[orca-list] can't start Orca

["Albert E. Sten-Clanton" <albert e sten_clanton verizon net>]

Greetings!

I'm using Fedora 8.  I had the same trouble with Fedora 7; I didn't try Orca with an earlier version.

In a console, and of course with runlevel 5, I type "orca -t" and go through the setup choices.  When I hit the enter key, though, I get "Cannot start Orca because it cannot connect to the Desktop.  Please make sure the DISPLAY environment variable has been set."

I've tried logging in via gnome.  I can't tell if I actually am logging in, but something happens, since the hard drive spins.  Pressing alt-f2, waiting, and typing orca (or Orca) does nothing, with or without the -t.  

I forget exactly how, but I was led to see if gdmsetup might help.  That command results only in the message "(gdmsetup:2750):Gtk-WARNING **: cannot open display:".

I considered blaming my monitor or its connection to the computer, since nothing showed up on the screen using either Fedora 7 or GRML.  (That's why I don't know if what happens is a login or not.) Also, though I didn't find much on Google about the DISPLAY variable, one item seemed to concern a possible hardware problem.  Still, I used the ubuntu 7.10 live cd, and Orca spoke fine.  I know of course that a new monitor's likely in order, but that ubuntu works tells mt, even if this is part of my problem, there's more to it.

I did try setting the DISPLAY variable manually, using an example from one of my books and the one I got by way of the set command while in a terminal in ubuntu.

I'll be grateful if somebody can tell me what I might do or where I might look for information to solve this problem.  Thanks!

Al