Understood, however going back to Tiger. Does it work for us there? I
don't want to use older equipment that I would have to hunt for in
order to run Pro Tools. If a blind person can run it under Tiger then
let me know. No one uses Pro Tools under Leopard means that Tiger has
been out for 2.5 going on 3 years and I can't test even a accessible
beta product. Again if there is a hidden beta group then point me in
the right direction. Other than that Outspoken is out of business and
Leopard is the future. Only problem is that unless we make change then
change will never come. As a pro there is no way you can tell me you
don't want the latest and greatest. We just can't have the latest and
greatest because...Well you get the point.
On Jan 8, 2008, at 3:48 PM, Karen Lewellen wrote:
Well I can speak to two of your points.
First, at least as of yesterday when I spoke to Digidesign about
another matter, i was told the pro tools does not work with leopard
for anyone right now, so that concept is not fair here.
second, I make my living or part of it using pro tools on a mac
running os 9.22 and one of the last really stable editions of the
program.
Personally I appreciate all that went about to make this happen,
and if vo worked tomorrow, would likely not change my setup as it
works is stable and does the job...for me
I emphasize for me, because as with all accessibility issues, there
is no cookie cutter computer person out their blind or otherwise.
I work as a pro radio producer, and know musicians needs are
different from mine.
so, what is okay for me may not be for you and vice versa.
Still what we do have works wonderfully, and given pro tools has not
been actually fantastic in its latest incarnations, I may be better
off etc.
Not that I will not back any effort to bring you up to speed in the
fashion you desire though.
Karen
On Tue, 8 Jan 2008, Shaun Jones wrote:
The path to accessibility has been very long with minimal results.
Can I as a blind Mac/Windows user pick up a copy of every version
of Pro Tools and use it as a sighted person would? Are there
scripts? What results have you presented for Tiger users? Where was
the beta test? Now that Leopard has been released, where is the
Leopard accessible version of Pro Tools? If I am re missed in my
statement or questions then please correct me. If I can't pick up a
accessible copy today, then how much longer should we wait? What
they need is a Class Action suit to bring accessibility into the
DNA of there software. Please don't tell me about barriers and how
much work has been put into making this accessible if I can't buy a
copy right now that works with the Mac running Leopard. I like the
efforts started back in 1992, but it is 2008 and a change must
come. Accessibility must be in developers mind from the ground up.
If Apple can develop a OS to run on Intel chips from the ground up,
then surely the hottest, best selling professional audio company
can do it as well. Lets be real when it comes to what we want. It
takes 2 seconds for a person to change his or her mind and make a
change. Evadentataly someone isn't talking to the right person
because after 16 years of talking and petitioning we should be able
to test this product with a download or a disc right now. My
question to you on list is, can we?
On Jan 8, 2008, at 2:59 PM, Rick Boggs wrote:
> Attention all audio enthusiasts and engineers interested in
using Pro > Tools. In light of the recent plea transmitted to
this list, I am > compelled to clarify the very important history
and ongoing advocacy > efforts on behalf of blind Pro Tools
users. Please consider this > information before taking any
action called for in the recent post to > this list.
> > > Many of you are aware of the proven track record that I have
in working > with Digidesign to make Pro Tools accessible for
blind users. In fact, > for several years, Digidesign published a
story about our successful work > in this area on their web site.
For those who don't know, in 1992 I > initiated a dialog with the
leadership at Digidesign about possible > accessibility for blind
users. By 1994, I successfully arranged a test > at the
Digidesign lab which determined that outSPOKEN, the Mac screen >
reader at the time, would NOT function with Pro Tools.
Specifically, the > Mac would not even boot properly while both
outSPOKEN and Pro Tools were > loaded on the machine. However,
through respectful, professional, > assertive communication, I was
pleased to find that Digidesign > voluntarily made changes to a
"system init" file which resolved the > conflict and allowed blind
users to access Pro Tools. The change was > made with the launch
of the next generation of the Pro Tools software at > that time
and appeared simultaneously with other improvements to the >
software.
> > Since then, I launched the "BlindProducers.com" web site and
made special > arrangements with the Digidesign sales department
and a Los Angeles > vendor to be able to sell Pro Tools systems to
blind individuals with an > appropriate package and sufficient
support to make use of Pro Tools > realistic for blind users. I
facilitated the purchase of Pro Tools for > blind clients of the
department of rehabilitation after they in fact > purchased my own
system. I even later hired blind audio engineers in my > studio
to work as Pro Tools engineers. Digidesign is well aware of all >
of these facts. Jerry Halatyn and I arranged to meet in person
with the > product development team at Digidesign and demonstrated
how blind users > interacted with Pro Tools 5.1.3 versus what the
barriers are for using > Pro Tools 6.0 and later. We have
established a rapport with key > leadership at Digidesign over the
years and are working to help them > resolve some SIGNIFICANT
technical barriers to accessibility. We can > discuss those
technical details on this list at a later time.
> > In the interest of preserving the good will at Digidesign, and
with > respect for their past record of making necessary
accomodations, we ask > that all interested audio enthusiasts and
professionals allow us to > continue to pursue the existing path
toward accessibility for Pro Tools.
> > Nobody has a greater interest in finding a resolution than
myself or > Jerry since both of us earn a living exclusively by
making recordings > with or Pro Tools systems which are now quite
old and out of date.
> > Please note that rather than bombarding some clerk at
Digidesign with > separate and random expressions of frustration,
Jerry and I organized a > public display of support for a
resolution with the Pro Tools Petition at >
www.ProToolsPetition.org which did render a response from
Digidesign.
> > We ask that all brainstorming on this subject be done in an
open forum > and that NO ACTION be taken without careful
consideration of the history > and progress made thus far.
> > Why not stick with what has worked folks? Ask yourselves how
much you > really know about what the technical problems are that
face Digidesign > this time around. I assure you the barriers are
significant.
> > Rick Boggs
> > > > >
