This week has been one Novellian discovery after another, and each better than the last!

First, I was able to add to my film list, with Once a Lady (1931. This is not the clips I found earlier, but the full film! I also have The Lodger (1932), I Lived with You (1933), Sleeping Car (1933), and Autumn Crocus (1934). Now, I'm just missing Symphony in Two Flats )1930/wrote), But The Flesh is Weak (1932/wrote but not in it). If anyone wants the links to the others,, let me know, as they're all on Youtube. I also have Glamorous Night, but he's not in it. Mary Ellis is, though. That one I bought.

Then, I found two very unusual pieces. They are both instrumental and are actually narrated by Novello himself! They come from King's Rhapsody, which I was lucky enough to have seen (also on Youtube and well worth watching), but other than a few notes at the beginning, taken from Mountain Dove, and some snattches of familiar songs, I don't recall them being there. Maybe, this was an audio special.

Muranian Rhapsody Part 1

youtube.com/watch?v=JIbrYatXPd…

Muranian Rhapsody Part 2

youtube.com/watch?v=ciVi8L-KPe…

Today, while looking for other works written/translated by Christopher Hassall, I found something that almost brought me to tears, for several reasons. It is a tribute to Ivor Novello, made by those who knew him, a mere two days after his death! Whether reporters tracked down these poor people and bothered them or whether they got together to honour their friend, boss, etc. I don't know. But it is a golden treasure, as some of these actors I'll probably never get to hear anywhere else. Others I have, either singing or in interviews, including a huge concert narrated by Vanessa Lee.

youtube.com/watch?v=etB7t_ETqS…

The other day, I found something else by Novello, though not Ivor! I had completely forgotten that his adopted sister Marie was a classical pianist! Sadly, she died quite young, and all but two of her recordings were acoustic, as they were made in the 1920's. I found thirteen of them on Youtube, all under six minutes.

I chose this one because it's one of her two electrics, and is therefore very clear.

Arensky: Etude Op36 No13

youtube.com/watch?v=5O9J5LVA6P…

This one is not only clear for being acoustic, but there is a bit of history attached. She was actually the last living student of the composer, Theodor Leschetizky. I have never heard of him, but I'm sure some of you have.

Leschetizky: Toccata

youtube.com/watch?v=SK5qHsOf_p…

#IvorNovello #MarieNovello #theatre #films #MaryEllis #OliveGilbert#ChristopherHassall

youtube.com/watch?v=5O9J5LVA6P…

Someone recommended this page to me. It was quite interesting, but I found this confusing.

"My first week on Friendica I was puzzled by all the posts I would see in my feed from accounts I was not following. I only had 24 contacts then and yet my feed was populated by posts of people I did not recognize. I could not figure out why they showed up or how to “weed” those out. On Friendica you can follow hashtags - just like you can do on Mastodon - but those posts have a subtle hashtag icon at the top. I could not understand where the posts by random people came from... they did not contain hashtags I was following.
Friendica’s settings have a myriad of options. I finally figured out that what I needed to do was go to Settings > Social Networks > Followed Content Scope and select the option “only conversations my follows started”. That’s because the default setting on Friendica (as of August 2024) is “conversations my follows started or commented on”. This populates your feed with posts by people you do NOT follow, if one of your contacts replied to them."

I have the same problem. I went to Settings and couldn't find anything like this. Could it possibly be disabled at the friendica.world instance?

I had to laugh when I read that she doesn't like when Friendica is compared to Facebook. I actually joined precisely because Facebook was discontinuing their Basic Mobile site (not app) and I needed something that was actually accessible with NVDA! As for finding the page old fashion, I actually find it to be too modern for my taste, with collapsing menus, submenus, tabs, etc, instead of normal links. Using the main site, while nowhere near as bad as Facebook, is still a chore. For instance, I have to go through all sorts of links just to find the link to post, instead of there being an edit box and a post button right on the main page. Again, does all of this depend on instance, or is this the standard look of all Friendica pages?

On the positive side, I love the long posts here. In fact, that's why I chose Friendica in the first place. I never really format anything, other than indenting for paragraphs at times, but for those who do, it's good to have those options available.

blog.elenarossini.com/the-futu…

#accessibility #blind #Facebook #formatting #friendica #NVDA #timeline

I think I know what I hate about modern websites, web apps, etc. They use these ridiculous menus, from hamburger menus that collapse, to menu bars. Whatever happened to normal links, radio buttons, checkboxes, and comboboxes? Why does everything have to be a menu, and half hidden, with a million steps to get to it? It's beyond annoying! As for the regular programs, many of those don't have normal menus (accessible with the alt key or alt+f) either, and either have ribbons, which I detest, or strange looping menus with no "okay" and "cancel" buttons. I like to know that I completed a task, not to just leave something. Plus, "cancel" means that I could undo any changes immediately. Fortunately, 99% of the programs I use are normal, since I mostly to use the modern rot. But I can't help it with websites or these new web apps, which is why I am always looking for good alternatives to things. The phrase "keep it simple, stupid", while crude, is most certainly true. Don't even get me started on appliances that use touchscreens instead of dials, switches, and buttons. I'm proud to say I don't own any of those!

#accessibility #apps #blind #computers #menus #simplicity #technology

I wrote this some time ago but can't find my file. Therefore, the experiences aren't as fresh in my mind as they were then, but it was earlier this month.

I've loved MS-DOS since I was a teenager. For perspective, I'm now forty. I've used various versions of Windows, and still use XP, 7, and 11, all with NVDA, as my primary systems. But every now and then, I've played with Linux to see if it would be a viable alternative for me, especially on an older, small system. This time, I tried three blind-specific versions and two mainstream releases. Only two worked well. All of these were tried on a Del Latitude 3120 running Windows 11, with VMware Workstation and Player 6. I used Mate whenever possible.

Slint: This was so difficult to install that I gave up. It would make sense if it were targeted to expert blind Linux users, but as anything for a general audience, or even those good with technology but not Linux, it's hopelessly complicated. I say this as a DOS user who is accustomed to commands. What on Earth were they thinking!

Accessible Coconut: This installed completely. However, all I could get it to do after that was to say "screen reader on". Nothing else worked, no matter what i did. It's also worth noting that there is no32-bit version.

Vinux: This one really surprised me. I ran it in the past with no problem, but here, I couldn't get it to install. I forget why. All I know is that I never even got to try it. Since I only attempted to install this with Workastation,I ay try with Player.

Trisquel: This installed and worked correctly. I don't remember why I switched. Perhaps, it was because my shared folders and thumb drive weren't being seen. However, I do highly recommend this if you can get it to work properly.

Debian: Again, this installed and worked correctly in both the 32-bit and 64-bit versions. It works on VMware Player 6 and Workstation 16. However, once again, my thumb drive and shared folders were not accessible, though I think I was able to have them listed some way.

My suspicion was that VMware Tools was not installed, and with a bit of research, I was proven correct. I tried installing Open VM Tools, using a dizzying array of commands, all to no avail. I eventually gave up, yet again. Maybe, I just need to take one of my computers and truly install Linux on it. I am strongly considering Debian, due to its long history, slow rate of change, and supportive community. It just frustrates me that I can't use it fully in a virtual machine, because I would like to learn it first and see if it is a good option for me. And for those who might say get a Mac, my answer is absolutely not. I tried it and didn't like it. If anyone can help me with Linux, please let me know.

#AccessibleCoconut #blind #computers #Debian #Linux #NVDA #Orca #Slint #Trisquel #Vinux #virtualmachines #VmWare #WindowsVista

Hello, everyone. I am interested in using a mini pc with a power bank. However, my use case is a bit different from most. I am totally blind, so I don't need to worry about a monitor, mouse, or touchpad. My main goal is to get something portable and light-weight to carry in a fanny pack. I already do this with aGalaxy A15 and an iClever BK03 keyboard, but as good as Android 14 is with Talkback, I would like a truly small Windows pc. As much as I love umpcs, from what I understand, the current ones have strange keyboard layouts and many cost several hundreds or even thousands of dollars! I use Windows XP, 7, and 11 on both physical and virtual machines. I am interested in Debian Mate, but I can't seem to get it to work fully in a virtual machine, since it won't recognize shared folders or my thumb drives. Of the machines currently in use, the least powerful is my Aspire One D270 and the most powerful is my Latitude 3120 with a Pentium N6000 processor, 8gb of ram, and 128gb solid state drive. I want something that will at least equal or surpass this.

These are the programs I use. Keep in mind that I won't be using a monitor or mouse, nor do I engage in any graphically-entensive tasks or do any sorts of collaborations with others, use cloud storage, etc.

NVDA (screen reader, all versions of Windows)
Firefox (115 on Windows 7 and latest on Windows 11), Serpent UXP Firefox fork that works with Xp and up/still updated), Supermium (fully modern fork of Chrome for XP and up
Notepad2 or Jarte
MPCHC (light-weight media player)
Virtual Recorder v1.4.0.2 (very simple mp3 recorder)
Thunderbird (Legacy 102, Outlook Express
Cook Timer
KCleaner
Revo Uninstaller (much older version, modern one is not accessible)
Openbook (for ocr/used rarely)
VMWare Player 6.0.4 or Workstation 16

With that in mind, I am considering the MeLE PCG02 Pro with an N100 processor. Since it already has a 3.5mm jack, I wouldn't need to connect a usb adapter to use earbuds (Bluetooth audio doesn't work well with NVDA).

amazon.com/MeLE-PCG02-Pro-Comp…

I would pair this with a Energrid VS820PD 20,000mAh Power Bank.

accessibility.energrid.us.com/…

Would this computer and power bank meet my needs? If not, can you recommend others? Please do not recommend bare bones systems or converters/triggers. While I am comfortable with all sorts of software, I don't feel safe modifying hardware, since I can't see it and don't want to damage anything or get electricuted. At any rate, the thing I like about this power bank is that I could check the battery status, which is important, since the PCG02 Pro doesn't have an internal battery. At any rate, is 10,000mah enough for four to eight hours of use, or should I consider this one with 20,000 mah? The voltage and wattage seem to be compatible with the computer, unlike my current INIU power bank with only 22w output. Plus, it has powered USBc (pd 3.0) which esential for working with a mini pc, from what I've read.

#blind #computers #Energrid #MeLE #minipc #NVDA #powerbank #technology #Windows7 #Windows11 #WindowsXP #virtualmachines

Below is a conversation I've had with Perplexity. I am not including the links given, just to make this shorter. I am hoping that someone here could offer advice. I really love Friendica, but this drives me mad. I also use Semaphore, but it does the same thing. By the way, I don't "reach out" to people. I'm not a member of the four Tops. I write to them, contact them, speak with them, etc. I hate modern slang.

Me. "What is thread mode in Tweesecake? Does it link posts together as in GMail with e-mails? One major problem I'm finding with Friendica is that, when I read my timeline, regardless of whether I'm using the main site, Tweesecake, Pachli, or Tusky, I see posts out of context. Instead of seeing five separate posts, clicking on one, and seeing its contents, I see parts of conversations scattered throughout my timeline, and I have no choice as to which posts I want to read, because they're all there at once. I am blind and use NVDA and Talkback. This is very confusing."

Perplexity. "I apologize, but I don't have specific information about a "thread mode" in Tweesecake or how it might link posts together. However, I can address your concerns about the timeline experience in Friendica and provide some general information that may be helpful.
The issue you're describing with scattered conversation parts in your timeline is a common challenge in many social media platforms, including Friendica. This type of display is often referred to as a "flat" timeline, where posts and replies are shown in chronological order regardless of their relationship to each other.
To address your specific concerns:
Timeline Organization
Friendica's default timeline behavior shows posts and replies in chronological order, which can indeed lead to fragmented conversations appearing throughout your feedFriendica timelines are compelling - Col·lapse / Colapso. This can be particularly challenging for users relying on screen readers like NVDA or Talkback, as it may be difficult to follow the context of conversations.
Filtering Options
While Friendica doesn't offer a built-in "thread mode" as you've described, there are some filtering and organization options that might help:
1. Hashtag Filtering: Friendica has hashtag filters that can hide posts containing specific tags, though they don't remove them completely from the timelineEnable the filtering and hiding of hashtags in the timelines "New ....
2. Content Filtering: There's an addon called "advancedcontentfilter" that allows for expression-based content filtering, which might help in organizing your timelineFriendica Addons.
3. Collapse Features: Addons like "showmore" and "showmore_dyn" can collapse posts at a user-defined character length or dynamically limit the height of posts, potentially making it easier to navigate through your timelineFriendica Addons.
Potential Improvements
It's worth noting that there have been discussions and feature requests related to improving the timeline experience in Friendica:
1. A feature request has been made to completely hide blocked content rather than just collapsing itHide blocked content completely · Issue #14505 · friendica ... - GitHub. This could potentially help in decluttering your timeline.
2. Some users have expressed interest in having "exception groups" or "negative groups" for more granular control over what appears in their timelineDisplay - Motley.
Accessibility Considerations
As a blind user relying on screen readers, the current timeline structure in Friendica and its various clients may indeed pose challenges. It might be helpful to reach out to the Friendica development community or the developers of the specific clients you're using (Tweesecake, Pachli, Tusky) to express your accessibility concerns and see if there are any plans or possibilities for improving the experience for screen reader users.
While not a perfect solution, you might find it helpful to use the "Network" or "Community" views in Friendica, which sometimes offer a more structured way of viewing conversations, though this may vary depending on the client you're using."

#accessibility #blind #Friendica #Mastodon #organisation #Pachli #posting #Semafore #timeline #Tweesecake

*Note. I am referring to adding people who are on Friendica. I have managed to figure out how to add people who are on Mastodon, as the process is streight forward, though I am still seeking a directory of their groups, etc.*
How do I follow people or groups? I know there is a directory, and I have been reviewing it, but most of the listings no longer work or haven't been updated in awhile. I also had to sort by English. On my friendica.world page itself, it has a "Search" option. I can type, for example, "blindness". But there is no way to sort by posts, people, groups, etc. so I have to go through all sorts of post where people just mention blindness and then, maybe, find a group or interest among them. I then found this site.

tiotrom.com/2020/11/the-beginn…

"In the contacts settings, you can search people based on interests (keywords)."

I don't see this option. The only thing about contacts that I can find is "Manage Contacts". There, the search function is to search among my own, not to add new ones.

"Friendica opens the doors to pretty much any Federated network. Say you find a Mastodon account in the wild. Copy the url to your Friendica search bar then simply follow them. Do the same for any other Federated network. Now you can interact with these people (send private messages, see their posts in your feed, comment to them, like, share, etc.)."

What is this search bar? Is this the "Search" option I found on my main page?

There is a lot more about following pages, etc. on that site, but for now, I'm just trying to learn the basics. Also, does the main page of each node look different from what I see on riendica.world or is it a unified format?