Yes, there is definitely a bias here. Chis
-----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Buddy Brannan Sent: Friday, November 02, 2007 7:46 PM To: General discussions on all topics relating to the use of Mac OS X by the blind; [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Fwd: [Buddys-dogscoop] Fw: [TSE-Chat] Leopard article. I think AFB's bias is showing... Begin forwarded message: > From: "Deb and Cori" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Date: November 2, 2007 6:58:14 PM EDT > To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > Cc: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > Subject: [Buddys-dogscoop] Fw: [TSE-Chat] Leopard article. > Reply-To: "Buddy's Dogscoop" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > Subject: [TSE-Chat] Leopard article. > > >> Feed: CNET News.com >> Posted on: Friday, November 02, 2007 12:01 PM >> Author: CNET News.com >> Subject: Leopard looks great. But what if you can't see? >> >> >> >> Despite new accessibility features in Leopard, people with >> disabilities are >> still likely to choose Windows computers over Macs. >> >> >> View article... >> <http://www.news.com/8301-10784_3-9808510-7.html?part=rss&subj=news&tag=2547 >> -1_3-0-20> >> >> >> November 2, 2007 12:01 PM PDT >> Leopard looks great. But what if you can't see? >> Posted by >> Elsa Wenzel >> Leopard is Apple's best-looking operating system >> yet, from its breezy Cover Flow file browsing to the starry-looking >> Time >> Machine >> backup. It's no wonder visual artists love Macs. >> But how well does Leopard work for blind users? >> "[Vision-impaired] people who use Macs are mostly in the category >> of, "My >> boss says >> we have to use Macs," or "I'm a teacher and that's what I'm stuck >> with,"" >> said Crista >> Earl, director of Web operations at the American Foundation for the >> Blind. >> Among 10 million visually impaired people in the United States, at >> least 1.5 >> million >> use computers, according to the American Foundation for the Blind. >> To serve >> this >> population, Windows machines have traditionally offered more >> baked-in features >> and compatibility with third-party software >> and devices >> than Macs. >> Earl, who is blind, only uses computers running Microsoft Windows. >> She edits >> documents >> in braille and relies upon a screen-reader application to "read" >> text and >> links aloud >> in Internet Explorer and other programs. >> However, to serve users such as Earl, Apple has made >> 17 Universal Access >> enhancements within Leopard. >> Leopard is the first operating system that can be installed using a >> braille >> display. >> It also supports the forms of braille used both for reading and >> editing. >> There are >> enhancements to the VoiceOver tool, which reads aloud text on a >> page in a >> male or >> female voice. Users can now move VoiceOver's preferences from one >> Mac to >> another, >> so they don't have to waste time configuring each new machine. In >> addition, >> VoiceOver >> can recognize misspelled words and jump to chunks of a Web page >> instead of >> forcing >> a user to wait while it reads one word at a time. >> Earl said these changes are a step in the right direction, and she >> hopes to >> check >> them out on a friend's Mac. Mac OS X also offers >> some advantages >> over Windows for people with limited vision, such as the capability >> to >> display the >> screen in black and white. >> "I don't mean I'd give up my Windows computer," she said. "I have >> work to >> do. It's >> gonna take a lot from the last time I saw VoiceOver." >> Accessibility features from any vendor are usually more frustrating >> to use >> than advertised, >> Earl added. Part of the problem is that instead of integrating >> essential >> tools within >> their operating systems, Microsoft and Apple have left it up to third >> parties to >> fill in the gaps with extra, paid software. >> For example, the screen readers within Windows and Mac OS X pale >> next to >> applications >> like >> JAWS >> or >> Window-Eyes >> . Earl wonders why the tech giants don't just buy one of the better >> tools, >> then weave >> it into their operating systems. >> "One of the reasons things haven't gotten very far is that the >> companies >> making screen >> readers are constantly fighting the next battle," Earl said. >> Blame the ever-evolving nature of Web site designs. Once screen- >> reader >> makers figured >> out how to make Adobe Acrobat accessible, for instance, Adobe Flash >> rendered >> Web >> pages mute to blind users. Now that more Flash sites work with screen >> readers, the >> AJAX coding of the Web 2.0 era poses new challenges. >> Both the challenges in making accessibility tools and the market >> for them >> are poised >> to expand. More young people are suffering repetitive stress >> disorders such >> as carpal >> tunnel syndrome, while aging Baby Boomers grapple with diminished >> vision, >> hearing, >> and mobility. >> People whose hands and arms suffer keyboard fatigue, or worse, can >> use >> speech-to-text >> software that types what they speak. For them, Windows builds in >> voice-activated >> dictation and commands. Leopard enables voice-activated commands >> only. The >> rich >> Dragon NaturallySpeaking >> from Nuance runs only on Windows. For Macs, the equivalent >> ViaVoice >> (or iListen, which I haven't tested) are considered less robust. >> I find each of these dictation applications awkward to use. Just >> spend an >> hour with >> one for a few laughs as it garbles your speech. >> Nevertheless, hardware and software manufacturers >> appear to be paying more attention >> to the needs of an affluent, aging population. >> "A newcomer to visual impairment tends to expect, rightly, for >> things to be >> a whole >> lot easier than they are," Earl said. "That pressure of lots of >> disappointed >> users >> might make things better for everybody." >> Mike&Brent >> email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> Arlington, VA 22204 >> H; 571 312-2085 >> C: 732 718-9480 >> >> >> No virus found in this outgoing message. >> Checked by AVG Free Edition. >> Version: 7.5.503 / Virus Database: 269.15.18/1104 - Release Date: >> 11/1/2007 >> 6:47 PM >> >> >> >> >> to contact the list owner >> [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> >> to subscribe >> [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> >> To receive message digests >> [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> >> To receive individual messages >> [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> >> To go no mail >> [EMAIL PROTECTED] >> Yahoo! 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Groups is subject to: >> http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ > > _______________________________________________ > Buddy's Dogscoop > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > http://www.screenreview.org/mailman/listinfo/buddys-dogscoop -- Buddy Brannan, KB5ELV - Erie, PA Phone: (814) 746-4502 or 888-75-BUDDY Check out some of the best music you've never heard, and claim your free trial platinum mmembership: http://www.musicforte.com/trial/bbrannan Check out the new Watkins: natural plant-based home care and our 2007 holiday gift line: http://www.tastyshop.net And claim your free mall: Unlimited earning potential just for the shopping you already do: http://www.powermall.info
