--- Forwarded Message from John McVicker <[log in to unmask]> --- >Date: Wed, 28 Sep 2005 16:53:06 -0400 >From: John McVicker <[log in to unmask]> >To: LLTI list <[log in to unmask]> >cc: Jeff Magoto <[log in to unmask]>, Neil Anderson <[log in to unmask]>, Claire Bradin Siskin <[log in to unmask]>, Deborah Healey <[log in to unmask]> >Subject: Re: #8016 NewReader >In-Reply-To: <[log in to unmask]> >References: <[log in to unmask]> --On September 28, 2005 2:13:06 PM -0400 LLTI-Editor <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > I'm currently searching for a replacement for NewReader. Have any of you > used this program? It dates back to about 1995 (although was updated in > 2001) and appears to be based on Hypercard. The program loads an > external text file and creates a series of exercises based on it (timed > reading, cloze, jumble, etc, etc). NewReader running in Classic does > not seem compatible with our managed environment, so I'd really love to > find some OS X-native replacement for it. Hi Jonathan, I'm the developer/publisher/bottle-washer. First to get you going at BU. NewReader is, as Otmar mentions, a compiled HyperCard stack. The most recent copy (2.1.3) runs without problem in Classic in our lab (2nd generation eMacs running 10.4.2). If you're running a significantly older version, maybe I can send you 2.1.3 as an attachment and we can hope it will work. BTW, I haven't actually SOLD a copy of NewReader for several years so release to the public domain seems more than appropriate. If anybody else has a classic or earlier lab and wants a copy of 2.1.3 I'll send it along as a 2.3 Meg attachment (no postal requests please -- attachments only). Just respond off-list and I'll send it. Likewise, if someone has an archive where folks can download things like that I'd be glad to donate a current copy. Let me know off-list. FYI, the current version of NewReader includes timed reading, two versions of paced reading (the slower paced reading module was originally made up for Ohio U's speech and hearing clinic for speech therapy and seems pretty neat for oral fluency practice), word- phrase- sentence- and paragraph-jumbles, cloze, c-test (the second half of every second word deleted), a grammar-oriented cloze-oid thingie (takes out prepositions, articles, logical connectors, or whatever), 'camouflaged' text which drops random letters between words, missing vowels, missing consonants, and missing everything (all but punctuation removed). It prints or saves exercises as well as generating on-screen activities, and will even shovel your driveway if it's not too snowy. All that's in a package that's pretty easy to use, I think. I haven't seen anything like it out there for windows or OS X. Alas my workload in other areas has expanded and my energy and brainpower have contracted, so I doubt that I'm going to churn out OS X or windows versions anytime soon. I would be delighted, however, if someone wanted to use the stack's code (and the 9,000+ word built-in dictionary-thing) to produce a freely distributable version for English, or for other languages; it should be easy to adapt for other Roman-based languages. John McVicker [log in to unmask] *********************************************** LLTI is a service of IALLT, the International Association for Language Learning, and The Consortium for Language Teaching and Learning (http://consortium.dartmouth.edu). Join IALLT at http://iallt.org. Otmar Foelsche, LLTI-Editor ([log in to unmask]) ***********************************************