I love my Mac and would never go back to using windows as my main machine. However,the point about spreadsheets is, unfortunately, a good 1. I am forced to use windows for spreadsheet work, for now anyway!
On Apr 21, 2010, at 3:38 AM, Dónal Fitzpatrick wrote: > good morning Denise, > > I would agree with the others who have replied to this thread stating that > the Mac can be used as a productivity tool. I am a University professor (in > the American sense of that word rather than the Uk/Irish meaning) which means > I must use my mac to write papers, grade student exams and to carry out other > functions. However, I have not totally abandoned my Dell. While the word > processor in iWork 09 is accessible, I don't like either the Numbers > spreadsheet application or indeed the access provided by VO. It's just an > opinion, and no doubt the zealots on this list will vehemently disagree, but > I still believe that the browsing of spreadsheets using Jaws is > unparallelled. Vo lacks the kinds of semantic access to this kind of data > that Jaws/Excel provide. > > I would particularly agree with the comment which said "preview" is a lovely > PDF reader, however it has given me problems when used in full-screen mode. > > Cheers > > Dónal > On 21 Apr 2010, at 01:23, denise avant wrote: > >> Hi, >> >> Yes. Particularly since I am a lawyer with the public defenders office. And >> my primary role as an appellate and post-conviction attorney is to write >> briefs, with case citations. >> >> I knew about the fusion program, as I have spent time talking to others >> about the program. I didn't know about the snap shot. >> >> So thanks. >> >> >> >> >> >> From: [email protected] >> [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of John J Herzog >> Sent: Tuesday, April 20, 2010 7:14 PM >> To: [email protected] >> Subject: Re: the apple user? >> >> >> >> Hello, >> >> As a macbook user, who has to write substantial papers for law school, and >> who has used his computer at a summer internship with Pepsico, I feel I can >> helpfully answer your questions. >> >> Forgive the length of this email. >> >> First, the idea that macs are only play toys is complete and utter nonsense. >> On my mac, I do use the apps like Itunes and Ichat, but I use serious apps >> as well. Iwork is quite accessible, as is text edit, allowing you to do >> extensive formatting of documents. Also, the preview application on the mac >> is one of the best PDF readers I have ever seen. The text is readable with >> voiceover, and there are few, if any crashes. What other screen readers can >> you say that about? >> >> >> >> Next, I will address your concern about microsoft office applications not >> being accessible. It is true that they do not work with voiceover. However, >> for about seventy dollars, you can pick up a program called VMware fusion. >> Fusion allows you to install windows and run it at the same time as your >> mac. This means that you can use whatever screen reader you like for windows >> and run office without a hitch. >> >> There is one more upside to running fusion on mac. After you have configured >> windows just the way you want it, you can create what is known as a >> snapshot. The snapshot will restore your system to its exact configuration >> at the time you took it, meaning you will always have a fresh install of >> windows, office, and your screen reader a click away. It's awesome, because >> it does a complete and utter system restore when windows decides to go south >> on you. For a blind person, I actually think a mac with fusion is better >> than a standard windows PC for this reason. Note that a fusion snapshot >> literally restores all files and settings to the way they were when you took >> it. It is much more extensive than using the built in windows system restore >> utility. It has saved my skin a number of times, and I will give you a >> perfect example. >> >> At the beginning of law school, I found it necessary to purchase a scanner >> with a document feeder. Previously, I had a different scanner that I was >> using with kurzweil 1000. Now, when I installed the twain drivers for the >> new scanner, after trying to unsuccessfully remove the old drivers, I found >> myself in a situation where neither set worked. If I had a standard windows >> machine, I was facing the real possibility of having to reinstall windows to >> get either unit to work reliably. Either that, or it was having to spend >> hours and hours messing with system dll files, and we all know what happens >> after that. >> >> So, instead, I just restored a snapshot I made of my XP machine prior to >> having installed either Kurzweil or the scanner software. I then installed >> both on what was essentially a fresh copy of windows, and all was smooth >> sailing from there. It saved me from endless headaches, plus the burden of >> having to get a sighted person to help install the screen reader again, and >> the time that would have been wasted in such a pursuit. >> >> I hope this helps answer your questions. >> >> John >> >> >> >> P.S. If you go to www.blindcooltech.com, you can find some excellent demos >> of the macintosh by Mike Arigo. He even shows how fusion and voiceover work, >> and he runs window eyes on the XP side of things. >> >> >> >> Hope this helps. >> >> >> >> >> >> On Apr 20, 2010, at 7:52 PM, denise avant wrote: >> >> >> >> >> >> Hello all, >> >> Please forgive the length of this message. >> >> In researching the issue of whether to purchase an apple mac or not, I've >> come across a few people who have expressed criticism if not concern about >> the mac computers themselves. I own the iphone, and have enjoyed it >> tremendously. I've been able to do things with the phone I was never able to >> do with other phones. The only problem I still have is putting in extensions >> and account numbers once the number is connected. >> >> But having said this, I seriously doubt whether I will ever buy another >> phone, where I don't have accessibility built in. >> >> There is an applestoe here in Chicago, and when I've had any problem of any >> kind, the sales staff has been very easy to deal with. >> >> Even when I call on the telephone, I find a very friendly staff. >> >> I have my own personal sales representative since I have mac book pro on the >> drawing board. >> >> What I enjoy most of all, is that I can go to an appelstore, and with the >> exception of a couple of products, there is accessibility right out of the >> box, with no extra costs or smas to worry about. >> >> I'm seeking opinions from those of you who use these computers with voice >> over. The biggest criticism I've heard that if you're conducting a business >> or doing a serious project, the mac is not for the blind user. This >> apparently has to do with the fact that the office aps are not accessible >> with vo, and iwork9 acts strangely sometimes. >> >> Basically, one person, who doesn't use the mac, but is familiar with the >> product line, told me that the operating system was those who wanted to >> "play." >> >> Can those you have used the macbooks or other appel operating systems >> address these issues. 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