
	            README.TXT

Application: DOTS.EXE
Programmer: Sam Campbell III
October 31, 1999 

DOTS.EXE is a Freeware braille tutorial program for people with low vision.
It presents a graphical display of the braille alphabet, numbers and
contractions in Grade 1 and 2.  Ideal as a memory aid for people who are
losing their vision but still have enough vision to use the computer.

This program is Freeware.   Please distribute it freely.  The program may be
used by any person, business or institution for tutorial purposes only.
In other words, it may not be sold for any reason.

At the time of this writing, my email address is slyfoot@bellsouth.net.  I do
not plan to make any changes to this program as I have unfortunately lost the
C source code.  However I am considering creating a Windows version of DOTS
called WINDOTS so that people who usually use screen magnifiers (such as
MAGic or ZoomText) can view it in Windows.

I would not swear in court that this program is completely bug or error free.
Few programmers would.  However, the program has been tested at CITE in
Orlando Florida and has been found to be more than satisfactory.

The program runs as fast or as slow as you need it to.  The interface is
fairly simple and self-explanatory.  I originally wrote this program for
myself to help me memorize braille, so I made sure from the very start that
i could run it with no trouble using MODE 40.  MODE 40 is a DOS command that
will change your DOS display from the standard 80 characters to a larger
40 character display.  Everything except the introductory screen works very
well with MODE 40.  I have included a switch at the command line that will
disable the introductory screen if you like.  Type DOTS /? for details.

Since I am visually impaired myself (from RP) this project meant a lot to me.
I realize that by the time most people get around to learning braille they
probably can not see the computer screen any longer.  But for those who still
have low vision, this program is for you.  My co-worker and friend Young Choi,
who is totally blind, tested this program out with the JAWS for DOS speech
synthesizer and commented that even totally blind people can use this program
if they run JAWS very slowly.  The reason is because I include a one line
description under each braille pattern that identifies all of the "dots" cell
by cell.  JAWS can read this line.

This program can even be useful to the sighted individual who is dedicated to
helping the blind in one form or another.  I know at least two people who
literally "read" braille only with their eyes.

Finally I would like to thank Young, Gary, Connie, and Joyce at CITE in
Orlando, Florida for their encouragement and support of this project.  They
are the salt of the earth.

END OF README.TXT
