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Changing while doing the same thing is madness.

Updated the 04/08/2024 08:00 
 

Albert Einstein once said: "Often everyone is convinced that something is impossible to achieve, until an ignorant person arrives who does not know it and achieves it."

In the visually impaired community, there were never any doubts about the positive impact and effectiveness that Biblos would have on Braille transcription. In order for this Software to emerge and operate, despite the cross-cutting difficulties, I maintained a strict line of development and quality, following very specific ideas to innovate and revolutionize the way Braille is done.

Never before Biblos had anyone thought of merging Word processing and Braille in a synergistic combination, allowing the two systems to join hands and start a dialogue. This idea was conceived and realized precisely with Biblos, a Software that for the first time brought together two working environments and made them synergistically interdependent.

I find it useful to express myself about Biblos, adding my personal thoughts, first of all because I am the author and I know its genesis, as well as deeply understanding all its functionalities and why they were conceived, designed, and developed. However, this time I won't delve into a technical summary of its performance, which has already been extensively discussed in this and other environments. I want to talk about the principles that inspired me to build such an inclusive Software, wonderfully rich in inclusion.

Biblos is a Software that contains within it a complete Word processor with functions and customizations specifically designed to be accessible and usable by everyone, sighted and visually impaired alike. The Software allows you to process electronic documents of various formats and with different formatting, printing the text directly in Braille while considering all the typographic elements typical of Word processing.

Biblos presents itself as a valuable tool freely available to anyone - regardless of their knowledge of the Braille system - who needs to print texts of any kind (for example, fiction, articles, scientific manuals, etc.) by scanning them, loading them from existing digital books, or typing them directly. The approach to the program and its usage methods is immediate and easy to understand, precisely because it is aimed at operators of all kinds, whether qualified or less qualified, in a perfectly inclusive style for everyone. However, one should not think that Biblos operates only at a basic level of knowledge; on the contrary, it is quite the opposite. The system can be explored and used at multiple levels, from the most superficial, suitable for everyone, to the deepest, aimed at those who wish to delve into its use in order to achieve professionally impeccable results.

When facing the transcription of even moderately complex text containing graphs or standard scientific notations, Biblos unleashes its full strength, demonstrating the complete effectiveness of its work tools and the quality of Braille transcription it achieves. Biblos is a Software designed and developed for every need, even for those who might - simplistically - use it as a mere "converter." Biblos tools have been studied and developed as instruments for correct transcription, respecting typical Braille rules and layout specifications, as well as the many styles requested or preferred by the most demanding readers (for example, for the placement of notes, poetic texts, mathematical notations, etc.). The approach to all of Biblos' functions - such as Braille printing or the creation of tactile graphics - is immediate, and to fully exploit its features, a minimal learning curve is required, as with all Software. Biblos has a dual purpose: to offer cutting-edge tools and, at the same time, teach users to master the basic concepts of Word processing and printing. The use of Biblos allows for the correct transcription of any type of text, from the simplest to the most complex, with the same effectiveness.

If we were to evaluate Biblos in terms of the entire range of Braille publishing, we would need to divide the latter into two main groups:

  1. Domestic and amateur publishing, created for personal use.
  2. Professional publishing of complex texts (technical texts, educational materials, etc.).

For transcriptions of texts falling under the first group, Biblos' approach is instantaneous and transparent, and therefore accessible even to those unfamiliar with Braille.

For transcriptions of texts belonging to the second group - where Word processing is most closely aligned with Braille - the quality of the transcription is higher the better the quality of the original electronic document. In this case, Biblos guarantees the versatility of the tools offered and the correct and controlled management of the entire layout. Biblos is a product of advanced "information technology" that derives its true strength from this characteristic: it is thoroughly tested, its performance and merits are widely known, and it can be fully utilized to its potential. The economic aspect should not be overlooked either: Biblos is freely distributed Software that offers everyone a high-quality editor.

Those tasked with choosing a product must fully evaluate its needs and potential, and one of Biblos' strengths is also provided by its always active and direct technical support. Under no circumstances should the belief be reinforced that high-quality Braille transcription is solely the prerogative of experts and professionals, because anyone today, with current technologies, can quickly acquire the skills to produce quality Braille.

Today, knowledge is shared, and Biblos is a treasure trove of knowledge accessible to all. When I started developing it, I thought that "You cannot change by continuing to do the same thing," much like Albert Einstein said: "The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, but expecting different results."

For further support you can subscribe the Biblos Group on Facebook.