Never thought of it that way. That's a good analogy.
---
Shepherds are the best beasts, but Labs are a close second.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Thomas Ward" <thomasward1...@gmail.com>
To: "Gamers Discussion list" <gamers@audyssey.org>
Sent: Sunday, April 22, 2012 6:04 AM
Subject: Re: [Audyssey] LWorks
Hi Dark,
Yeah, touchscreens can be nice once you get use to them. I didn't find
them as difficult as I thought they'd be, but there apparently not for
everybody. Like everything else in life it all depends on how much effort,
time, and energy you are willing to commit to learning the new interface.
The best way I can describe it is cane travel verses a dog guide. With
cane travel a blind person uses his/her cane to stay in contact with the
world around them such as the tree lawn, walls, staircases, parked cars,
etc. With a guide dog the dog avoids polls, trash bins, parked cars, and
just about everything a blind cane traveler is taught to use as landmarks.
The difference between a keyboard and touchscreen is similar.
With a keyboard or keypad there are buttons and keys in the same place
that a blind person can use to orient himself or herself with. With a
touchscreen it is a flat plastic surface with no physical landmarks to
orient the blind user. Instead a blind user must use his/her memory and
mental image of the screen layout to point at a specific area of the
screen and tap the correct icon, menu option, etc. On the iPhone, at
least, it helps that you get some verbal feedback as to what you are
doing.
This is nothing more than a hunch but I'm guessing people who are having
trouble with touchscreens have a very poor sense of spacial orientation.
They have difficulty visualizing the locations of things on the screen and
aren't sure where to put their fingers to activate a certain icon etc.
They are easily confused by the user interface because they are unable to
form a mental image of the screen and how it is laid out for the sighted
user.
Cheers!
---
Gamers mailing list __ Gamers@audyssey.org
If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to gamers-unsubscr...@audyssey.org.
You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at
http://mail.audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org.
All messages are archived and can be searched and read at
http://www.mail-archive.com/gamers@audyssey.org.
If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the list,
please send E-mail to gamers-ow...@audyssey.org.
