It has been a while since I tried it but Ubuntu server didn't used to have a talking install. There really isn't much point in going with Ubuntu server over Ubuntu desktop. The only meaningful difference is that Ubuntu desktop includes, you guessed it, a desktop. If you really want to use Ubuntu in character mode, you can still do that with the desktop version. You can configure it so it starts in character mode and you have to type a command to run the gui. Or you can delete the entire graphical infrastructure. I do that occasionally. But usually, I leave it on there in case I need it. If you want to do an install that does not even install the gui, I would recommend debian. There is a point in the install where it asks you what collection of packages you want to install. Just do not select any of the desktops. On 10/7/19 1:19 AM, David Mehler wrote:

Hello,

Question specific to the server versions of Ubuntu and Debian, has anyone got them working/talking in a virtual machine? I don't have any extra physical boxes here to try either server edition out on.

Thanks. Dave.

On 10/7/19, Eigeldinger Simon wrote:

...

Hi Billy,

I haven't tried the server editions of Ubuntu but if they work like their debian versions you can hit s when the disk boots. then speakup should come up talking. Debian installations work very well and i have done those a few times. though i left most settings at their standards. You would need to have your server physically in front of you and you need a head phone jack there. But you can also connect a braille display to it and use the install that way. brltty comes up automatically and should detect your display.

Greetings, Simon

Mit freundlichen Grüßen

Simon Eigeldinger Informatik Nebengebäude 1, OG1

Stadt Hohenems Kaiser-Franz-Josef-Straße 4 6845 Hohenems T: +43 5576 7101-1143 | E: simon.eigeldinger@hohenems.at | www.hohenems.at

Diese Nachricht und allfällige angehängte Dokumente sind vertraulich und nur für den/die Adressaten bestimmt.

-----Ursprüngliche Nachricht----- Von: Billy Irwin Gesendet: Montag, 7. Oktober 2019 00:05 An: Blind sysadmins list Betreff: [Blind-sysadmins] Installing Linux

Hi All,

Has anyone been able to successfully install either Ubuntu or CentOS independently with a screen reader? Is this possible? If so, could you share how? I use to do this with low vision but not so much anymore.

Thanks,

Billy

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Hi, To be honest this is why I stuck with Debian for ages as it gives you the talking install. Ubuntu Server is in my view bloated as it installs extra packages that we don't need, you can get a cleaner Debian server installation imho. Of course most of my servers are cloud based now so I don't install anything. This list server is one exception where I do use a standard install image to get it running, I still need to migrate to Buster at some point. There isn't much worth in running Debian Testing right now since Buster was released in July. Andrew. ________________________________________ From: John G Heim [jheim@math.wisc.edu] Sent: 07 October 2019 15:13 To: Blind sysadmins list; David Mehler Subject: [Blind-sysadmins] Re: Installing Linux It has been a while since I tried it but Ubuntu server didn't used to have a talking install. There really isn't much point in going with Ubuntu server over Ubuntu desktop. The only meaningful difference is that Ubuntu desktop includes, you guessed it, a desktop. If you really want to use Ubuntu in character mode, you can still do that with the desktop version. You can configure it so it starts in character mode and you have to type a command to run the gui. Or you can delete the entire graphical infrastructure. I do that occasionally. But usually, I leave it on there in case I need it. If you want to do an install that does not even install the gui, I would recommend debian. There is a point in the install where it asks you what collection of packages you want to install. Just do not select any of the desktops. On 10/7/19 1:19 AM, David Mehler wrote:

Hello,

Question specific to the server versions of Ubuntu and Debian, has anyone got them working/talking in a virtual machine? I don't have any extra physical boxes here to try either server edition out on.

Thanks. Dave.

On 10/7/19, Eigeldinger Simon wrote:

...

Hi Billy,

I haven't tried the server editions of Ubuntu but if they work like their debian versions you can hit s when the disk boots. then speakup should come up talking. Debian installations work very well and i have done those a few times. though i left most settings at their standards. You would need to have your server physically in front of you and you need a head phone jack there. But you can also connect a braille display to it and use the install that way. brltty comes up automatically and should detect your display.

Greetings, Simon

Mit freundlichen Grüßen

Simon Eigeldinger Informatik Nebengebäude 1, OG1

Stadt Hohenems Kaiser-Franz-Josef-Straße 4 6845 Hohenems T: +43 5576 7101-1143 | E: simon.eigeldinger@hohenems.at | www.hohenems.at

Diese Nachricht und allfällige angehängte Dokumente sind vertraulich und nur für den/die Adressaten bestimmt.

-----Ursprüngliche Nachricht----- Von: Billy Irwin Gesendet: Montag, 7. Oktober 2019 00:05 An: Blind sysadmins list Betreff: [Blind-sysadmins] Installing Linux

Hi All,

Has anyone been able to successfully install either Ubuntu or CentOS independently with a screen reader? Is this possible? If so, could you share how? I use to do this with low vision but not so much anymore.

Thanks,

Billy

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With an infrastructure like that, you should look into a linux utility called FAI. I think it is pronounced letter by letter, F.A.I. It stands for fully automated install. You can do a complete linux install without any interaction on your part in about 5 minutes. Accessibility isn't an issue because you are not interacting with the installer. You configure everything in advance. Its a little like the old days when you installed Windows by using an answer file. Its nice that Windows has an accessible installer now but installing with an answer file is still a good solution if you are doing a lot of installs. FAI isn't really anything like using a Windows answer file other than that they both let you do an install without interacting with the installer. With FAI, you can create a bootable CD-ROM or thumb drive but the recommended method is to PXE boot into the installer. On 10/7/19 10:52 AM, Billy Irwin wrote:

Hi All,

Thanks so much for the responses. I am going to attempt this over the next couple of days to see how it goes on one of my servers. I run all my stuff in a hybrid environment. So, I have a full size set of racks at home with a ton of servers for some stuff and other stuff is in datacenters. I just need to be able to as much as possible with out assistance. It is frustrating when you could do it before and not so much as I use to.

Thanks,

Billy

-----Original Message----- From: Andrew Hodgson Sent: Monday, October 7, 2019 11:30 AM To: jheim@math.wisc.edu; Blind sysadmins list Subject: [Blind-sysadmins] Re: Installing Linux

Hi,

To be honest this is why I stuck with Debian for ages as it gives you the talking install. Ubuntu Server is in my view bloated as it installs extra packages that we don't need, you can get a cleaner Debian server installation imho.

Of course most of my servers are cloud based now so I don't install anything. This list server is one exception where I do use a standard install image to get it running, I still need to migrate to Buster at some point.

There isn't much worth in running Debian Testing right now since Buster was released in July.

Andrew. ________________________________________ From: John G Heim [jheim@math.wisc.edu] Sent: 07 October 2019 15:13 To: Blind sysadmins list; David Mehler Subject: [Blind-sysadmins] Re: Installing Linux

It has been a while since I tried it but Ubuntu server didn't used to have a talking install. There really isn't much point in going with Ubuntu server over Ubuntu desktop. The only meaningful difference is that Ubuntu desktop includes, you guessed it, a desktop. If you really want to use Ubuntu in character mode, you can still do that with the desktop version. You can configure it so it starts in character mode and you have to type a command to run the gui. Or you can delete the entire graphical infrastructure. I do that occasionally. But usually, I leave it on there in case I need it.

If you want to do an install that does not even install the gui, I would recommend debian. There is a point in the install where it asks you what collection of packages you want to install. Just do not select any of the desktops.

On 10/7/19 1:19 AM, David Mehler wrote:

...

Hello,

Question specific to the server versions of Ubuntu and Debian, has anyone got them working/talking in a virtual machine? I don't have any extra physical boxes here to try either server edition out on.

Thanks. Dave.

On 10/7/19, Eigeldinger Simon wrote:

...

Hi Billy,

I haven't tried the server editions of Ubuntu but if they work like their debian versions you can hit s when the disk boots. then speakup should come up talking. Debian installations work very well and i have done those a few times. though i left most settings at their standards. You would need to have your server physically in front of you and you need a head phone jack there. But you can also connect a braille display to it and use the install that way. brltty comes up automatically and should detect your display.

Greetings, Simon

Mit freundlichen Grüßen

Simon Eigeldinger Informatik Nebengebäude 1, OG1

Stadt Hohenems Kaiser-Franz-Josef-Straße 4 6845 Hohenems T: +43 5576 7101-1143 | E: simon.eigeldinger@hohenems.at | www.hohenems.at

Diese Nachricht und allfällige angehängte Dokumente sind vertraulich und nur für den/die Adressaten bestimmt.

-----Ursprüngliche Nachricht----- Von: Billy Irwin Gesendet: Montag, 7. Oktober 2019 00:05 An: Blind sysadmins list Betreff: [Blind-sysadmins] Installing Linux

Hi All,

Has anyone been able to successfully install either Ubuntu or CentOS independently with a screen reader? Is this possible? If so, could you share how? I use to do this with low vision but not so much anymore.

Thanks,

Billy

_______________________________________________ Blind-sysadmins mailing list -- blind-sysadmins@lists.hodgsonfamily.org To unsubscribe send an email to blind-sysadmins-leave@lists.hodgsonfamily.org _______________________________________________ Blind-sysadmins mailing list -- blind-sysadmins@lists.hodgsonfamily.org To unsubscribe send an email to blind-sysadmins-leave@lists.hodgsonfamily.org

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