MegaDots 2.4
The DOS braille translator
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MegaDots is a mature DOS braille translator with powerful
features for the volume transcriber and producer. Its straightforward,
style-based system and automated features let you create great braille with
only a few keystrokes. Yet it is sophisticated enough to please the fussiest
braille producers -- you can control each step MegaDots follows to format,
translate and produce braille documents. MegaDots 2.4 now has a Windows
installation program that automatically installs your desktop icons and
shortcuts. The headaches of installation are now gone!
Product Overview
- New version MegaDots 2.4 is shipped on CD-ROM for easy installation.
All the documentation is available from a simple menu on your browser.
- MegaDots 2.4 runs under Windows versions: 98, ME, 2000, NT, XP, and
32 bit Vista. MegaDots 2.4 will not run on 64 bit Vista systems without
the use of Virtual PC. MegaDots 2.4 automatically installs your Windows
icons.
- MegaDots 2.4 includes improved script files for JAWS for Windows
- MegaDots 2.4 includes improved ability to import publisher (SGML)
files
- Since MegaDots recognizes many file formats, you can bring in
virtually any document and set it up for braille. MegaDots supports all
commercial braille embossers and all modern inkprint printers (except
for a small group of inkprint printers that are Windows-only).
- Whenever you want to see how the braille looks, press the Translate
key. Suddenly you're looking at the same words, but in braille! You can
jump around, edit or enter more braille. Braille entry can be done using
a six-key technique, or as "Inkprint in braille", where the words you
type become braille as you type them. When you are done in braille,
press the Translate key once more and you return to print.
- Users of voice and refreshable braille displays will appreciate
interacting with software tailored for blind access. Screens are simple
and free of clutter, and you don't have to fuss around to know where you
are in the software. When you move into a new area, the name of the
screen is spoken, such as "Editor", "Main menu" or "Save file help".
- For large print users, MegaDots supports popular screen enlargement
programs, as well as a built-in large text mode. You'll never have to
scroll around looking for text or information that's off the screen. All
you need to see is right there in front of you.
- For sighted users, MegaDots has a familiar look and feel. Pull-down
menus, point and click mouse interaction and colorful screens make
working fun. The braille itself can be viewed in a variety of forms,
depending on what is most readable for you.
- MegaDots gives you the features you expect from a modern word
processor, such as macros, bookmarks, and find and replace.
Features in MegaDots Version 2.4
- File Importer works hard so you won't have to.
- The File Importer is smarter than ever: it identifies what kind
of document you're importing (i.e., a letter, poetry, etc.) and
automatically applies the appropriate styles to the imported
document. This important and intuitive step minimizes the time and
effort it used to take to make great braille.
- MegaDots imports Windows Help Screens, which are otherwise very
difficult to access with speech or refreshable braille.
- For users who want total control, automatic features of the
importer can be temporarily and selectively disabled.
- Optically scanned documents are automatically recognized and
cleaned up - before you even edit your document!
- MegaDots knows that optical scanners make visual mistakes and
has a system for changing nonsense back into the right words. And
now, optically scanned documents are automatically recognized and
cleaned up - before you even edit your document! Just import your
optically scanned document, and obviously misspelled text is
corrected, i.e., "farnily" is changed to "family". Other common
format errors are also fixed, such as split paragraphs and
misnumbered list items.
- Here's how it works. First, the scanned document's format is
cleaned up. For example, optical scanners often break up paragraphs
inappropriately or misnumber lists of items. MegaDots correctly
formats these areas. It can even remove the garble that results from
scanning pictures or graphics within the text. The text itself is
then cleaned up, one word at a time. MegaDots will find and correct
any obviously misspelled words before you even view your imported
document. Running headers, footers and page numbers that occur on
each page are removed and used for print page indicators in the
document.
- Improved Spell Checker
- We've added over 20,000 words to the dictionary. The Spell
Checker now recognizes over 110,000 words.
- Large Print Features!
- Create beautiful large print up to five times as tall and wide
as standard fonts (up to 64 point).
- MegaDots supports your printer's scalable fonts for the most
attractive possible large print.
- With new large print page indicators, you'll be able to follow
page numbers from the original text.
- Advanced Inkprint Printing Capabilities
We're proud to present these useful features designed specifically to
make learning and proofreading braille easier. And while we were at it,
we threw in quite a bit for users who need high quality, customizable
inkprint, too.
- MegaDots now supports all modern inkprint printers, except for a
small group that are Windows-only).
- Choose from ten different kinds of inkprint braille.
- Make inkprint braille and text on the same page in three
different formats: side by side, word by word, and line by line.
- Side by Side displays the braille page next to the print
page on one sheet.
- Word by Word puts the print word directly over each
braille word.
- Line by Line mode puts the print line above each braille
line.
- Adjustable vertical and horizontal spacing makes inkprint layout
to your most exacting specifications.
- Get a detailed document overview with the Interpret Format
feature.
- New Interpret Format screen shows you what's in your document:
how many and which styles it uses; whether there are tabs, running
headers, or print page indicators; and other useful information.
This overview helps you check the "big picture" of your document.
- Make global changes to your document. For example, change all
Poetry paragraphs to Body text.
- Within the overview, you can ask for greater detail. For
example, you can view just the poetry in your document, or all of
the print page indicators.
- Within one of these views, you can jump straight to that place
in the text. Or, stay within the view, and make changes there.
- Use Interpret Format to adjust the importation of a document.
When used right after import, you can adjust MegaDots' document
cleanup, how MegaDots selects styles and what import features or
styles to use while importing.
- Easy Table Formatting!
We have worked with the pickiest braille transcribers to revamp our
table formatting.
- MegaDots follows all of the new BANA and British table rules.
- MegaDots will automatically squeeze the table to fit on the
braille page.
- If you braille table is too wide for the braille page, MegaDots
can put it on two facing pages.
- Column Blocking lets you cut and paste entire columns.
- Format your word list in columns with Make Clipboard Columns.
This feature now lets you choose the number of columns you want to
generate.
- MegaDots now handles diacritics.
MegaDots now supports all of the diacritical marks shown in the textbook
format codebook. This speeds up another laborious aspect of making
braille.
Does MegaDots Do Windows?
Yes, even though MegaDots 2.4 is still an MS-DOS
application. MegaDots works with Windows 98, ME, 2000, NT, XP, and 32 bit
Vista.
- Can MegaDots bring in files from Microsoft Word? Yes.
However, until recently MegaDots did not bring in files from recent
versions of Word, specifically files from Word 97 and Word 8. Beginning
with version 2.02, MegaDots imports these files very well, as long as
you are working on a Windows 98 or higher system (and you are not
running in MS-DOS mode).
- If a blind person uses mainly Windows applications on their
computer, can they use MegaDots with voice or refreshable Braille
access? Yes. JAWS works in DOS applications. We have included a set
of MegaDots script files, for use with JFW 3.0 or higher.
- Can MegaDots print through Windows? We have greatly
simplified the process of printing braille from MegaDots through
Windows.
How Do People Use MegaDots?
- Large braille production services use MegaDots to produce braille
textbooks efficiently for blind students. The program's speed lets them
move through a great amount of material in a short time.
- Elementary school students as young as third grade are using
MegaDots to make braille and to learn about computers.
- Teachers find MegaDots helpful in quickly getting braille to their
blind students. There are exercise and directions styles for making
exams and worksheets in MegaDots.
- MegaDots is used by several deaf-blind persons as their main reading
and writing tool.
- Blind computer programmers use MegaDots to make computer program
listings in braille.
- Volunteer transcriber groups use MegaDots in a variety of ways--both
for translation and for 6-key direct entry of braille.
- Schools and transcribers use MegaDots to make grade one braille in
Spanish, French, German, Italian, and Portuguese.
Why Upgrade?
- If you are a braille transcriber, and want the new table rules,
diacritics, and all the new features and bug fixes in MegaDots designed
for transcribers.
- If you want better braille when you send a file through MegaDots
without any checking or any fixing up.
- If you want to reduce your workload when you take scanned material
into MegaDots.
- If you want large print from MegaDots.
- If you want a greater variety of inkprint layout and control with
MegaDots.
Purchasing
If you have multiple copies, site licenses, or any other
unusual situation, call the sales line at 800-317-9611 for details.
| Products |
Single User
License |
Organizational site
License - 10 Seats |
Single User Upgrade |
| Megadots 2.4 |
$595.00 |
 |
$2,700.00 |
$195.00 |
| MegaMaths |
$325.00 |
|
$1,625.00 |
|
| Beginner Braille |
$75.00 |
|
$375.00 |
|
| DBT WIN/MegaDots Bundle |
$750.00 |
|
|
|
Bundled Demos of Beginner Braille and Megamath
Beginning with MegaDots version 2, demonstration versions of
the add-on products Beginner Braille and MegaMath are included.
- Perfect for vision teachers -- choose the level of braille contractions
most appropriate for your students with Beginner Braille. You can
customize the contractions used in any kind of document and then save each
set of contractions for reuse. Or build students' braille literacy with
Beginner Braille's included APH Patterns series or Braille Too.
- MegaDots' MegaMath Mathematics Translator turns MegaDots into a
powerful tool for math and science braille notation. The intuitive and easy
to learn direct entry method automatically translates notation into correct
Nemeth Code braille. Entry shortcuts called FastMath let you choose and
customize frequently used notation.
Version 2.4 System Requirements
- IBM compatible computers with a 486 processor or better
- 4 megabytes (8 recommended) of RAM
- 15 megabytes free hard drive space
- color screen for sighted users.
- MegaDots is Windows-compatible; requires DOS 6 or higher.
- MegaDots is compatible with all modern inkprint printers, and supports
postscript and other built-in scalable fonts.
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