Hi there,
Here's a new Mac user
who bought a MacBook Pro only because I thought it was now
accessible enough for me to give it a try. I have used windows for...
I don't care to remember how long. The only thing that got me in the
Mac world was curiosity.
Now that I'm in it, let me share a few feelings I had/have.
The Synthesizer that comes with VO has a new voice Alex and it's
scary... I mean, the thing actually breathes,! for god's sake! It is
indeed the best speech I had heard. That is, until I went on the
Assistiveware site where I found synthesizers from Acapella. I
installed a Canadian French voice (Louise) and, with it, they give you
Heather. Those 2 ladies are ranking at the very top of my speech
synthesizer list. They are! sexy sounding and, I don't think you'll
have any problem spending a whole day hearing them telling you the
screen content. I have setup Alex to be the content voice and Heather
as the default and I like it very much.
Looking at your needs the only thing I can say is that after 2 weeks
of random use, reading this list and practicing, I'm handling all my
personal email on the Mac , I purchased installed and registered
Louise and Heather online and I have connected the thing on my home
network and I can exchange files between my Mac and my other PC's.
To me, the biggest thing for now is to get used to the way the cursor
works. For instance, I don't know how to delete characters the way we
do it in windows. IN WINDOWS, WHEN YOU PRESS THE DELETE KEY, IT
DELETES THE CHARACTER IN FRONT OF THE CURSOR. I HAVE NOT FOUND HOW TO
DO THIS YET ON THE MAC AND, TO BE CANDID, A 25 YEARS HABIT IS QUITE
HARD TO BREAK. I'M HOPING SOMEONE WILL TELL ME HOW I CAN DO THIS
BECAUSE, THE SOLE USE OF THE BACKSPACE KEY to delete characters behind
the cursor IS DRIVING ME A LITTLE coucou BANANA WILD. AND BECAUSE OF
THAT, I'M DEFINITELY NOT READY TO SWITCH MY WORD PROCESSING ACTIVITIES
ACROSS THE FENCE FOR NOW.
ONE THING YOU PROBABLY WANT TO KEEP IN MIND IS THAT, FOR $79.00, you
can purchase Fusion from VMWare. This will allow you to run a Windows
session from the Mac, hence, potentially providing you with a
transitional ground that might be quite acceptable. I've not tried
this yet but I certainly intend to.
I tried streaming a few things on the internet and I found ITune to be
quite neat to use. I started 3 different radio station streams and I
could switch between them (back and forth) within about half of a
second.
ITune also appeared faster to initiate the streams. Another neat
thing about the Mac is its natural sound-related abilities. You can
set the volume of ITune, the volume of your synthesizer as well as
the overall volume independently. I even experienced instances where
the synthesizer was speaking 2 things simultaneously and all that,
using only the default sound card. This thing definitely appeared to
be multichannels.
One final thought, in my opinion, the most important part of a
successful migration is the transition. If you can, try to walk
across it as opposed to jumping in it. This way, you're not stuck
having to do things when you don't have time to learn them. And if
you can't do that, jumping in the Mac pool is not so bad. I didn't
find the water to be cold at all.
Besides, there are a lot of knowledgeable folks on this list who will
certainly be able to help you, if you decide to embark on the jerney.
So much for my .00000004840345 cens worth.
Cheers from Varennes, Qc, Canada,
JC
Skype: Canadianfrog
On 14-Mar-08, at 2:10 PM, Store wrote:
Here's your chance to pitch VO to a potential switcher or to pass
along those warnings that you wish you had been given.
I'm not a computer professional, though I've used everything from an
Apple II E with Braille Edit as a child to VersaBrailles and, today,
both JAWS and Window-Eyes. Right now, I generally use word
processing, E-mail, the Internet for informational purposes, and the
occasional spreadsheet. I'm not a musician or in any way likely to
produce entertainment material on my computer, though, once I
replace my obsolete home system, I'm likely to try learning more
about podcasts and listening to more audio. I have checked out
Screenless Switchers and a few articles sited recently on the list
and found them interesting. Since I have no vision, I'm most
interested in the thoughts of those who rely on speech. My questions?
For those who use both, what are your favorite qualities of the Mac
or of Windows vs. the Mac?
What types of tasks does the Mac excell at?
For any non-computer pros: How long did it take to learn VO well?
I checked it out at the store and even read some documentation. I'm
fascinated by Apple's interest in building accessibility into their
products, but I sense that my learning curve may be steep. That
being the case, I'm looking for the low-down on what kind of bang I
might get for my buck, so to speak.
Since I'm subscribed from my part-time job, I'll only be able to
reply during certain times on weekdays, so please don't mistake
silence for lack of interest.
Also, if there are any VO experts in Pittsburhg, PA, feel free to
write me off list if you're willing to have a novice come and play
on your computer.
Thanks a bunch for any input.
Tammi
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