by Charles Lott
The advent of Windows 3.x sounded the death knell for screen reading software packages that could not interface effectively with graphical user interfaces, and as Windows 9x and NT have come to dominate essentially every computer application, the two screen readers that deal most effectively with that graphical user interface have come to be the dominant players in the assistive software marketplace. The Windows environment has forced these screen readers to become more complex, since they are now required not merely to read text as did ArticVision and Vocal-Eyes, but also to interpret icons and all manner of other graphics. Indeed, although screen readers and the speech synthesizers through which they speak have come a long way, they still have a long way to go.
Speech synthesizers have evolved as well. In the days of DOS, we who are blind used hardware synthesizers to make our screen readers talk to us. Nowadays, there are software synthesizers which come loaded onto our Windows 95, 98, and NT computers. Most notable of these is Microsoft’s SAPI, which uses the computer’s sound card to create speech. Although there are now a number of reasonably good screen readers on the market, by far the two leaders are JAWS for Windows (JFW), marketed by Henter-Joyce, which is now a division of Freedom Scientific, and Window-Eyes, which is marketed by GW Micro. Both of these products have excellent features to offer; yet both have some drawbacks. Although I cannot hope in the brief space available here to cover all the intricacies of these products, I shall attempt to highlight a few of the most salient characteristics, both good and bad, of each.
Installation
Both JFW 3.7 and Window-Eyes 4.0 are relatively straightforward in their manner of installation. Both give you a series of dialogue boxes in the classic Windows style, and following the instructions is quite simple. JFW, however, also gives one the option of an automatic install which works much like a typical installation of other Windows applications. Both applications allow you to decide among a number of optional set files; JFW calls these files, which allow a screen reader to interface with specific applications, scripts. JFW installs all available scripts by default; however, you can de-select any that you don’t wish to install. Window-Eyes requires you to select the particular set files you want installed. The rest remain in a special sub-directory where they can be copied into the main directory at any time.
In the United States, Window-Eyes has an unrestricted installation and setup; I understand that this is the case for installation of the program in Great Britain, as well. In other countries, the program requires either Ever-Lock or Dongles for installation and setup.
JFW also requires you to go through a special routine as part of its installation. Like its predecessor, JAWS, JFW requires the use of an authorization or key disk — a DOS-floppy-based authorization system — a sort of software “blue box” which must be run in order to make the installed program usable. This particular authorization system has some severe drawbacks, and even raises one legal issue. Being DOS and floppy-based, it is highly vulnerable to system crashes and various types of floppy corruption, e.g., bad sectors and/or corrupt boot sectors and FATs. The legal issue raised here has to do with the copy protection of the authorization floppy. Federal copyright law specifies that an end user has the right to archive any and all floppies; i.e., he/she may make one copy of each floppy for back-up purposes. Unfortunately, Henter-Joyce and a number of other vendors do not recognize that right, and therefore they protect the disks to make them incapable of being copied even for archive purposes. The answer to this problem for Henter-Joyce and other vendors is to go to a CD-based authorization system based on Microsoft’s approach, which will not allow installation at all without a CD key. Microsoft supplies these with all their applications, and many other companies require the entry of a unique serial number to start installation. In all fairness to Henter-Joyce, it should be noted that they supply replacement authorization disks at no charge to registered users whose disks have become corrupted. However, their policy of requiring a $10 fee for back-up authorization disks seems a bit extreme, in view of the archiving rights provisions of the federal copyright law. There may be good news in the offing regarding the possible demise of the floppy-disk key, since Henter-Joyce is about to release a new program called Connect Out Loud, which will use a Microsoft-style CD key system. We can hope, based on this, that the key system will be extended to future releases of other HJ products.
Operating System Compatibility
JFW has long been compatible with Windows 9x (now including Windows ME) and Windows NT (including Windows 2000); however, at present Window-Eyes is not compatible with any of the Windows products built on the NT kernel. GW Micro is, however, working on a version of Window-Eyes comparable to the current version 4.0 which will be compatible with Windows 2000, and will be called “Professional.”
I have found a conflict between JFW 3.7 and some display cards — notably the display card on my own personal computer. I cannot say at this point how widespread this problem may be; but I can say that a conflict does exist on my machine, which uses the nVIDIA RIVA 128 chip set and has an STB Velocity 128 video card. Although Henter-Joyce provides a list of video card compatibilities with Windows ME operating systems on its web site, they provide no such data for compatibility with Windows 2000. I am personally working to solve my own compatibility problem with a contact at the manufacturer and with a Windows 2000 technician at Microsoft. I fully expect to see the issue resolved shortly. It may, however, require a correction in the next release of JFW or maybe even a patch for the current release.
Comparative Features
JFW 3.7 and Window-Eyes 4.0 are rather complex utilities, as might be expected, considering the tasks they are designed to perform. Of course, each does the job in its own way. JAWS for Windows carries out its functions by implementing scripts which are supplied by HJ or can be written by product users. Writing such scripts is no simple matter, and if you’re interested in preparing your own scripts for use with specific applications, you will need to learn the complex scripting language used by the software. However, Henter-Joyce provides ready-made scripts for the most popular and commonly used applications, e.g., Corel WordPerfect and Corel Quattro Pro, Microsoft Word and Microsoft Excel. In addition, JFW comes with a scripting manual which helps the user in the task of writing scripts when necessary. It should be pointed out in passing, though, that JFW, for the most part, is not compatible with games and entertainment software. JAWS has always been designed with a focus on business-related usefulness (hence the “JAWS” acronym for “Job Access With Speech!”).
Window-Eyes, on the other hand, uses set files, which are, as with JAWS scripts, either provided by GW Micro or created by the user. Creating set files in Window-Eyes is considerably simpler than writing scripts for JFW. For the most part one can create a set file by opening the desired application, activating the Window-Eyes menu bar, setting the various features the way you want them for that application, and then simply saving the set by clicking File, Save, Set File. You will see a dialogue box in which you click Save, followed by another box in which you confirm the association of the set file with the application you’re running. On the other hand, if you want to write scripts for JFW, you will need to be somewhat of a programmer, and, as noted above, to become very familiar with HJ’s script-writing language.
JFW 3.7 comes with a set of user-definable frames, while Window-Eyes provides much the same capability under the designation of user-definable windows. For instance, you might choose to define one window, or frame, as “silent,” while you might define another as “speaking,” and then size and position it on the screen to include just which screen contents you want it to include. Also, there are “hyperactive” windows which communicate pre-defined information to the screen reader or to an application or the operating system. All these special windows are thoroughly explained in the manuals of both screen-readers. JFW comes with one neat little perk not yet available with Window-Eyes; namely, the ability to read a complete document by line, sentence or paragraph. In long documents, in particular, this feature facilitates much smoother reading when set for sentence or paragraph. Reading entirely by line can get rather “herky-jerky” and hard on the nerves if you’re working with a long or complex text. Window-Eyes does provide user-definable hot keys which permit reading a specific character, word, sentence or paragraph.
Braille Displays
While JFW has been compatible with braille displays for some time, Window-Eyes just entered this area for the first time with version 4.0. The list of braille displays supported by the new Window-Eyes is quite impressive indeed. I have not, however, tested this feature, since I do not own any braille display hardware with which to perform such tests. Reports by people who have tried out the feature, however, are extremely favorable.
Speech
Both JFW 3.7 and Window-Eyes 4.0 are designed to work with various kinds of speech synthesizers. Both let you choose your default synthesizer (DECTalk Express, Microsoft SAPI, etc.). Both also allow the user to change synthesizers at any time, provided you have the hardware or software engine you choose installed on your system. The choice of synthesizers depends entirely on the user’s taste. I have tested both products with DECTalk Express and with Microsoft SAPI (Microsoft’s software text-to-speech engine), and have found both synthesizers to work well with either screen reader. In passing, however, I feel compelled to point out that all speech synthesizers currently use analog speech, which can sound a bit “robotic” to uninitiated ears, depending on which voice you choose from the selection provided by your synthesizer. Incidentally, JAWS comes with its own software synthesizer, Eloquence, which is automatically installed along with whatever default you choose at installation time. Version 4.0 of Window-Eyes now also offers Eloquence. This may be selected during installation or added later on at the user’s option.
Dictionaries
Both JFW and Window-Eyes come with user-definable pronunciation and graphics dictionaries which you can use to customize the way your synthesizer pronounces various words, and to label graphics according to your individual needs. Applications for which sets or scripts are provided by the manufacturer also have their own graphics and pronunciation dictionaries; however, a user may need to create special dictionaries for specific situations (e.g., reading the King James Bible or labeling graphics in an application for which pre-defined dictionaries are not provided with the screen reader).
Applications
Both JFW and Window-Eyes come with pre-defined sets or scripts for most popular applications, and both screen readers are constantly adding compatibility with more and more applications. Both, for instance, are now in the process of creating sets and scripts for Microsoft Visual Studio. This will bring screen reading and the needs of serious developers into line with each other.
Also, although JFW 3.7 is currently not compatible with a number of games and entertainment applications, I understand that Henter-Joyce is working on making the product compatible with more games. On the other hand, some games can be played nicely with Window-Eyes. GW Micro provides Sets for Microsoft Solitaire, for example; however, the graphics dictionary needs to be redone to make the screen-reader handle picture cards and red cards. I have created that dictionary, and it can be downloaded from the GW Micro FTP site.
In Conclusion
Within the past year, both JFW and Window-Eyes have vastly improved their performance and their compatibility with various applications and system hardware such as video cards. Which screen reader should you choose? Well, that’s a toss-up. It will depend mainly on your personal taste, and to a lesser degree on your planned use for the software. If hassle-free installation is your cup of tea, you’ll probably prefer Window-Eyes, since you won’t have to deal with an authorization program on a floppy. On the other hand, if smooth reading of long texts is the most important consideration to you, you’ll probably want JFW, with its settings for sentence or paragraph reading.
In summary, screen readers have come a long way since the first DOS readers; however, they’ve got a long way to go yet. There are simply too many graphical-user-interface-based applications out there which give today’s screen readers seemingly unsurmountable problems and it’s rather doubtful that either Henter-Joyce or GW Micro can ever hope to really keep up with the onslaught of software hitting the market almost hourly. You can be sure, however, that both companies will do their utmost to keep up with the most important applications and utilities as they come into demand by blind and visually impaired users. Further, it must be said that speech technology has a long way to go to properly serve the needs of serious computer users. I predict that digitized speech, with its closer-to-human quality, will constitute the next generation for synthesis — and the sooner, the better!