COPY2SAY is software which operates on a PC running Microsoft Windows and provides user-directed incremental screen reading. This means the PC user can direct the machine to selectively voice out loud virtually any text appearing in virtually any program, simply by indicating same. (In particular, by using Windows to COPY the text one wants voiced out loud.) COPY2SAY is so simple to use, typical elementary school children who can use a mouse learn at once.

COPY2SAY is available at no financial charge. It uses Microsoft Agent technology to convert text to speech. In 2009, a crude early demo video was posted to YouTube here,

COPY2SAY uses only software provided by Microsoft (via so-called ActiveX controls) and programming we provide whose design is totally open to user inspection. (Javascript-enhanced HTML) It includes no adware or spyware. Caution: COPY2SAY works by reading the Windows clipboard, so you must enable Web pages to read the clipboard if you want COPY2SAY to operate.

COPY2SAY is automatically installed by simply pointing Internet Explorer, the Web browser running on Microsoft Windows, at this Web page:

http://copy2say.com/

The Web page to which you will be directed includes instruction in how to install and operate COPY2SAY, as well as helpful hints should you encounter any difficulties. If you use a slow (e.g. dial-up) Internet connection, it might take very many minutes for the Web page to load the first time (only), because it might be necessary to install additional Microsoft-written software on your PC.

After initial use, COPY2SAY will start up at once. You can then even operate COPY2SAY without an Internet connection, by saving the Web page which COPY2SAY uses as a file on your PC, and later loading it into Internet Explorer when you want COPY2SAY to operate. (You need ALSO perform the "avatar download" explained on the Web-hosted page.) To stop COPY2SAY, you need only close its Web page.

Limited support of COPY2SAY, mainly from your peers, is available via the Yahoo! Group at: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/copy2say .

COPY2SAY grew out of our experience with Ronolog. We had originally intended to write and release COPY2SAY in 2000, but personal matters made this impossible. Written in 2003, it finally debuted at a small public library at the periphery of metro Atlanta in early 2004, and was available via the Web (albeit not aggressively marketed) to all since then. Sadly, we have not had the opportunity to enhance it as once intended. So we have instead now (December 2005) decided to publicize it via the Hephaestus Project that it might enjoy greater exposure.

A plea to broadly deploy something like COPY2SAY was made at http://hchistory.com/BHPL/TTSlobby.htm in May 2004.

It remains something of a mystery why the screenreader bundled in recent versions of Microsoft Windows is so limited, as evidence by remarks quoted here. In any event, no screenreader was bundled with Microsoft Windows earlier than Windows 2000, making COPY2SAY of particular value to users of Windows 95, 98 and ME. Even today, millions of people continue to run these operating systems on their personal computers.

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