Well ok but the fact is that because apple offers a free screen reader built in to the operating system there is no choice. It is use voice over or not use the mac for a blind person. Also how do we address the point that right now voice over does a good job out of the box but what do you do when it doesn't work. There is not much you can do if lets say skype doesn't fix the access problems that are found within skype for mac. In windows we have our screen reader and other solutions that allow us to address such problems. So if a free screen reader is included in windows won't we lose the choices we have now. Also ask your self this. How much resources is Microsoft going to put in to working on this screen reader. So is this screen reader needs an update to support thunder bird is it going to happen. No why should it. So we will start having to be bound to programs that work with said screen reader. This of course will reduce the number of programs we can use under windows.
The reason I am not a mac user. 1. only one screen reader. 2. there is nothing I can do if a program doesn't work. 3. I loose the choice of computer I use. For me it is all about choice and I am sorry I am not going to use something that takes away my choice. In windows I have a number of choices can use it on what ever pc I want and the access compaired to the other operating system is wonderful. The reason for this is there are choices and compatision going on so we have this access. The same can not be said for the mac or gnome on linux. -----Original Message----- From: Ray Campbell [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Thursday, September 02, 2010 7:55 AM To: [email protected]; [email protected] Subject: RE: [GW-Booksense] Re: GW Micro Responds to the Future of Screen Readers Discussion Panel Questions Hello All: I agree, for the most part, with GW Micro's response to the screen reader questions. There are a couple of areas I'd like to address. As a technical support professional, one of the areas that GW Micro still needs to work on is remote support. Freedom Scientific has done a huge service to those of us providing technical support with the introduction of JAWS Tandem. Nine times out of 10, when I talk with someone using JAWS version 10 or higher that is having a problem, they will ask me to take over their computer with JAWS Tandem and fix the problem. Tandem is built into JAWS and there is no additional charge. While Serotek has also built a very good solution in Remote Incident Management (RIM), it costs $1,200 a year, very hard to justify for not-for-profit agencies like the one I work for. But, remote tools aren't just used by technical support professionals. Tools such as Go to My PC are used by business people to access data on their office PCs all the time. I would like to see GW Micro continue working to make existing remote tools such as Remote Assistance, Go to My PC and Log Me In Pro fully accessible, regardless which end of the connection you are on. Window-eyes, from our perspective, provides the best support for so-called green screen applications. These are main frame applications which people sometimes have to use on the job. Our agency contracts with the state of Illinois for one program where such an application is used. Using Window-Eyes and a 80-cell Braille Display, a person who is totally blind can access this application, albeit the support could always be better. JAWS won't even work with this application, and we haven't tested System Access or NVDA with it. If we were able to do some scripting, I believe we could make the support with Window-Eyes even better. Finally, I'd like to address the issue of built-in screen readers. I believe that as the Mac becomes the computer of choice for people who are blind, Microsoft is going to need to incorporate a screen reader into Windows. I use PCs exclusively at work and at home, and I've been a loyal Window-Eyes user for about 14 years. However, I am increasingly becoming impressed with what the Mac and other Apple products using VoiceOver can do right out of the box. While GW Micro deserves kudos for offering the Lease to Own plan, a plan not duplicated by other screen reader vendors, it's not the same as having accessibility right out of the box. Thanks for reading. Ray Campbell, Adaptive Technology Help Desk Technician The Chicago Lighthouse for People Who Are Blind or Visually Impaired 1850 W. Roosevelt Road Chicago, IL 60608 312.997.3651 (Voice/Relay) or 888.825.0080 (Voice/Relay) [email protected] www.chicagolighthouse.org If you reply to this message it will be delivered to the original sender only. If your reply would benefit others on the list and your message is related to GW Micro, then please consider sending your message to [email protected] so the entire list will receive it. GW-Info messages are archived at http://www.gwmicro.com/gwinfo. You can manage your list subscription at http://www.gwmicro.com/listserv. If you reply to this message it will be delivered to the original sender only. If your reply would benefit others on the list and your message is related to GW Micro, then please consider sending your message to [email protected] so the entire list will receive it. GW-Info messages are archived at http://www.gwmicro.com/gwinfo. You can manage your list subscription at http://www.gwmicro.com/listserv.
