I can give you a few reasons why I switched to the Mac.
1. Considerable ease of use with respect to the screen reading
solution offered.
There is something to be said when the screen reader is a part of
the os. Yes, there are proes and cons to both sides of the coin and
Apple has done very well considering the fact that VoiceOver is still
a new-born in the world of screen readers. However, at the same time
I've had considerably less difficulty with VoiceOver on OSX vs the
screen reader I use on Windows. I don't believe this is do to the
poor quality of the windows-based screen reader, there's just more
complexity for a windows-based screen reader to cope with as its
hooks and the like into the os are different.
2. The Mac's os offers not only a great deal of flexibility, but a
much more intutive interface. This isn't just from my perspective,
but my sited wife's perspective as well.
3. OSX offers great control of access to programs and content which
is built-in as opposed to downloading and installing third-party
applications. The beauty is I'm sure you could download such an
application for the Mac if you chose to do so and use that insted of
what comes with the OS.
4. Certainly the flexibility to work from the console or the gui is a
real treat and the "dos" prompt you get in windows really lacks the
capabilities of dos back in the day.
Is the Mac perfect? No, of course not and niether is windows, Linux,
or any other os. You have to look at the sum total of abilities vs
limitations based on your needs and requirements.
Things I'm not overly happy with is the inability to upgrade or
service some parts of my Imac. I'm sure if I really got up the nerve,
I might tear my Imac apart, but having so little info on these newer
Intel-based Imacs, I'm not so sure I'd want to try in the event I
rendered the unit inoperable.
Of course if someone knew how these buggers are put together, I'd
sure love to hear about it.
Mac's also tend to be more expensive, but you surely do get a well
designed and quality product. My Mac is surely the quietest machine
I've used and they really have the idea of moving air through the box
down to a science.
Yes I really enjoy using my Mac and do not regret making the switch,
but windows and pcs still have their place. I still use windows for a
few tasks that just aren't easily done on the Mac. This I believe is
not a failing of the Mac os or VoiceOver, its just some tasks or
certain web sites just are easier to navigate with a windows-based
screen reader.
So, there' s my two cents on the entire topic.
Scott
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
On Jun 18, 2007, at 10:27 PM, CHRISTOPHER PEPPEL wrote:
Hi Everybody,
I think that we need to come up with a list of reasons why blind
people
should switch to the Mac. You can find plenty of reasons why
sighted people
should switch, but what about the blind? Yes, Voiceover is
certainly one
compeling reason, but I am sure there are many more.
Chris Peppel
-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Richard
Gardenhire
Sent: Monday, June 18, 2007 4:48 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Macs and a Viable Alternative for State Agencies to Consider
Josh, I changed the subject line a bit to ask about another argument
that has been used by our agency here in Alaska. Are there any
statistics that show a percentage increase or decrease in the
number of
blind and visually-impaired people--professional or otherwise, who
have
made the switch from Windows to Macs, with the development of
Voiceover? I would be curious as to what percentage, on a national
scale, for example, use their Macs for their professional line of
work?
According to what I have been told by people who work in the Alaska
school districts, for instance, the Matanuska-Susitna Valley districts
use more Macs, per capita, of any community in Alaska, including
Anchorage; however, that number is changing as more bush and rural
schools are using them in their schools. The number of blind students
being exposed to the Mac and VoiceOver is increasing, but that's a
slow, painstaking work in progress, because our counselors are heavily
influenced by Windows screen manufacturers to continue pushing their
products. Our school districts here in Alaska are facing budget cuts,
as are a lot of school districts throught the country, and our
Anchorage store gets inquiries from Division of Voc Rehab, asking how
viable VoiceOver is? In fact, one of the counselors for the blind set
up an appointment to meet with me on behalf of a client who they are
serving, who wants to use his computer for his vending business, as
well as music. At last count, I know of eight, blind/visually-
impaired
Mac users in the state of Alaska--three in Anchorage, one in Juneau,
two on the Kenai )pronounced Keen Eye0 Peninsula, and three in
Fairbanks. That number has probably changed, for the upcoming
University of Alaska-Anchorage fall enrollment. I would be curious to
know how other states are faring? Richie Gardenhire, Anchorage,
Alaska. I stand corrected; there are only two, in Fairbanks, and a
student in the Fairbanks School District who is learning to use one.
--
Email services by FreedomBox. Surf the Net at the sound of your
voice.
www.freedombox.info
