Hi Rick Boggs and all,
I would like to applaud your message, quoted below. This is sadly a
highly prevalent problem in the VI community at large, though whether
or not the ratio is any higher than other groups I am not qualified
to say. As a developer of software for the blind, I've run into this
sort of thing time and time again, and know that many others in the
accessible games industry have as well. Some developers have left
the business because of it.
I am a big fan of Apple in general and Mac OSX with VoiceOver in
particular. I wrote a note to Access World after their totally, and
rather obviously, biase review of VoiceOver last year, but didn't
receive any response whatsoever. However, having experienced
messages like the one Mr. Vega sent, including a few from him in the
same tone in the distant past, I understand how disheartening and
defensive this sort of tone can make a person in any field.
Nastiness will never get you anywhere, and I hope that others will
take your message, Rick, to heart.
At 08:10 AM 7/12/2006, you wrote:
I certainly understand the frustration involved in
continuously being misunderstood or misrepresented or treated in an
unequal or undeserved manner. However, it just seems counter
productive to rudely rail on those who errantly report inaccurate
information or refuse to inform themselves about issues that we
care about. Being polite and professional with individuals
representing companies that do not provide accessibility to their
products or services or to those who issue publications with
information about such things may not have a high ratio of
success. On the other hand, rudely venting an insulting folks
(which I have been guilty of myself at times) has never once
produced any beneficial result in my experience.
I am concerned about this very type of behavior when it comes to
dealing with DigiDesign regarding accessibility of ProTools. This
is a company that has, in the past, done more than most companies
do, and their actions did result in accessibility, though not perfectly so.
I suggest two ideas here. First, we should always attempt to
persuade, and persistently so, using every known motivator,
consiering the interests of the person or company we wish to convince.
Second, regarding media and communication, we might choose to become
more effective at harnessing our own knowledge of core issues and
utilizing some of the fine writing skills in our midst to generate
our own accurate articles, press releases, and such communications.
If I had the time and the hands-on experience with Voice Over that
most on this list seem to have, I'd sift through the hundreds of
saved emails addressing a myriad of technical issues and write a
comprehensive review of my own, finding various published outlets to
distribute it.
But, I am still stuck on os9 with outSPOKEN, so I do not feel
prepared to comment on Voice Over yet.
My point is that we all might take a lesson from the unfortunate
communication shared on this list regarding the "no mensa" review of
Voice Over.
All respect and props to the one who shared it here, despite his own
regrets about the tone of it.
I marvel at the skills and knowledge of folks on this list. HOpe my
comments are taken well.
Rick Boggs
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"The rich declare themselves poor
"But most of us are not sure
"If we have too much, but we'll take our chances
"'cause God stopped keeping score..."
Praying for Time -- George Michael
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