Aggreed. That's the pretense in a lot of technology and what we do today.

On 8/20/12, Dónal Fitzpatrick <[email protected]> wrote:
> no question Josh.  But my fear is that Apple thinks it has done all it needs
> to for those of us who are blind and need to access these devices.  They
> have responded to the need to provide accessibility by developing voiceover.
>  Yep it's free, generally usable and ticks oh I'd say, 85% of the boxes.  I
> just think they still can refine it.  Fleksy is just such a refinement.
>
> Let's just say I've heard enough skuttlebut which would indicate that blind
> users aren't a priority, and that other disabilities are.  I believe the job
> isn't finished.
>
> Dónal
> On 20 Aug 2012, at 23:47, josh gregory <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>> Ok I get what you're saying, but, it's better than Windows where you
>> have to use Narrator to get a screen reader from the Internet. Now i'm
>> not bashing windows, it's still good for what Vo can't do. But I just
>> think vo is more universally accessible.
>>
>> On 8/20/12, Dónal Fitzpatrick <[email protected]> wrote:
>>> Travis,
>>>
>>> I've played with the free app and personally have no intention of paying
>>> the
>>> "blind tax" that seems to be on these apps.  However I'll also add that
>>> I've
>>> begun to chat with the developers (*smile* as a result of a mildly
>>> offensive
>>> and rather negative tweet about the app) and they are very nice guys who
>>> are
>>> extremely committed to what they are doing.
>>>
>>> Wearing my usability hat for a second, I think what they're trying to do
>>> makes sense.  I don't know about you, but I don't hit letters accurately
>>> 100% of the time.  So in essence all they are doing is building in error
>>> correction for inaccurate keypresses.  That's an over simplification but
>>> in
>>> essence that's how I see it.  Now from the standpoint of the research,
>>> taken
>>> heuristically as it were, that makes sense to me.  Allowing the device
>>> to
>>> "assist" or "second guess" the user for whom traditional input doesn't
>>> quite
>>> work is a good idea.
>>>
>>> Where it falls down in my view is the fact that this input method isn't
>>> available globally.  So one cannot, as it were, select the "fleksy
>>> keyboard"
>>> as opposed to apple's own variants.  As an aside, they tell me that
>>> developers can in fact incorporate their work into their apps and they
>>> have
>>> had interest in this.
>>>
>>> What jumps out at me is that a software developer has seen a niche/gap
>>> in
>>> the market and filled it.  The reason, and again this is pure opinion on
>>> my
>>> part, is that voiceover (whether on IOS or the desktop platforms) has
>>> stagnated.  There, I've said it and now the apple fanboys/girls will no
>>> doubt create a strong rope made of iPhone cables with which to hang me
>>> from
>>> the nearest cellphone mast.  However, let's think about it.  We all
>>> (well
>>> certainly I and a number of my friends did) were delighted with the
>>> emergence of Alex, trackpad use, access to touchscreens etc.  However
>>> what's
>>> happened since?  We still have the same bugs, the gesture/keyboard
>>> interactions haven't been refined and software such as Pages, Numbers,
>>> Keynote and Preview still are not, in my opinion, usable to the extent
>>> they
>>> should be.
>>>
>>> So returning to Fleksy and what I think it shows.  I think it shows that
>>> Apple don't have the monopoly on ideas.  I think it shows the problems
>>> inherent in the design of voiceover on both mobile and desktop platforms
>>> in
>>> that developers cannot "plug in" to the screenreader and create
>>> extensions.
>>> That is bad, ladies and gentlemen because it means as long as we stick
>>> on
>>> Apple platforms, we've got to put up with what they give us and that,
>>> for
>>> the past few years hasn't been much.  I now expect the usual blind
>>> response
>>> of "oh but we should all be grateful to apple because. (blah blah)" and
>>> all
>>> of that is perfect true.  But how long do we have to remain grateful
>>> for?
>>> We're paying our money just like anyone else so should expect
>>> improvements
>>> in the user experience.  There are seven, yes only seven, new voiceover
>>> features in mountain lion, and many bugs that have been there for years
>>> are
>>> still there.  So yes I am delighted apple introduced a free
>>> screenreader,
>>> but they're happy too as they have got money from me (and other blind
>>> users)
>>> as a consequence that they otherwise wouldn't have received.
>>>
>>> I could wax lyrical on some theoretical analysis I've done on all this
>>> but
>>> most people would accuse me of being boring so I won't.
>>>
>>> that's my few cents worth on Fleksy, apple and the world according to
>>> Garp.
>>>
>>> Dónal
>>> On 20 Aug 2012, at 22:09, Travis Siegel <[email protected]> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Ahh, Donald, an excellent summary of the app, and exactly what I
>>>> needed.
>>>> I couldn't figure out from previous emails what the point was, so
>>>> thanks
>>>> for that.
>>>> It does sound like it could be a useful app.  However, for now, I'll
>>>> stick
>>>> with apple's method, I like it, and it works for me, and I'm relatively
>>>> quick, so I don't see a need to change everything now. :)
>>>> Yes, I'm a bit stuck in my ways. :)
>>>> Thanks for the explanation, it makes a whole lot of sense now.
>>>>
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>>>
>>> Dónal Fitzpatrick
>>> [email protected]
>>>
>>>
>>>
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>>
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> Dónal Fitzpatrick
> [email protected]
>
>
>
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