It would also be nice, albeit unmeasurable, that Apple would be rewarded for implementing universal design. I could then point to it as an example of what happens when a company does things right. I have lots of examples of when companies do things wrong (Target, PriceLine, Ramada and recently CVS). I'd like more carrot and less stick when I do presentations to developers or at conferences.
CB Chris Hofstader wrote: > Hello Chris the Other, > > I agree with your thoughts on universal design. Six or seven years > ago we found that a lot of rehab counselors were downloading daily > content from audible.com and listening on a PAC Mate as they went from > client to client in their cars. this, I suppose, was a bit of > accidental universal design. > > Apple seems to have really figured it out in the iPod Shuffle where > the product can be used by almost everyone straight out of the box and > no features are inaccessible to any portion of a large universe of > potential users. > > I hope that Apple's leadership on this front will drag along other > mainstream players and that we'll start to see the blinkosphere expand > along with the universe. > > cdh > > > On Aug 12, 2009, at 11:40 AM, Chris Blouch wrote: > >> With most mainstream popular products there is huge value in not only >> the thing itself but in the universe that surrounds it. The iPod >> being a case in point. There are jillions of add ons and public >> shared community knowledge which extending the value and uses far >> beyond what maker originally envisioned. This is the mainstream or >> universal access argument. If you can simply make an existing thing >> accessible you get the universe that goes with it for free. The >> VictorReader Stream may be a fine product, but being a niche product >> it will never have the vast array of cases, docking stations, FM >> tuners, chargers etc. Adding a screen reader to a PC is another big >> example which connected another audience to a large existing universe >> of tools. >> >> One of my favorite authors was Isaac Asimov who wrote a lot about >> robots, including some basic tenants about behavior and form. He >> postulated that they would have to be human form to work with the >> universe of existing devices and objects that were designed for our >> use. To make a robot that could only interface with special robot >> tools was doomed to failure in the long run. I think this idea can >> have application in accessible technology. Creating helper devices >> (tools) that work for all folks, not just blind, deaf, low cognition, >> ambulatory or whatever will bring the greatest long term success. >> >> Of course everybody's favorite example of universal design is curb >> cuts which not only make places wheelchair accessible but are also >> great for baby strollers and shopping carts. I even know one guy who >> uses Voiceover on his laptop read off long reports while he is >> driving to work. Why not? Universal design goes both ways and I'm >> sure he wouldn't have sprung for Jaws just to do that. >> >> CB >> >> Chris Hofstader wrote: >>> No! If we expect mainstream companies, like Apple for instance, to >>> follow the philosophy of universal design, then we need to make sure >>> they know how they can improve for our segment of the universe. >>> >>> With Apple, we compared VO to JAWS; iPod to Zen Stone and Victor >>> Stream and iPhone to Mobile Speak on the AT side and the LG with its >>> built in "accessibility." >>> >>> As there is a universe of products, we need to measure them against >>> each other. Navigon, in my opinion, has a number of things it does >>> much better than the AT solutions (will show up in a blog entry >>> soon) but Mobile Speak does some other things better. For instance, >>> if one wants to use an iPhone, Navigon is just about the only >>> solution. It also costs a whole lot less and, in my opinion, is >>> vastly more precise. >>> >>> All technology needs to be compared on a reasonably level set of >>> criteria applied to all solutions, mainstream or blind guy ghetto. >>> >>> cdh >>> On Aug 12, 2009, at 7:19 AM, patrickneazer wrote: >>> >>>> Hello Krister and all: >>>> >>>> I would have just written I agree in this message though that would >>>> chew up unnecessary bandwidth and not really explain anything and >>>> no I am not taking a shop at the moderators with that statement >>>> because I actually agree with the policy. I am not usually a get it >>>> off my chester though ... >>>> >>>> I do believe that when critiques are made against mainstream >>>> products and the evaluative measure for the critique is how it >>>> measures up to a community specific product, that is like comparing >>>> apples to oranges. What it also does is defeat the purpose of >>>> mainstream developers wanting to make things accessible. Why go out >>>> and make things accessible when what seems to be wanted is a blind >>>> specific product that already exists for $70. >>>> >>>> I personally am tired of the argument that navigon is good for the >>>> $70. Navigon is a good app that actually is accessible. Now, I and >>>> others might have to access the information in a manner which is >>>> new or initially uncomfortable though that does not make the >>>> product inaccessible or poorly designed. What it does make the >>>> product is open to individual evaluation.In short, it is perfectly >>>> acceptable for a product to fit one persons needs, not fit a second >>>> persons needs, and still be both a good product which can always be >>>> improved. >>>> >>>> Opened myself up for trouble (grin). >>>> >>>> >>>> On Aug 12, 2009, at 5:12 AM, Krister Ekstrom wrote: >>>> >>>>> >>>>> Ok, Il moderatore, i know this is off-topic somewhat but i as they >>>>> say >>>>> in online business promoting mails, have to get it out of my chest >>>>> before i explode! I think it's a bit unfair to compare standard gps >>>>> solutions with those made strictly for blind folks and if Navigon >>>>> as a >>>>> standard gps solution makes a very good job of helping us around the >>>>> place, it's great! What really would've been great would be if >>>>> someone >>>>> could do a podcast of a navigon session so that one may here it in >>>>> action, rather like people have done with Wayfinder access and >>>>> Mobile >>>>> geo. >>>>> /Krister >>>>> >>>>> 11 aug 2009 kl. 14.10 skrev Chris G: >>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> Hi, >>>>>> FYI Humanware Trekker is not using the Sendero SDK. >>>>>> >>>>>> Chris >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> On Tue, 11 Aug 2009 10:01:26 +0100 >>>>>> william lomas <[email protected] >>>>>> <mailto:[email protected]>> wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> what will the update in december contain for navigon? >>>>>>> >>>>>>> On 10 Aug 2009, at 18:50, Chris Hofstader wrote: >>>>>>> >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> EI don't do podcasts. I will write some blog entries on this stuff >>>>>>>> soon (www.blindconfidential.blogspot.com >>>>>>>> <http://www.blindconfidential.blogspot.com>). >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Of those available to blinks, Wayfinder is the one I know the least >>>>>>>> about as I only used it for a month or so about a year ago. Almost >>>>>>>> all of the players in the AT biz are using the same Sendero engine. >>>>>>>> So, Humanware, Nuance, Freedom Scientific, Code Factory are all >>>>>>>> about >>>>>>>> the same underneath but have different UI that one can pick from. >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> Just based on my minimal experience with Navigon, though, I would >>>>>>>> suggest you stick with Wayfinder/Access until they put out an >>>>>>>> update >>>>>>>> expected in December. Navigon is fine if you don't already have >>>>>>>> something but I wouldn't scrap your current solution quite yet. >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> These opinions are mine and mine alone and are the result of >>>>>>>> messing >>>>>>>> around with Navigon for less than two days and I've been using >>>>>>>> Mobile >>>>>>>> Geo very frequently since it came out and it is my favorite but >>>>>>>> that >>>>>>>> is likely because it is the one with which I'm most familiar. >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> cdh >>>>>>>> On Aug 10, 2009, at 9:40 AM, william lomas wrote: >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> can you do a podcast on navigon so ican hear it? at present i >>>>>>>>> am a >>>>>>>>> wayfinder user and want to "hear" how it compares >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> On 10 Aug 2009, at 14:09, Chris Hofstader wrote: >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>> Hi, >>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>> While I have had and enjoyed my iPhone for about a month and a >>>>>>>>>> half, I >>>>>>>>>> hadn't, before yesterday, needed to switch between running tasks. >>>>>>>>>> Specifically, I was following directions to our local YWCA using >>>>>>>>>> Navigon yesterday. I received a phone call and, after hanging >>>>>>>>>> up, I >>>>>>>>>> couldn't figure out how to get back to Navigon to look at some >>>>>>>>>> things. Navigon continued giving me directions but I could not >>>>>>>>>> get >>>>>>>>>> back to its interface where VoiceOver reads the street names and >>>>>>>>>> such. >>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>> I looked in the iPhone manual and searched on "task >>>>>>>>>> switching" and >>>>>>>>>> "background task" using VO's search facility as well as the >>>>>>>>>> one in >>>>>>>>>> Preview and didn't find anything. I can't believe that this >>>>>>>>>> would >>>>>>>>>> be >>>>>>>>>> too difficult but I can't find it in the manual given the search >>>>>>>>>> criteria I can think up. >>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>> Any help will be appreciated. I'm going back into the manual >>>>>>>>>> to >>>>>>>>>> see >>>>>>>>>> what I might be able to find. >>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>> Happy Hacking, >>>>>>>>>> cdh >>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>> >>>>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> -- >>>>>> Chris G <[email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>> >>>> Take good care and I wish you enough. >>>> >>>> Love >>>> >>>> Me >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>> >>> >>> >> >> >> > > > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "MacVisionaries" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
