decked Out (book 7)Dear Roger, I do thank you for your encouragement for me to scan books. I wanted to help Valerie out. I promise you, I'll scan stuff when I'm ready to tackle it. Regards, Kim. P.S.: Why are you worried about this? K. -----Original Message----- From: bksvol-discuss-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:bksvol-discuss-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Roger Loran Bailey Sent: Thursday, December 24, 2009 12:35 PM To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: unable to scan yada yada Prayer Group Gets Decked Out (book 7) Kim, if you are going to buy books then rather than buying them for someone else to scan why don't you just buy them and scan them yourself? "I distrust those people who know so well what God wants them to do because I notice it always coincides with their own desires." - Susan B. Anthony The Militant: http://www.themilitant.com Pathfinder Press: http://www.pathfinderpress.com Granma International: http://www.granma.cu/ingles/index.html ----- Original Message ----- From: "Kim Friedman" <kimfri11@xxxxxxxxxxx> To: <bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Thursday, December 24, 2009 2:50 PM Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: unable to scan yada yada Prayer Group Gets Decked Out (book 7)Hi, Valerie, the offer is still open if Jamie can't get it for you. Regards, Kim. -----Original Message----- From: bksvol-discuss-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:bksvol-discuss-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Valerie Maples Sent: Thursday, December 24, 2009 11:28 AM To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: unable to scan yada yada Prayer Group Gets Decked Out (book 7) You are sweet, Kim! If Jamie cannot get it at her library that would be great! If Jamie can get this one, I can proof from the bubbled copy as print is legible, just not working out for OCR. Thanks bunches, and hopefully Jamie will respond if it is available to her when she has time to scan. Have a great day! Valerie On Dec 24, 2009, at 10:46 AM, Kim Friedman wrote:Hi, Valerie, Kim here. Would you like me to find it for you on Amazon.com. I could buy it for you and send it to your address if you write me back with it. Then you can scan your book for Bookshare. Regards,Kim.-----Original Message----- From: bksvol-discuss-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:bksvol-discuss-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Valerie Maples Sent: Thursday, December 24, 2009 3:19 AM To: bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Cc: Cindy Subject: [bksvol-discuss] unable to scan yada yada Prayer Group Gets Decked Out (book 7) I regret to say that I will be unable to scan yada yada Prayer Group Gets Decked Out (book 7) because of water damage to the paper back. There is enough warping on the pages that I was unaware of to make it too much work to produce viable scans for OCR. I would be more than willing in the future, though, to check the book out again and proofread. Cindy, if you could please remove it from the being scannedgroup, I would be very grateful.Sorry to anyone for the inconvenience. Valerie Maples currently scanning: who do i talk to?, Red Suit diaries, Seven Days at Oak Valley, Engineering the Preschool Environment for Interactive Symbolic Communication currently proofing: Ten Days to Self-Esteem, My Dog Pulls, what Do I Do?, The Amaranth Enchantment, The Shifter To unsubscribe from this list send a blank Email to bksvol-discuss-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx put the word 'unsubscribe' by itself in the subject line. To get a list of available commands, put the word 'help' by itself in the subjectline.of available commands, put the word 'help' by itself in the subject line.__________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature database 4715 (20091224) __________ The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus. http://www.eset.com __________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature database 4715 (20091224) __________ The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus. http://www.eset.com To unsubscribe from this list send a blank Email to bksvol-discuss-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx put the word 'unsubscribe' by itself in the subject line. To get a listTo unsubscribe from this list send a blank Email to bksvol-discuss-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx put the word 'unsubscribe' by itself in the subject line. To get a list of available commands, put the word 'help' by itself in the subject line. __________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature database 4715 (20091224) __________ The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus. http://www.eset.com __________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature database 4715 (20091224) __________ The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus. http://www.eset.com To unsubscribe from this list send a blank Email to bksvol-discuss-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx put the word 'unsubscribe' by itself in the subject line. To get a list of available commands, put the word 'help' by itself in the subjectline.To unsubscribe from this list send a blank Email to bksvol-discuss-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx put the word 'unsubscribe' by itself in the subject line. To get a list of available commands, put the word 'help' by itself in the subject line. __________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature database 4715 (20091224) __________ The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus. http://www.eset.com __________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature database 4715 (20091224) __________ The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus. http://www.eset.com __________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature database 4715 (20091224) __________ The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus. http://www.eset.com To unsubscribe from this list send a blank Email to bksvol-discuss-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx put the word 'unsubscribe' by itself in the subject line. To get a list of available commands, put the word 'help' by itself in the subjectline.To unsubscribe from this list send a blank Email to bksvol-discuss-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxxput the word 'unsubscribe' by itself in the subject line. To get a list ofavailable commands, put the word 'help' by itself in the subject line.__________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signaturedatabase 4715 (20091224) __________ The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus. http://www.eset.com__________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signaturedatabase 4715 (20091224) __________ The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus. http://www.eset.com__________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signaturedatabase 4715 (20091224) __________ The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus. http://www.eset.com To unsubscribe from this list send a blank Email to bksvol-discuss-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxxput the word 'unsubscribe' by itself in the subject line. To get a list of available commands, put the word 'help' by itself in the subject line.
To unsubscribe from this list send a blank Email to bksvol-discuss-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx put the word 'unsubscribe' by itself in the subject line. To get a list of available commands, put the word 'help' by itself in the subject line.