May I just say that one of the things I adore - and I repeat "adore" -
about Alex is that I can hear 'him' breathe. This is unprecidented and
it makes a synthetic speech so much less tiring. I guess I have always
remained very human when it comes to computers in that my brain has
never adapted to listening to synthetic speech. Alex doesn't make me
as tired as I used to get exactly because he sounds more like a human
being and breathes and he has a little catch in his voice on certain
vowels which makes me smile. (It's not a catch maybe but a little
crow. <smile>). So I do hope that Alex's breathing is never going to
be edited out of him, and if it ever does, I shall give up alex which
means a messy divorce! <smile>
The intelligibility of Alex's pronounciation is also superior. I think
I can speak with some authority as a linguist.
Apart from my usual grumblings regarding Mac - mostly to do with
Appple moving faster and faster - I think Mac computers are superior
even though at present I am basing this on the knowledge of the
potential still to come.
As for competition in the market? Well, I think it is a double-edged
sword. I think and hope that Apple's going to carry the day by its
excellence rather than by playground arguments.
O, and thanks Tim for your eloquent and intelligent response to this
discussion.
With best wisehs
Simon
On 6 Nov 2008, at 16:51, Tim Kilburn wrote:
Hi all,
Here's my opinion on this sort of thing. I'll insert my initials
where I'm speaking and let the original writer remain as Gene.
Feel free to send my notes right back to this writer.
Gene: 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.
TK: I'm quite sceptical as to why one would find Eloquence more
desirable than Alex. I find most Eloquence voices very computer
sounding, that is, they simply sound like electronic speech as
opposed to more human-like. DecTalk was my preferred synthesizer
for JAWS although it had its share of mispronounciations as well.
I'm not familiar with Via voice and therefore wouldn't be at
liberty to comment. there are, of course, the Infovox voices
available for Mac as well which are very high quality voices.
Gene: 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.
TK: Wast time? The amount of time that it takes for Alex to take
a breath is so minimal that it would probably only use up 30
seconds of time in a couple of hours of listening. do you find it
a waste of time for audio-book readers to breathe when listening to
audio-books?
Gene: 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.
TK: Sometimes, people need to let go of the past and embrace newer
more advanced technologies. Yes, you may be used to the old
speech, but that does not make it feasible nor desirable for all
OS's to build it in to their system.
Gene: 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?
TK: In some cases, yes. Again, there may be something similar for
the Mac or the question may just be asked, are they really necessary?
Gene: 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.
TK: If all developers follow Apple's guidelines with respect to
accessibility, there would be no need to have different
screenreaders for different apps. VoiceOver is built right into
the OS and thus the problems that arise from bolted-on
screenreaders are not evident within the MacOS.
Gene: 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.
TK: Microsoft does not hold the monopoly on screenreaders for
Windows, so this argument is rather lame. Just about everyday I
hear misinformed arguments about the usability of Mac software and
the amount of Mac software out there in the world. Best to do some
solid research before trying to sound knowledgeable about something
your not.
Gene: 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.
TK: Good point. It probably would have been best to stop here,
but...
Gene: 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.
TK: I guess you just haven't been around an Apple computer
environment enough. As I mentioned earlier, the misinformed
rubbish that I hear coming out of the general public often stemming
from biased so-called Tech-professionals is why many a Apple user
is so outspoken about their preference.
Gene:
Whenever anyone is too fanatical about anything, I become
suspicious.
TK: You have a right to feel that way, but you should check into
the whole story before putting your suspicions into writing.
Later...
Tim Kilburn
& Carter the Canine
Fort McMurray, AB Canada
