Software development and screen readers at 450 words per minute • Hacker News Board

Re: Software development and screen readers at 450 words per minute

#21

Post by mgr86 » Mon, Aug 28, 2017, 2:18 PM UTC

Kiro wrote: post #15

seanwilson wrote: post #5

> A screen reader intercepts what's happening on the screen and presents that information via braille (through a separate braille display) or synthetic speech. And it's not the kind of synthetic speech you hear in today's smart assistants. I use a robotic-sounding voice which speaks at around 450 words per minute. After listening to the English sample....maybe I'm being naive but is it typical to be able to understan…

Aren't both English but with different accents?

No. without reopening the article, I thought one was Finnish read with an English accent. This was due to what the author had grown accustomed. In his youth screen readers did not have as many options?

Re: Software development and screen readers at 450 words per minute

#22

Post by yorwba » Mon, Aug 28, 2017, 2:19 PM UTC

Kiro wrote: post #14

dreta wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The speech becomes surprisingly clear if you listen to it and read the paragraph at the same time.

Sure but that's obviously not how it's used. Also, for the first one which is the one he's actually using I couldn't make out a single word even when reading at the same time.

It's like learning a foreign language. At first, native speakers seem to speak so fast that all words flow into each other without distinction.

As you improve, you begin noticing words you already know, and when someone speaks deliberately slow, you can puzzle together sentences.

Eventually, you can understand speech at a normal conversational speed. Most people probably stop at that level, because they don't need more.

But e.g. when watching recorded lectures, I tend to crank up the speed to 1.5x or even 2x until I need to think more about something. The sped-up speech is mostly still quite understandable.

There is no reason to suppose you can't improve your hearing beyond the limits on humans' ability to form coherent thoughts from scratch and move their mouth in the right pattern. Just keep increasing the speed, attune yourself to the artificial voice and then increase it even more until you're at a level that makes untrained people feel like non-native speakers.

Re: Software development and screen readers at 450 words per minute

#23

Post by ringaroundthetx » Mon, Aug 28, 2017, 2:21 PM UTC

akuji1993 wrote: post #9

ringaroundthetx wrote: post #4

its about coding for a blind person but under what circumstance would typing speed really matter? most of my coding is a creative process with tons of autocomplete via the IDE, as well as copy and paste for boilerplate that can't be inherited

How to spot the guy that didn't read the article.

I skimmed

Skimmed really fast looking for something related to the title

Re: Software development and screen readers at 450 words per minute

#24

Post by alkonaut » Mon, Aug 28, 2017, 2:24 PM UTC

I wonder how many times in a regular day a blind person nearly throws thew computer out the window because some application randomly does something inaccessible and they get stuck.

Some tray app from dell popping up a dialog about your trial backup subscription expiring, with no standard/accessible UI? Things like that.

This is what surprises me most about not having a screen. I get that a blind person doesn't NEED the screen but when you want to ask someone about some code, or need help by a seeing person, the screen might help... I admit it does look cool though.

Re: Software development and screen readers at 450 words per minute

#25

Post by tyingq » Mon, Aug 28, 2017, 2:24 PM UTC

I was curious about the braille display mentioned, so I had a look: https://www.google.com/search?q=braille+display&source=lnms&...

These things are priced from $1k up to $12k. I understand it's complicated since there are tons of actuated pins needed, but wow.

Re: Software development and screen readers at 450 words per minute

#26

Post by mstade » Mon, Aug 28, 2017, 2:26 PM UTC

I'd love to read more specifically how coding style makes things easier or harder. It'd be really interesting to know if there are some general rules in this space, and if so how they may or may not help sighted programmers read code. Really interesting perspective on a topic which is usually just a mosh pit of opinions.

Re: Software development and screen readers at 450 words per minute

#27

Post by acangiano » Mon, Aug 28, 2017, 2:29 PM UTC

seanwilson wrote: post #5

> A screen reader intercepts what's happening on the screen and presents that information via braille (through a separate braille display) or synthetic speech. And it's not the kind of synthetic speech you hear in today's smart assistants. I use a robotic-sounding voice which speaks at around 450 words per minute. After listening to the English sample....maybe I'm being naive but is it typical to be able to understan…

It may be typical if you are blind. It isn't if you are not (though obviously, you could train for it). Keep also in mind that the human brain has incredible capabilities when it's highly focused. Not having visual input removes a lot of distraction for our reptilian brain always scanning for threats.

In college, I had a friend who is blind and her screen reader speed setting was insane. I couldn't understand most of it despite being someone who watches videos and listens to audiobooks at 2x.

Her typing speed was also amazing. I have never seen anyone type that fast before or since.

Re: Software development and screen readers at 450 words per minute

#28

Post by no_protocol » Mon, Aug 28, 2017, 2:32 PM UTC

seanwilson wrote: post #5

> A screen reader intercepts what's happening on the screen and presents that information via braille (through a separate braille display) or synthetic speech. And it's not the kind of synthetic speech you hear in today's smart assistants. I use a robotic-sounding voice which speaks at around 450 words per minute. After listening to the English sample....maybe I'm being naive but is it typical to be able to understan…

You're not alone, I have overheard many hours of this type of speech and never figured out how to listen to it. I think it is something you have to work up to a bit at a time.

Re: Software development and screen readers at 450 words per minute

#29

Post by czechdeveloper » Mon, Aug 28, 2017, 2:33 PM UTC

I was thinking what I need for programming and assumed that no hands (or hand) and no vision would be complete deal breaker. But by now I've seen people programming using voice and now this guy without seeing. It's amazing what they can do just by being dedicated enough.

Re: Software development and screen readers at 450 words per minute

#30

Post by freehunter » Mon, Aug 28, 2017, 2:37 PM UTC

alkonaut wrote: post #24

I wonder how many times in a regular day a blind person nearly throws thew computer out the window because some application randomly does something inaccessible and they get stuck. Some tray app from dell popping up a dialog about your trial backup subscription expiring, with no standard/accessible UI? Things like that. This is what surprises me most about not having a screen. I get that a blind person doesn't NEED t…

I'm wondering if they use screen sharing. It'd be dead simple to share your screen to someone and have them look at it, you don't even need your own monitor.