Assignment 14 took me three tries to pass, as I've indicated before. Part of the problem is that right now, Braille2000 doesn't directly support the already set superscripts and subscripts as handled in UEB. It does handle them, but it seems to be in EBAE instead, and I'm hopeful that this will be fixed. I did have to fix these with 6-key entry or you could do it using a method I'll describe as ASCII braille input directly in to wordpad. The term is also known as simbraille.
Math in Braille2000 is not up to par in general with B2K, so with the help of ASCII Braille in spots which are direct input from print to braille, and the checking and correcting of the superscripts and subscripts, we're going to have quite an interesting time of this.
On July 15th, 2019: I submitted for the first time. Went through plenty of braille before sending this, trying to fix the intricacies and I still got it wrong. The assignment itself went back to sentences and sentences are with us through assignment 16. If done correctly, we should be somewhere on the 4th page of braille.
Remember! As part of this assignment, a lot of care must be involved because there are a lot of things that B2K can't quite do yet on its own, and this is stressed by the fact that even the Braille could be tricky.
While the talking edition has been in production and has been worked on, it can't read math that well either. Right now, math is read as simbraille dots giving the dot patterns of the text that was written this way. Its correct in braille, but for now, this is how this must be read back. Jaws skips this when reading in B2K but will read it in wordpad.
This decision in the above paragraph was a decision I hated to make. By default when proofing this with braille, nothing was read, so the simulated braille aspect was the best solution and is the way that this is read currently. Once math gets fully implemented where we can use it, this may change.
For the sighted, they can use the panel. While we can use 6-key entry to write ½, ¼, and other fractions, the mixed number aspect isn't translated in to print properly and that is what needs to be fixed. This is the reason that the talking edition reads this in simulated braille. Its a nice compromise for something that needed to be developed so we knew how the text was laid out on the page.
When Braille 2000 is installed, you get a couple of fonts called Braille2000 and when typing ASCII characters like the number and letters to make the mixed number, you set that sequence to that font, and B2K understands to translate it as direct input, not back translated. This is called simulated braille. B2K does understand one-half, and other simple contractions but the mixed numbers at the moment give it fits. Remember! It will read it as simulated braille with the dot patterns spoken out.
I had to wait 30 days before i could resubmit. Penalize me for the fact I spent a long time, and even with my limited knowledge of the UEB code when it comes to math, and the fact I got limited help in understanding what was involved. I surely tried to understand it, I do understand quite a lot of things, but this is all a learning experience.
Thats OK, I had to take a break afterword anyway due to life changing events that were taking place at the same time I got my 30 day ban. I didn't touch the assignment until those events were over with and I could get back to work on this assignment, so maybe it was for the better.
There are 26 sentences within this assignment. The assignment was asked to be in 1-3 format.
Here are the list of errors in the first try of me submitting this challenging assignment to the instructor. Remember! Your milage will vary. No numbers of the problems are given, please understand that I'm not giving any answers.
I was told yet again to proof my work multiple times. While I physically have 16 still here, I don't need the copies anymore. I don't keep the assignments once I'm done and passed, but looking back, I did try to keep each of my copies to figure out what I did wrong. Some of these errors are mine, sure, but if the book or the instructor don't explain things especially if it is something you're learning new, than how is the student going to learn?
On August 18th, 2019: I tried again. While the number of errors were to the manageable level of 4, the instructor did tell me by phone when enquiring that it is up to the instructor and because the errors listed below are big and I should know better, that they be submitted and fixed. There was a 4-day wait, which was not bad.
Here are the errors that I needed to correct. Keep in mind that I am not giving any numbers, and your milage will vary.
I've been targeted yet again to proof, even though I was complemented on the fine work of this assignment. These capitalization errors should be long over with, especially since I'm now allowed to utalize the transcription software as it is. These errors listed in the above list are stupid, uncalled for, and must not be tolerated in this portion of the course. The fact I only had a 4 day ban was generous, I could've had it a lot worse.
On the 22nd of August, I submitted for the final time, and passed. Keep in mind during this time, that I had also relocated and that my old address was put in to these reports. I was not angry about the 30 day ban on the first and second attempt, lots of various life events were also taking place. It was to my advantage I take a break, and I definitely needed it based on my not understanding of a lot of this material.
In the accompanying audio for assignment 14, I'll take you through the assignment. The errors I corrected in the B2K and DXB copies, so any errors may still be in the Initial base of the RTF provided by Bob. Again, I want to stress that care is needed, even in this lesson because B2K doesn't understand a lot of these things and it needs to be taught.
This completes the write up of this assignment.