Well put. -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of David Poehlman Sent: Thursday, April 24, 2008 12:06 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Fw: [BCT] Mac tutorials
This is an interesting challenge. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Rick Alfaro" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "'Rick Harmon'" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Thursday, April 24, 2008 11:59 AM Subject: Re: [BCT] Mac tutorials Rick, I agree with you. I think that the fact that VoiceOver is imbedded into the Mac OS is a terrific thing, but I have yet to hear a podcast that demonstrates that the accessibility offered in VoiceOver is at least equal to one of the major Windows screen readers like WindowEyes or JFW. I don't want to diminish the value of having a screen reader as an integral part of the operating system. This is huge, but I have yet to see anyone demonstrate that the great access we have to things like the web, spreadsheets, and applications we use on a daily basis like Skype, Messenger, and the list goes on, is at least equal to what we have in Windows. By access, I don't mean simply that it talks and reads the screens. I mean things like can you go to a web page and jump directly to the third button on the page? Can you go directly to the third form. Can you bring up a list of forms or edit fields in a list so you can choose the one you want to jump to directly? Can you set markers on either a per page or domain level? Can you open a word document with tables and comfortably read through those tables in a meaningful way? Can you open up a spreadsheet and define monitored cells that will automatically speak their value when they change whether they are visible on the screen or not? Can you read mail in Outlook or equivalent email client in html or text and have it automatically read the message for you when opened? Do you have the same level of access to your multi-track recording software as Windows users have to Sonar? Do you have an equivalent solution for scanning and reading to K1000, or OpenBook? Do you have an FTP client that is as accessible as FTP Voyager, or FileZilla? The list could go on and on, but I think these are the sort of questions Windows users would like to see answered in a straight forward and honest way. These questions are not meant to be confrontational in any way. They are just examples of the sort of things I would want to know if someone were to do a podcast on VoiceOver. Honestly speaking, the few podcasts I have heard were cool, and it was awesome to see an OS have a better solution than narrator, but the sort of access I witnessed, and the amount of maneuvering folks had to do to get something's done, to me at least, seemed like Windows access a few years ago. I know VoiceOver is still a baby compared to the Windows screen readers and if development continues, could some day catch up to them, but so far, from what I have heard and seen in podcasts, it does have a long way to go. I am not saying it won't get there but for someone to say access is now equal with VoiceOver is still a stretch. Of course I would love to see development continue by Apple and some day be able to say that I can switch to a Mac if I want to and not miss a thing in terms of accessibility. Hopefully, someone will do a podcast that will prove me wrong. Warmest regards, Rick Alfaro [EMAIL PROTECTED] -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Rick Harmon Sent: Thursday, April 24, 2008 1:54 AM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [BCT] Mac tutorials Ok all you mac users. I've been asking for several months now for mac tutorials demonstrating lepard, voice over and programs on the mac. No one has stepped foward. So here's your chance to show how voice over shines. Let me know if anyone is interested in contributing. Rick -- Visit my webpage and podcast feed at: http://www.blind-geek-zone.net and my web Blog at: http://blind-geek-zone.blogspot.com/ Join the BGZ mailing list by sending a blank email message to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] and reply to the confirmation msg. Contact info: Email - [EMAIL PROTECTED] & [EMAIL PROTECTED] Skype - rharmon928 MSN - [EMAIL PROTECTED] _______________________________________________ BCT mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://lists.blind-planet.com/listinfo.cgi/bct-blind-planet.com _______________________________________________ BCT mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://lists.blind-planet.com/listinfo.cgi/bct-blind-planet.com
