> Generally I think applications using text entry are a lot easier to
> exploit. You've got many more options availability to you potentially. In
> my case right now I using a JavaScript typing accelerator that I've
> hacked together. It stable and works pretty good though it needs
> reworking so it could be integrated into things like google docs and has
> some more bells and whistles.
>
> I think I would have to differ on your opinion not being able to provide
> support for keyboarding for POV-Ray SDL, using a good typing accelerator
> or input anticipatory system should make someone pretty proficient. I
> know in my days of coding, some 30 years ago, my same accelerator concept
> increase my coding speed by at least a factor of 10. I can't see why it
> shouldn't be the same with POV-Ray SDL.

There certainly are predictive text systems that support increased speed for 
text entry. I suspect that there are more available for the entry of 
vocabulary, but I have also seen (and used) intelligent code editors that 
reduce keying by proposing predicted keywords and by automatically including 
syntactical elements, such as required opening and closing brackets and 
parameter lists.  The only thing that I've personally seen with POV-Ray to 
date that reduces typing is with the Windows POV-Ray editor where the 
'insert' menu allows you to insert sample POV-Ray directives with full 
parameter lists etc. (This can be navigated using the keyboard as an 
alternative to using pointing devices). Maybe someone else has seen 
something else that could be used with POV-Ray to reduce keying.

I believe it would be possible to implement an editor with a predictive text 
system for the basic clause structures in the POV-Ray language, but to 
provide something that can do anything beyond rudimentary forms would 
probably require a significant investment of time. I suspect that it would 
need a greater investment in time than a language like C or Java, because of 
the complex way that objects and language control elements can be 
interwoven.

> The other thing is the experience, POV-Ray can give you some very
> tangible things with relative moderate effort. This is why I think there
> is a potential group of users with disabilities that could find POV-Ray
> rewarding.

Yes. I'm totally with what Warp said on this. I think there are significant 
numbers of disabled people who can gain a lot and who can and do contribute 
a lot to this community. It's because you were specific about "people who 
have limited hand dexterity because of some physical condition or disability 
that limits their ability to use a mouse or any other type of pointing 
device" that I observed that an ability to use a keyboard is probably more 
significant for POV-Ray than abilities to use a pointing device.

> Again, are there libraries of macros for describing things like nuts and
> bolts, pulley and gear systems, etc? Are there articles on best practices
> for describing mechanical systems?

There are various libraries of objects and macros. The one I've been most 
involved with is at http://lib.povray.org/searchcollection/index2.php though 
it doesn't yet have anything for describing nuts and bolts or pulley and 
gear systems. There are a lot of older public collections and private 
download sites that you can find on Google or potentially in the links 
collection at http://www.povray.org/resources/links/ (though I don't think 
those links have been updated in quite a while). There are tutorials on 
various types of mechanical system around. Some are POV-Ray specific, but 
certain generic tutorials could be equally applicable. Once again Google 
should help you find ones of specific interest to you and the links 
collection contains a section on 3D Tutorials (both POV-Ray specific and 
others) so you may find something there.

The search for "povray gears cogs" came up with a POV-Ray gears animation 
macro and tutorials at 
http://www.f-lohmueller.de/pov_tut/animate/anim14e.htm, a link to POV-Ray 
Object World at http://objects.povworld.org/links10.html that links to a 
Gear Include File a chains macro and some Motion Dynamics include files.

Regards,
Chris B.

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