FALL SPECIALS FROM RDC FALL 1997 Hello! Raised Dot Computing welcomes Fall with a cornucopia of news and products. We've been busy, and it shows! You'll love what's new: the Basic Math Translator, Beginner Braille has been updated, MegaDots 2.0 just around the corner. And check out our juicy Fall sales ... How to reach us: You know the number ... sales: +1-608-257-9595 toll free: 1-800-347-9594 tech support: +1-608-257-8833 fax: +1-608-257-4143 e-mail: info@rdcbraille.com web site: //www.rdcbraille.com BASIC MATH TRANSLATOR IS HERE! MegaDots' newest add-on, the Basic Mathematics Translator, arrives in style. We proudly present the tool you need to produce perfect Nemeth braille from your already powerful MegaDots braille translation/word processing software. Teachers, students and transcribers will love the entry shortcuts and menu items which instantly transform entries into math notation. When you translate, they turn into correct Nemeth braille. The translator can then back translate into the original notation so you can make changes in inkprint or braille. Our braille mathematics add-on uses MegaDots' automatic translation to produce any math, from simple arithmetic problems to advanced calculus. You can easily enter fractions, geometry symbols and shapes, algebra, and integrals even if you don't know Nemeth Code. Raised Dot has creatively solved one of the trickiest issues for any math translation system. An effective data entry method that's comprehensive, yet easy to learn and use is the heart and soul of the MegaDots Basic Mathematics Translator. Menus let you choose a number of notations, but there are many shortcuts provided for common math symbols. You can also create your own shortcuts to further automate math entry. Math entry is intuitive, made to resemble the notation you need, and translation is instantaneous. For example, "the fraction of x squared plus y squared all over the sum alpha minus beta" is entered [XT/Alt-G a - Alt-G b] In this case [xxx//yyy] work as data entry shortcuts for the fraction. The caret is a data entry shortcut for a superscript. Alt-G brings up a menu of Greek letters, and a or b select "alpha" or "beta". As you type the expression the shortcuts are expanded to form a readable version of the expression. F5 translates the expression into braille, which is correct Nemeth Code: ?x^2"+y^2"/.a-.b# The Math Translator also understands and correctly interprets the different rules for math and literary contexts. This is true Nemeth Code, not a simplified version of math braille. Everyone from the Nemeth Code professional to students with no knowledge of Nemeth Code will be able to produce math braille with the Basic Math Translator. And soon, the Basic Math Translator will be able to produce math expressions on your inkprint printer (see "Make the Most of Your Inkprint"). The Mathematics Translator works with your copy of MegaDots. To order this add-on, contact us with your MegaDots serial number and we'll set you up. NEW ITEMS FOR A ZILLION USES Raised Dot offers new software for just about everyone. Choose from the just released Basic Math Translator, printing add-ons and an even better (yes!) MegaDots 2.0. Teachers of blind students will love our new Basic Math Translator and the upcoming Math Printing software. Blind computer users will jump for joy at the expanded file importers. People with low vision will appreciate printing up to 64-point fonts in 2.0, as well as the interline printing feature. The Interliner lets you print your text using inkprint, and then braille it out on the same paper! Finally, transcribers can now print dots and text on the same page, in word-by-word, side by side, and many other formats using the improved printing capabilities of MegaDots 2.0. There's so many new items to choose from that everyone on the planet can appreciate the bounty that is Raised Dot! To help you enjoy all these choices, many items are part of special sales, including the Basic Math Translator and the Premium Technical Support package. Be sure to see "Produce Math in Braille and Inkprint" for the exciting details. DID YOU KNOW? Dr. Abraham Nemeth's personal code for braille mathematics became the official standard for math braille in 1952, at the request of Dr. Clifford Witcher, a physicist from Columbia University. Dr. Witcher was a member of the Mathematics Subcommittee of the Joint Uniform Type Committee, an ancestor of BANA, and he was impressed with Dr. Nemeth's code for the table of integrals in braille. In the 1940s, Dr. Nemeth was studying calculus at Brooklyn College and needed a way to take notes which improved the groupings used in the standard math braille of the time: the English Taylor Code. Nemeth Code is now used in all kinds of math and science notations, and is the North American standard code for braille mathematics. (Summarized from the Interview with Dr. Abraham Nemeth in RDC Newsletter, vol. 9, #93. Nov-Dec 1993) THIS TIME WE REALLY MEAN IT: MEGADOTS VERSION 2.0 IS ALMOST UPON US And it is great! After so many months, we are pleased to announce that MegaDots 2.0 will be released in early 1998. The wait has been worth it: this faster, smarter version contains many new features designed to give you great braille from practically any kind of document, created in any kind of application. The driving force behind 2.0 is its technologically advanced file importer. Version 2.0 has a radically enhanced file importer that brings any kind of text into your computer and into braille easily and quickly. Since so much of your work comes from other places, MegaDots bends over backwards so you can braille out what you need no matter what its source. The new file importer lets you customize your import styles, recognizing most word processing programs and many different document styles including poetry, computer programming and memos. And it's smart enough to import unrecognizable text using a generic style set up. MegaDots will do more than ever before: 2.0 lets you create one or two page tables in braille. It knows and follows all of the new BANA table rules, so you can create what you need. With MegaDots 2.0, braille translation is always high quality and always easy. It does more work for you, and it works faster. The new file importer and expanded printing capacity work together to make this a truly advanced software application. Contact us for more information about how 2.0 will work for you. MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR INKPRINT MegaDots will make your inkprint printer work for you with version 2.0's new, advanced inkprint capabilities. Not only will you be able to print beautiful regular or large print (up to 64-point fonts) on over one thousand printers; you will also be able to choose from inkprint braille and text options ideal for transcribers and braille learners. Software and printer compatibility has been simplified in this version: if your inkprint printer has any kind of graphics ability, you can take advantage of MegaDots 2.0's inkprint braille options. From inkprint braille and text side by side, to postscript and scaleable fonts, version 2.0 includes the printing options that easily make braille and text, together. There are many features of 2.0 that make it ideal for users with multiple, diverse printing needs. One of the strongest features is the way MegaDots will be able to print both braille and text in inkprint. For example, (transcriber's note, the inkprint shows several forms of inkprint dots, from large size to small size, with or without spacing dots). Word by Word matches ink words to braille words. You can also print ink dots to match two pages of braille on one print page using the compact dots mode. For other amazing features of MegaDots 2.0, see related articles in this issue of the newsletter. Or call us at (800)347-9594 for more information. JAWS FLASH Great news for JAWS fans! At Closing the Gap, Raised Dot Computing acquired JFW 3.0, the popular screen reader made by Henter-Joyce. This version will read both Windows and DOS-based environments and software applications. This is a promising and exciting development for MegaDots, and our crafty programmers are working to incorporate JAWS seamlessly into the screen reader configurations within MegaDots. Adding the latest JAWS configurations will improve blind users' access to MegaDots. Both a DOS and a Windows screen reader will no longer be necessary to boot up and manipulate files in Windows and then word process in MegaDots. This will take some time, but hopefully just long enough to be included in the first or second lives of MegaDots 2.0. We'll keep you posted on any new developments. Or give us a call in 1998 to see how we're doing. PRODUCE MATH IN BRAILLE AND INKPRINT Building on the smart foundations of the Basic Math Translator, we are designing an add-on that enables either inkprint or braille printing of any math from MegaDots! That's right, with the Mathematics Printing add-on, students can enter their math using the Math Translator, translate it into perfect Nemeth braille, and then run it onto an inkprint printer or embosser all from the same program. No longer will teachers have to spend many hours rewriting math assignments for blind or low vision students; all students who use MegaDots will now be able to enter their own math, translate it into Nemeth, back translate for editing or corrections, and print it on any kind of printer. We anticipate this powerful feature to be available in 1998; you will need MegaDots 2.0 and the Basic Math Translator add-on to run it. You can order it now and we'll ship it to you when ready, or check our progress in January. The Mathematics Printing feature costs $175, but it is FREE if you purchase 2.0 and the Basic Math Translator. Keep in touch, we'll keep you posted. HEY THERE, WHAT'S YOUR NUMBER? Has your area code changed since you last spoke with us? We want to keep in touch with you, so don't forget to let us know when your phone number changes. We promise not to make any prank calls. You can send e-mail or call our toll free line: (800)347-9594. INTERLINER GIVES PRINT PLUS BRAILLE Braille and inkprint, together at last! One of the powerful new features of 2.0 enables interlined inkprint and braille printing on the same sheet of paper. With the Interliner, any text can be translated and then printed on your inkjet, laser, dot matrix or bubblejet printer and then fed through any embosser which uses 81/2 by 11 inch paper. This gives students and teachers of braille more flexibility when comparing the braille to the inkprint counterparts. The Interliner perfectly aligns your document text to provide enough space for braille and inkprint output. You can also use the braille- or inkprint-only options with the Interliner, but it is best experienced as a learning tool using braille and inkprint text. The Interliner finally brings powerful printing options to braille translation. You must have MegaDots 2.0 to use this add-on. We expect a January 1998 release date for 2.0 and an early Spring release date for the Interliner. Feel free to contact us for more information about the Interliner or MegaDots 2.0. THE END OF AN ERA This Fall brings us to the end of the MegaDots 1.x series. To mark the end of this fabulous era, we present our current version: 1.6. MegaDots is still the easiest, fastest and most powerful braille translation/word processing software available. Designed to fit our new Beginner Braille and the Basic Math Translator, 1.6 is a stepping stone toward 2.0. All new copies of MegaDots we ship are now 1.6. Do I Need 1.6? If you own MegaDots 1.4 or earlier, 1.6 is for you. For a limited time, you can upgrade to 1.6 for $25! And when 2.0 is released, your upgrade from 1.6 will only cost $100 (instead of $150). You do not have to purchase the 2.0 upgrade in order to upgrade to 1.6. Please use the order form to take advantage of this special offer. PLEASE TELL ME MORE! Are you interested in hearing from us more often? If so, send your e-mail address to us at: info@rdcbraille.com and we'll put you on a list to get monthly e-mail news, info or other fabulous tidbits. GET HELP, GUARANTEED We not only provide you with great software, we also provide two levels of technical support. Everybody who purchases MegaDots gets Basic Technical Support. Basic Support includes technical advice and no more than 2 weeks response time to program and/or file problems. For those who need more services and faster turnaround, we offer the Premium Technical Support package. For an annual investment, you receive: 1. Use of the toll-free tech support number 2. Use of our FedEx account up to three times per year for disk mailings 3. 72 hour response to file problems 4. Free upgrades 5. Use of web site password to download upgrades and bug fixes Premium Technical Support (PTS) benefits users who can't place toll calls, and those who require very fast responses to file or bug fixes. If you have ever purchased PTS for MegaDots, but don't have it now, you can renew for just $125! If you are new to PTS, you pay only $150. PTS normally sells for $175, so now is the time to take advantage of us. Just call us with your MegaDots serial number to order the support you deserve. BYE, SUE, HI KIM! On a sad note, our greatly esteemed and admired sales manager, Sue Haldiman, left us in August to pursue her dreams in the big city. Sue is deliriously happy in Chicago, and she is sorely missed here at Raised Dot Computing. We miss her, but she left us with a new image, design innovations, sharp writing, and of course, lots of stories. The good news is that Kim Blue will now be answering your questions and taking your orders. Kim is responsible for the newsletters, catalogs and other materials you receive about Raised Dot Computing and MegaDots. She also handles sales. Fresh from Minnesota, Kim is wondering if the weather in Madison will be as wonderful as the people ... DO YOU USE BEGINNER BRAILLE? Good news if you do! We have designed a superior version of Beginner Braille just for you. Now the easiest, smartest and smoothest braille teaching aid available is even better. This new version of the popular MegaDots add-on features expanded on-line documentation, as well as important bug fixes. If you already own a copy of Beginner Braille, do nothing we'll send you this version at no cost to you. If you have purchased Beginner Braille and do not receive this update, call us with your MegaDots serial number and we will help you out. If you don't already own Beginner Braille and you need a braille teaching tool that lets you customize any kind of text into an individual braille lesson for your students, contact us and we'll be happy to take your order. MARK YOUR CALENDARS! From December 22, 1997, through January 2, 1998, Raised Dot Computing will be away from our phones. Please wish us the best as we embrace Spring Cleaning in the middle of Winter! We will be available to answer technical support questions and to process orders received via mail or fax. However, the toll free line will not be answered. Don't worry - we'll return January 5, 1998 to our regular schedule and services. If you have any questions about our planned absence during the holidays, give us a call or send us some e-mail. We love to hear from you. JUICY FALL SALES Every Fall we come up with a new way for you to take advantage of us. This year, we offer five ways you can save some money on stuff you need. All specials are good until January 30, 1998, and you MUST use the attached order form when placing your order. Simply Fax or Mail us your order when you're read 1. MegaDots 1.6 upgrade $ Save $25! This is the current version of MegaDots. If the last four digits of your MegaDots serial number are below -2300, you should invest in this upgrade to make the 2.0 upgrade a real bargai 2. Premium Technical Support See "Get Help, Guarenteed" for more information. This is a great opportunity to renew or discover the joys of PTS, and we have two great deal For previous purchasers of PTS whose service has lapsed, pay only $125 (save $50) for one year. For new PTS customers, pay only $150 (save $25) for one yea 3. Cassette Tutorial Selected titles are 10% of 4. MegaDots 2.0 (new program or an upgrade) + Basic Math Translator = Math Printing add-on FREE! (save $175). See "Produce Math in Braille and Inkprint" for more information about the Mathematics Printing feature. 5. T-Shirts 2 for $20 Save $4! Just in time to suit your fancy. Dress up the whole family, classroom or office! Shirts are stunning natural cotton in adult sizes M-XL, and in kid sizes 14-16. Remember, always give us your MegaDots serial number when ordering add-ons, upgrades or Premium Technical Support. This allows us to help you faster. We accept payment by Purchase Orders, Checks, and Visa or MasterCard. Please use the order form to order any of these specials. Questions about any of these items should be directed to our sales and information line: +1-800-347-9594. JUST THE HELP YOU NEED Cassette tutorials are still available! Are you frustrated trying to learn Lotus 1-2-3, WordPerfect, or DOS? We offer a wide selection of audio cassette tutorials made by and for visually impaired computer users. Choose from the Talk-Me-Thru (by Phil Scovell) and Talk-To-Me (by Doug Wakefield) tutorial series. Programs such as Pine Electronic Mail Editor, Lynx for Beginners, DOS 6, Commo, Tinytalk, WordPerfect, Lotus 1-2-3, Blue Wave, Q&A Database and Wordprocessing, and many, many more are included in this annual special. Most tutorials cost $10 to $20 per tape, and some include shareware disks. See our complete listing of sale tutorials, right, or give us a call for a complete listing of available tutorials and current prices. Now until January 30, 1998, you can buy selected tutorials for 10% off the regular price. Stock up for the Winter and get to know your programs without the hassle of print! You must mail or FAX us your order using the form on page 6 to take advantage of the specials listed in this newsletter. SALE TUTORIALS! $18.00 (reg. $20) Telix Commo Tinytalk Checkbook Manager PKUNZIP Archivers/Compression Utilities QEDIT DOS for Beginners $27.00 (reg. $30) 2 tapes DOS 6 Q&A Database and Wordprocessing WordPerfect $45.00 (reg. $50) Complete DOS set -4 tapes WordPerfect 5.1 plus - 4 tapes WordPerfect 6.0 $9.00 each (reg. $10)/or $13.50 (reg. $15) with Shareware Disks: McAfee Virus Protection CTS (Contact Tracking System) Faxit Readit Talking Directory BlueWave Easy DOS Utilities $67.50 (reg. $75) Set of 3 or 4 tapes GO 1-2-3 (Lotus) GO-dBASE (III Plus) GO-Online (ProComm) ORDER FORM Yes, give me the following MegaDots products! I know I have to act BEFORE Jan 30, 1998, to get these specials! I want: PRICE -- QTY -- TOTAL MegaDots: $540.00 I already have MegaDots - my serial # is: I want: Cheap upgrade to MegaDots 1.6: $25.00 Upgrade to MegaDots 2.0 (due Jan. 1998): $100.00 from version 1.4 or earlier: $125.00 Basic Math Translator! $325.00 Math Printing Add-On (due early 1998): $175.00 Beginner Braille: $75.00 Premium Technical Suppo previous users (save $50!): $125.00 those new to PTS: $150. Tutorials (see page 5)- Titles #1: #2: #3: # Fabulous MegaDots T-Shirt! 2/$20.00 __L __kids 14-16 GRAND TOTAL Please put me on one of your lists: Put me on the Gold Star MegaDots Users List. My serial number is: Please send me a Braille Producer Survey Special offers are good only until January 30, 1998. All specials valid only with return of this order form with payment or purchase order. We take P.O.'s, MasterCard or Visa and checks. Bill to: Name Name Company/Org. Address State/Country/Zip Ship to: Name Name Company/Org. Address State/Country/Zip Daytime Phone Number: Fax Number: Payment method: (MC Visa P.O. Check) Purchase Order Number: Credit card exp. date: ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ [[[ The purpose of this disk article is to promote our web page //www.rdcbraille.com I'm sure you have heard lots of people talk about getting onto the web. We want people to know how much information is available from our web page. What you cannot get from this disk based sample is the ability to hop to the different web sites or the ability to click on an e-mail address and send out an e-mail. You just have to imagine that. Or give the real web site a peek. The text inside the brackets (like this paragraph) are comments. Text outside of brackets are material downloaded from our web page. If you log onto our web page, you get a main menu. One choice is "Resources On or Off the Web". If you select it, you get the following information: ]]] Resources On or Off the Web If you know about other resources that should be referenced here, please drop us a message at davidh@rdcbraille.com, or fax us at +1-608-257-4143. We are especially interested in any site specializing in technology for the blind. We encourage others to borrow from this list to build their links. Product Vendors Braille Transcribers Non-Profit Organizations Educational Resources Resource Organizations Personal Web Pages [[[ If you select Product Vendors, the following information shows up: ]]] Sources for Equipment for Blind and Partially Sighted Persons This is a list of contact information for a variety of product catagories. We would love your comments to help use fix or delete old entries or suggest new ones. Braille Devices, Paperless Braille Embossers (Braille Printers) Braille Scanning Systems Braille Translation Software or Hardware Braille Writers and Repair Services Calculators, Talking Canes Catalog Vendors Closed Circuit Television Systems Graphics Solutions MegaDots dealers Miscellaneous Products Mobility Devices, with Fixed location transmission Mobility Devices, without Fixed location transmission Notetakers, Portable One Handed Keyboards Reading Machines and Optical Character Recognition Screen Enlarging Software Screen Reading Software for DOS Screen Reading Software for Windows Speech Synthesizers Tutorials, Braille or Audio Tapes Voice Input Solutions Web Access Solutions [[[ The actual data includes many vendors from overseas. We want to be as comprehensive as possible. For example, If you select Braille Embossers, you get the following information: ]]] Vendors of Braille Embossers This is a list of makers of braille embossers. To make braille from a computer you need a computer system, an embosser, and braille translation software. Since many embossers sell in the $3000-$4000 range, we have termed these as "mid-range". Anything under $3000 is described as "inexpensive". Anything over $4000 is termed "professional". Now I know that there is a great deal of difference between $5000 and $80000, but we hope that this list still proves useful. American Thermoform 2311 Travers Ave Commerce CA 90040 213-723-9021 or 800-331-3676 v 213-728-8877 f atc@atcbrleqp.com sells Ohtsuki and Braillo lines in the US. The Ohtsuki is a mid-range unit that does print and braille, the Braillo units professional units. Also Braillo Comet, a mid-range unit. Blazie Engineering 109 E Jarrettsville Rd Forest Hill MD 21050 410-893-9333 v 410-836-5040 f info@blazie.com Braille Blazer is an inexpensive unit with a narrow carriage. Blista-Brailletec GmbH Industiestrasse 11 D-35041 Marburg Germany +49 6421 80219 v +49 6421 80214 f brailletec@t-online.de Magnum 860i, professional, not sold in the U.S., Rotabraille: braille printing press, Puma Vb, plate embosser Braillo, Norway AS PO Box 647, Storgaten 31 3101 Tonsberg Norway +47 33 316622 v +47 33 316677 f Braillo Comet mid-range, Braillo 200 (200 cps) professional, Braillo 400S (400 cps) professional. Sold in the U.S. by American Thermoform. Elektronische Informationssysteme fur Blinde Schulstrasse 6 D-76889 Galleiszellen Germany +49 6343 2032 v +49 6343 2078 f Not sure of model name Enabling Technology 1601 Northeast Braille Place Jensen Beach FL 34957 561-225-3687; 800-777-3687 v 561-225-3299 f enabling@brailler.com Braille Bookmaker, Braille Express, ET Braille Printer, Julliet (midrange interpoint), Marathon, Romeo (mid-range), and TED-600, Thomas (mid-range), and PED (plate embosser). Those not marked are professional. F.H. Papenmeier GmbH Co KG Talweg 2, Postfach 1620 D-58239 Schwerte Germany +49 2304 9460 v +49 2304 946246 f fhp@rehatec.un.eunet.de not sure of model name Frank Audiodata Kriegsstrausse 13-15 D-68794 Oberhausen-Rheinhausen Germany +49 7254 5050 v +49 7254 5579 f info@audiodata.de Not sure of product name hedo Software und Systeme GmbH Klausner Ring 18 D-85551 Kirchheim/Mchn. Germany +49 89 9048990 v +49 89 9046183 f Not sure of model name Index Braille Printer Company Hantverksvagen 20, Box 155, S-954 23 Gammelstad Sweden +46 920 57135 v +46 920 57249 f indexbrl@everyday.se Index Basic-D and Index Basic-S are mid-range units. The Index Everest is a mid-range unit that handles sheet feed paper. The Index Everest 4A4 is a professional unit that produces magazines (double sized paper, folded and stapled). Sold in the U.S. by Sighted Electronics and Raised Dot Computing Interpoint NV Celetijnenlaan 48 B-3001 Heverless Belgium +32 16 201230 v +32 16 201230 f guido.francois@esat.kuleuvan.ac.be The Elekul 03 and Elekul 55 are professional units. These are not available in the U.S. Oregon State University Dept of Physics, 301 Winiger Hall Corvalles OR 97331 541-737-3278 v 541-737-1683 f gardnerj@ucs.orst.edu Tiger 1000 embosser, can do very fine tactile graphics Quantum Tech Pty Ltd 5 South Street, Rydalmere 2116 Sydney NSW Australia +61 2-684-2077 v +61 2-9684-4717 f quant@quantech.com.au manufacturer of the Moutbatten embosser, an inexpensive unit. Sold in the United States by HumanWare. Raised Dot Computing 408 South Baldwin Street Madison WI 53703 608-257-9595 or 800-347-9594 v 608-257-4143 f info@rdcbraille.com sells Index and Thiel lines in the U.S. RESUS International Antoniuslaan 1, 3341 GA HI Ambacht Netherlands +31 1858 18777 v RS-214 embosser is a professional unit. Sighted Electronics 464 Tappan Road Northvale NJ 07647 201-767-3977; also 800-666-4883 v 201-767-0612 f Sells the Index and Thiel lines in the U.S.; skilled embosser repair Technol Eight Co Ltd 358 Katakura-machi, Hachioji City Tokoyo Japan +81 426 370591 v +436 370593 f They manufacture the Ohtsuki embosser sold by American Thermoform (mid-range) which does both braille and print. Technology Tree Co., Ltd Hamil Bldg, 296-10, 6F-10 Ulgiro 3-ka Chung-gu 100-193 Seoul Korea +82-2-2781670 v +82-2-2781675 f tnt1996@chollian.net Techno-Braille, an unusual method of producing braille by attaching a transparent resin on paper. Not an embossing technology, but one that replaces embossing. TeleSensory Systems 520 Almanor Ave. Sunnyvale CA 94086 408-616-8700 v 408-616-8736 f info@telesensory.com VersaPoint, VersaPoint Duo are mid-range units Thiel GmbH Pauerweg 4 D-64342 Seeheim-Jugenheim 2 Germany +49 6257 2035 v +49 6257 61070 f Bax 10 (professional), Impacto-600 (professional), and Memo-Thiel, Memo-Thiel Interpoint, Porta-Thiel, Porta-Thiel interpoint, all inexpensive units. The Thiel line is sold by Sighted Electronics and Raised Dot Computing in the U.S. [[[ That is the end of this brief sample. We urge you to try out //www.rdcbraille.com. Tell your friends about it. Thanks so much. ]]]