this is the second time I have seen this message and I will say again, I have not seen it anywhere and I looked hard.
----- Original Message ----- From: "Alex Jurgensen" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "General discussions on all topics relating to the use of Mac OS X by theblind" <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, November 04, 2008 2:02 AM Subject: Re: what we have to contend with:Fw: From today's Tech Update Hi, Viavoice is also available from the Mac if it is the prduct from IBM I am thinking of. Thanks for listening, Alex, On 3-Nov-08, at 11:07 AM, Jacob Schmude wrote: > Does it even include the voice or is it just dictation? > Just an idle question: Am I the only one who didn't like eloquence? :) > > > > On Nov 3, 2008, at 09:20, David Poehlman wrote: > >> good luck finding it. >> >> ----- Original Message ----- >> From: "Will Lomas" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >> To: "General discussions on all topics relating to the use of Mac >> OS X by >> theblind" <[email protected]> >> Sent: Monday, November 03, 2008 11:36 AM >> Subject: Re: what we have to contend with:Fw: From today's Tech >> Update >> >> >> it is like eloquence if i can use that with voice over superb >> where do i get it >> >> On 3 Nov 2008, at 15:08, David Poehlman wrote: >> >>> is it free? if not, it is one of the most horrible speach I have >>> ever heard >>> so I wouldn't purchase it. How well does it respond? >>> >>> ----- Original Message ----- >>> From: "M AUSTEN" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >>> To: "General discussions on all topics relating to the use of Mac OS >>> X by >>> theblind" <[email protected]> >>> Sent: Monday, November 03, 2008 10:04 AM >>> Subject: Re: what we have to contend with:Fw: From today's Tech >>> Update >>> >>> >>> Hi, >>> >>> If anyone is interested, IBM's ViaVioce has been for some time and >>> still >>> available for Mac. >>> >>> Mark >>> >>> >>> --- On Mon, 3/11/08, David Poehlman >>> <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: >>> >>>> From: David Poehlman <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >>>> Subject: Re: what we have to contend with:Fw: From today's Tech >>>> Update >>>> To: "General discussions on all topics relating to the use of Mac >>>> OS Xby >>>> the blind" <[email protected]> >>>> Date: Monday, 3 November, 2008, 2:22 PM >>>> Though it is not always mentioned, when the os is updated, >>>> something about >>>> vo gets updated as well because there is so much in the os >>>> that is reflected >>>> in vo. >>>> >>>> ----- Original Message ----- >>>> From: "Dan Eickmeier" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >>>> To: "General discussions on all topics relating to the >>>> use of Mac OS X by >>>> theblind" <[email protected]> >>>> Sent: Sunday, November 02, 2008 11:43 PM >>>> Subject: Re: what we have to contend with:Fw: From >>>> today's Tech Update >>>> >>>> >>>> I agree with what people have said here about the mac and >>>> voiceover. >>>> You spend the money on a mac, you get VoiceOver, and as the >>>> OS is >>>> updated, Voiceover may get updated as well. No haveing to >>>> pay every >>>> couple of years to maintain a JAWS or window-eyes SMA,and >>>> if the oS >>>> gets updated, no waiting for updates to the screen reader >>>> either. On >>>> Nov 2, 2008, at 3:02 PM, David Poehlman wrote: >>>> >>>>> >>>>> ----- Original Message ----- >>>>> From: "Gene" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >>>>> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >>>>> Sent: Sunday, November 02, 2008 10:50 AM >>>>> Subject: Re: From today's Tech Update >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> I can think of one good reason to continue with >>>> Windows or perhaps >>>>> two even >>>>> if everything else is equal. the first reason is a >>>> matter of >>>>> preference but >>>>> many users may find it compelling. Consider speech. >>>> As far as I >>>>> know, >>>>> Eloquence, Via Voice and Dectalk are not available for >>>> Macs. I've >>>>> heard the >>>>> new synthesizer Mac has added and I am not impressed. >>>> It has the same >>>>> problems I've heard with all of the newer type of >>>> synthesizers, >>>>> incorrect >>>>> inflections and more words pronounced oddly or slurred >>>> than I find >>>>> acceptable. According to the promotional material, >>>> the synthesizer >>>>> also >>>>> simulates breathing before long passages. I don't >>>> want a >>>>> synthesizer to >>>>> pretend to breathe. I want it to read during the time >>>> it is >>>>> designed to >>>>> pretend to breathe and not waste my time. The new Mac >>>> synthesizer >>>>> may be as >>>>> responsive as Apple claims, I have no way to know >>>> since I heard a >>>>> recording >>>>> of it and didn't use it. However, many blind >>>> people may very much >>>>> want to >>>>> continue to use the speech they currently use in >>>> Windows or when >>>>> upgrading >>>>> to a g u i operating system from something else. What >>>> about hardware >>>>> synthesizers such as Double Talk or Tripple Talk that >>>> blind people >>>>> may want >>>>> to use. Do they loose access to them if they use a >>>> Mac? >>>>> >>>>> The second reason is one Mike mentioned. I am not >>>> saying this is or >>>>> is not >>>>> the case. As with Mike, I pose the question but in a >>>> different way. >>>>> >>>>> I currently use four screen-readers. I usually use >>>> JAWS but I have a >>>>> Window-eyes demo on my machine, NVDA, and I use System >>>> Access to Go >>>>> when it >>>>> does something better than the other screen-readers. >>>> Since I >>>>> haven't used >>>>> Macs, I can't evaluate this but the question >>>> arises as to whether >>>>> having >>>>> access to so many options provides better access to >>>> certain programs >>>>> or to >>>>> certain web sites. There are times when I get >>>> markedly better >>>>> access to a >>>>> web site using something other than JAWS and times >>>> when JAWS >>>>> provides the >>>>> best access. There are times when a feature in JAWS >>>> gives me more >>>>> convenient access to some aspect of a program. As >>>> with Mike, I am >>>>> skeptical >>>>> that development of a screen-reader facing no >>>> competition will equal >>>>> development when there is meaningful competition. >>>> Also, I question >>>>> whether >>>>> any single screen-reader can possibly deal as well >>>> with a large >>>>> number of >>>>> programs as having different screen-readers with >>>> different >>>>> characteristics >>>>> and variations of features. >>>>> >>>>> Isn't it interesting how many people complain >>>> about Microsoft being a >>>>> monopoly yet they are not the least bit bothered by >>>> the fact that >>>>> there is >>>>> literally only one screen-reader for the Mac? This is >>>> inconsistent. >>>>> >>>>> I'm not advocating that anyone use any particular >>>> operating system. >>>>> I have >>>>> consistently said that people should use what meets >>>> their needs and >>>>> what >>>>> they like. But I am not convinced that using Windows >>>> doesn't have >>>>> advantages. Using a Mac may have advantages but that >>>> doesn't mean >>>>> that >>>>> Windows may not have advantages not found in the Mac. >>>> It's >>>>> unfortunate that >>>>> so many Mac users discuss the Mac with missionary zeal >>>> and religious >>>>> fervor. >>>>> It lowers their credibility. I don't see Windows >>>> users doing the same >>>>> thing. Whenever anyone is too fanatical about >>>> anything, I become >>>>> suspicious. >>>>> >>>>> Gene >>>>> ----- Original Message ----- >>>>> From: "Jude DaShiell" >>>> <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >>>>> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >>>>> Sent: Sunday, November 02, 2008 9:23 AM >>>>> Subject: Re: From today's Tech Update >>>>> >>>>> >>>>>> Apple has lots of user's groups in existence >>>> and not everybody who >>>>>> uses >>>>>> one of Apple's computers is connected with one >>>> of those groups or >>>>>> attends >>>>>> meetings regularly to their cost. Also not every >>>> Apple user knows >>>>>> about >>>>>> http://www.macupdate.com/ or >>>> http://www.versiontracker.com/ >>>>>> either. The >>>>>> windows users could even come up with more >>>> software too if they >>>>>> camped out >>>>>> on http://www.versiontracker.com/ too because that >>>> site offers >>>>>> software >>>>>> links and information for both sets of operating >>>> systems. By now >>>>>> we all >>>>>> of us know about the mac accessibility email lists >>>> which is more >>>>>> than many >>>>>> sighted people know. Those same sighted people >>>> who use mac's can >>>>>> use the >>>>>> same software those of us who use VoiceOver use >>>> because VoiceOver >>>>>> works >>>>>> the way it does. So sighted users can use unison >>>> as well as I can. >>>>>> That's >>>>>> an accessible newsgroup reader that works with >>>> VoiceOver but not >>>>>> all mac >>>>>> software does yet. As to the complaint about >>>> mac's and viruses, rest >>>>>> assured Apple and those in the user's groups >>>> keep current with actual >>>>>> threats and all of them know it's only a >>>> matter of time until those >>>>>> threats become actual viruses. But here's >>>> something to think about >>>>>> for >>>>>> now. One of the computer publications did a poll >>>> of security >>>>>> professionals and learned that when those security >>>> professionals >>>>>> have to >>>>>> do their work given a choice of a windows machine >>>> or a mac, the mac >>>>>> would >>>>>> be their machine of choice. One more thing to >>>> keep in mind, Snow >>>>>> Leopard >>>>>> will fix the problems Apple found after Leopard >>>> got released and >>>>>> some of >>>>>> those will be security optimizations. So Apple >>>> isn't standing still >>>>>> either. So long as Apple continues offering >>>> better operating >>>>>> systems than >>>>>> Vista and I'm alive I see no reason to spend >>>> money on windows. >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>> >>> >>> >>> >> >> >> >> >> > >
