My responses throughout.
Access Curmudgeon wrote:
We have lots of laws on the books that some people may disagree with.
Josh, you disagree with 508 and 255?
I disagree with government interference in the development of consumer
products, which I have stated numerous times on this thread now. If
that puts me in direct opposition to one of the above laws, then so be
it. I support the ADA in the situations in which it most frequently
applies, (i.e. access to places of public accomidation.)
I think I have illustrated my views pretty succinctly as to why.
Nope, I do not follow your arguments. From what I have read here on
this list, your reasons apply only to not extending ADA.
I do not support government interference in the design or functionality
of any consumer products. I really don't know how to make it any more
clear than that. If you don't follow it then... *shrug* Others on the
list have understood what I was saying.
I think the undo burden argument could definitely be applied to the
iPhone,
so we disagree on that point.
Well, 255 only requires what is readily achievable, so the level of
effort expected is far less than undue burden. There are actually
fairly mature working examples on how to make touchscreens accessible
to the blind, so yes, we disagree about that. Here is my favorite:
http://trace.wisc.edu/world/kiosks/ez/
I never said they would be right, only that they might try to take that
stance, and it might be accepted by the FCC. i want an accessible
iPhone as much as the rest of you. All of this is pointless, as i don't
think the government should be interfering. I do believe touch screens
are very usable, and i do agree that it would not be difficult for Apple
to implement a method by which it could be used by the blind. The only
source of contention is whether or not the government should force Apple
to do so against its wishes. I do not think they should.
Apple can argue that the touch screen is unusable by the blind under
any circumstances, and most people would buy into that, including
most visually impaired individuals.
Yes, the casual observer might think so. Thank goodness for subject
matter experts on topics one is uninformed about. It is good to
listen to them rather acting out of ignorance. Some people think the
Internet is a visual medium and the blind should not have the
expectation for access. In the years past, many people, including
those with visual impairments, though the blind would never use
Windows or other GUIs.
Yes, and i used that very argument a week or so ago about the click
wheel on iPods, which is extremely usable by the blind. But that has
absolutely nothing to do with whether or not the government should
interfere in the design of consumer electronics.
