If the user is an absolute beginner, I would recommend VO highly. If they are a long time user of a different OS/screen reader pair, it takes a little time to adjust to the different keystrokes but VO has the advantage that it rarely crashes in a way that will cause you to lose data.
cdh On Mar 16, 2010, at 1:41 PM, Tammy Abreu-Butron.com wrote: > What a wonderful bit of information. I'm going to check out the link. > > Tammy Abreu-Butron > www.tammybutron.com > > On Mar 15, 2010, at 6:57 PM, mani <[email protected]> wrote: > >> Hello: >> I have been developing software for 20+ years and lately, because of >> my declining vision, have been forced to start using a screen reader. >> Just about 2 years ago, I fell in love with the Mac, and hence decided >> to start learning VoiceOver. I made the mistake of starting with the >> 'Getting Started' manual(Snow Leopard version) because it just proved >> to be a 'commands' manual and was quite intimidating( I think it >> should be called 'Getting Frustrated' instead :) ). I looked around >> for other VoiceOver resources and finally came across Mike Arrigo's >> podcasts which you can find in www.blindcooltech.com (this site also >> has those links but I think some of them are broken) . He makes >> VoiceOver appear so easy and intuitive. I recommend that your friend >> start with his first podcast (around 05/2008) and move up to this >> other podcasts in chronological order. I am so glad I found them. >> I hope this helps. Good luck to your friend. >> >> Thanks, >> mani >> >> On Mar 15, 8:55 pm, "E.J. Zufelt" <[email protected]> wrote: >>> Good evening, >>> >>> I would say that it is likely easier for someone to learn to use an Apple >>> with the VoiceOver screen-reader if they have never used a Windows >>> screen-reader before, than if they had. That being said, I personally find >>> the JAWS screen-reader for Windows a little more intuitive than VoiceOver. >>> I have, however, been using JAWS for Windows for 5 years and VoiceOver for >>> only one year. >>> >>> I think that learning either VoiceOver for Apple or JAWS for Windows are >>> quite a reasonably accomplishable task for someone who is willing to put in >>> the time and energy to learn. >>> >>> HTH, >>> Everett Zufelthttp://zufelt.ca >>> >>> Follow me on Twitterhttp://twitter.com/ezufelt >>> >>> View my LinkedIn Profilehttp://www.linkedin.com/in/ezufelt >>> >>> On 2010-03-15, at 8:47 PM, bilgerat wrote: >>> >>> >>> >>>> I'm not blind myself but have a blind friend. She's in her fifties and >>>> has little experience of computers. She was sold a Mercury system by >>>> RNIB a couple of years back but can't get to grips with it. Nor can I. >>>> the system seems unstable and support is extremely limited. There is >>>> also no tuition available at all except audio discs which are >>>> seriously deficient in various respects. >>> >>>> So as a macbook user myself I wonder whether that might be a suitable >>>> alternative for her. Basically she wants a computer for using the >>>> internet, for such everyday things as reading a paper, ordering >>>> groceries online, and using the BBC's I-player. But I'm really >>>> concerned that it might be too difficult to learn. There doesn't seem >>>> to be anyone at Apple UK who is actually experienced at using >>>> voiceover. I found one guy at Apple who gives one-to-one tuition to a >>>> blind user, but he told me they have given up on trying to use it to >>>> navigate web pages because it's just too complex! >>> >>>> So I would be really grateful for advice on this - how difficult is it >>>> for a computer beginner to learn to use; what kind of support if any >>>> is available, any any other things that need thinking about. >>> >>>> -- >>>> 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 >>>> athttp://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en. >> >> -- >> 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. >> > > -- > 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. > -- 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.
