Hi Dean, ACB is earlier in the phone book than afb is and there are other factors. It would be great if we could persuade afb to be less biased in their stance, but we've tried.
----- Original Message ----- From: "Dean Hudson" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "General discussions on all topics relating to the use of Mac OS X by theblind" <[email protected]> Sent: Saturday, November 03, 2007 2:57 PM Subject: Re: [Buddys-dogscoop] Fw: [TSE-Chat] Leopard article. I think this is a great opportunity for us to write to AFB, and educate them on the number of blind Mac users who find VoiceOver to be a fully accessible platform for OS X. Initially, I blamed the author of this article for not interviewing anybody on the Mac side of the story, but then thought hmm. THe AFB is suppose to represent the blind population in this country, and who else would he know to go to for computer access in the blind community. We can blast AFB on this list, but I think we would be most effective if we continued to pound of AFB's door, and let them know that VO is not just some Mac version of Narrator. On Nov 2, 2007, at 8:03 PM, Cara Quinn wrote: > Hmm, interesting, this person hasn't even used a Mac with Leopard > for herself, yet still comments... Go figure... > > Smiles, > > CQ :) > > > On Nov 2, 2007, at 4:45 PM, Buddy Brannan wrote: > >> 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! Groups Links >>>> >>>> <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: >>>> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TSE-Chat/ >>>> >>>> <*> Your email settings: >>>> Individual Email | Traditional >>>> >>>> <*> To change settings online go to: >>>> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/TSE-Chat/join >>>> (Yahoo! ID required) >>>> >>>> <*> To change settings via email: >>>> mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] >>>> mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] >>>> >>>> <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: >>>> [EMAIL PROTECTED] >>>> >>>> <*> Your use of Yahoo! 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 >> >> >> > >
