Hello, I just want to give also my opinion about this topic: I love the mac because of the stability in global , the simplicity of working, the good integration of the screenreader in the os and the build-in nice features like time-machine, trackpad, and itunes (included all web-applications from apple like the itunes store. Something strange perhaps: the iphone has voices for 21 languages while the mac has only English voices on bored.
I couldn't miss my mac but, I have also some remarks: Since voiceover is the only screenreader on the mac , there is no alternative when something is working bad with the mac. e.g. safari5 is not fully compatible with voiceover in 10.6.4 because the braille is going away in formfields (when you type long texts like a mail on Facebook). Of course that can also happen on windows: if internet explorer or firefox brings a new version of their browser, it could also happen that your screenreader doesn't support that browser anymore but on windows, at least 2 browsers are fully supported by the most screenreaders: internet explorer and firefox. Since the mac has only safari available (with full vo-support), it's hard to work. I have downgraded safari to version 4.5 because of that problem. When Apple brings out bug-fixes with high priority , this fixes are mostly security fixes. When there is a voiceover-bug, it's not seen as a critical bug. This can result in the situation that vo is going forwards by creating new features but , on the same time, it goes also backwards sometimes when things that were working well, are not working anymore in newer releases of programs. I am a mac-user since 10.5.3 and, it's my opinion that leopard was more stable for vo-users. So, there are very nice new features in 10.6 like trackpad, quick-nav, help-messages, webrotor... but there is less stability for vo-users in some situations. BEst regards, William Op 22-aug-2010, om 08:35 heeft Jude DaShiell het volgende geschreven: > First you got to get windows installed on that PC to use satogo or jfw or > window-eyes or nvda. In order to placate sighted friends I'm about to > install a legacy sound card on a pc so screen narrator will have a chance to > work while installing windows XPSP2 since the computer came equipped with an > onboard sound card. Don't forget thunder screen reader too as another > alternative. I tried using nvda with openoffice but couldn't get it working > earlier at home. Though I use jfw for work at work it's not at home and > never will be since I have better things to spend that kind of money on. I > got my ProductKey brailled so ought to be able to start this a little later > today. On Wed, 23 Dec 2009, Joe Plummer wrote: > >> Hi, totally agree. You also have satogo you can use on any PC. No it is not >> as robust as JFW but it is pretty dog gone good. >> >> >> >> Sign, >> JP ( Joe Plummer) >> [email protected] >> >> -----Original Message----- >> From: [email protected] >> [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Tyler Littlefield >> Sent: Tuesday, December 22, 2009 5:50 PM >> To: [email protected] >> Subject: Re: We better keep this going! >> >> Again, vo is great. Everyone is making reasons why it is good, which wasn't >> the point in what I said. All I'm saying is the fact that the mac would work >> from the store I bought it on doesn't mean much as I didn't even buy it from >> a store. Yes, it is great. I love the built-in screen reader support, but it >> seems we go over how amazing it is at least once or twice a week when >> someone else is converted. I love it's stability and security over windows. >> But the fact that I have to install a program really doesn't irc me all to >> much. It is a bit hard, but with things like NVDA I can walk up to a windows >> system and pop in a USB key and be read to roll. Sure it doesn't support >> everything, but it supports quite a bit to make it worth using. I do tech >> support and computer repair around the town I live in, and I've used this >> solution coupled with narrator many times to get me up and running on a >> system I'm fixing. Along with a set of programs I built for troubleshooting >> and cleaning up viruses and such, NVDA is amazing. Sadly though more and >> more people are buying macs, it's not a huge chunk of the market to the >> point where I can just walk to any computer and more than likely it'll be a >> mac. While there are macs out there, the whole "I can go anywhere and use >> it," doesn't exactly work, because there really aren't to many floating >> around. I believe that in order to be productive, we need to be able to use >> *any* computer, whether it be windows or mac, and even a linux system, >> though a portable linux reader doesn't currently exist to my knowledge. >> >> On Dec 22, 2009, at 3:43 PM, Chris Blouch wrote: >> >> >> One other nice thing with VO is it draws a box on the screen to show >> where focus is which helps a lot when collaborating with folks who can see >> the screen. Jaws doesn't do this so when working together it can be hard to >> tell where the Jaws user is on a page. No such problem with VO and you could >> even pull up the caption panel to make it even more clear what VO was just >> saying. >> >> CB >> >> Michael Huckabay wrote: >> >> Yes verry good points. You wouldn't have jaws on every >> computer. Say you go to work and have to use a computer. Well with a PC and >> jaws you would hav to get jaws and put it on that computer wich is changing >> a computer that possibley you would mabey not be using all the time. With a >> mac all you have to do is turn vo on and your set. So if it was a differnt >> computer well you would still be able to work with it. One other thing is >> if you had to help some one say a sighted friend fix there computer. You >> would have to put some sort of speach software on it because you could help >> them. With a mac you could sall the problem and then just turn vo off. >> Just some of my thoughts on this. >> Mike. >> On 2009-12-22, at 4:42 PM, John Andr? Netland wrote: >> >> >> >> Hi, >> >> Well, I think you forget one important point in this >> discussion; The Mac and the iPhone/iPod Touch not only speaks out of the box >> in the Apple Store, it also talks without any additional software on any Mac >> and any iPHone/iPod Touch your friends, your family, your internet caf?s, >> your library, your school, your university, your work etc etc have at their >> location. So, you are not forced to use only your own special edited and >> pre-installed PC at home or at work, with only one authorization available. >> You are free to use any Mac/iPHone/iPod Touch on this planet. If your unit >> is stolen, lost, broken or simply not where you currently are, there are >> always another one available. No re-installing, re-authorization, help to >> perform installation etc etc. That is a consept I like, and would like to >> benefit from. In addition, my Mac and iPHone is currently what makes me >> productive and able to run my business with success. NOt that I could not do >> just that with a PC, but not wit >> h that kind of freedom. >> >> Just my little point of view on this subject. >> Smiles. >> >> Take care, and have a lovely Christmas everyone! >> >> John Andr? >> >> >> On 22. des. 2009, at 22.13, Tyler Littlefield wrote: >> >> >> >> I believe you should re-read my message. I >> said VO still needs help, not "I still need help." >> While a computer that talks off-the-shelf is >> great, that's no reason to tell someone they need to buy the mac. While I >> like the mac, the cost really doesn't balance out having a computer that >> talks in the apple store. >> >> I still stand by what I've said since I >> received voiceover. There are some things that VO does and doesn't do better >> than Jaws. I think we should be looking at what the reader gives us when >> advertizing it rather than saying "You can use this in the store." Because >> in reality it doesn't really matter to our productivity if it works off the >> shelf. While I think the IPhone is great, as I said, I will be buying >> something that isn't an IPhone because of it's voice active issues. Reading >> off a number while being with someone if you want to three-way-call is quite >> annoying in its self, much less having to make sure things are quiet. >> On Dec 22, 2009, at 1:34 PM, Scott Howell >> wrote: >> >> >> >> Tyler, >> >> I do not understand your comment >> below. What does it talking out of the box have to do with whether you need >> help. I do not understand the connection. Can you elaborate? >> >> On Dec 22, 2009, at 2:04 PM, Tyler >> Littlefield wrote: >> >> >> >> Sure, but just because it >> talks out of the box doesn't mean much. Don't get me wrong, I love my VO, >> but there still are things that it needs help with. >> On Dec 22, 2009, at 11:51 >> AM, Scott Howell wrote: >> >> >> >> ALthough I agree >> there needs to be no mission in converting folks,, I do believe it makes >> sense to let any and all know. Whether you like the iPhone or not is in my >> mind irrelevant. What is relevant is the fact that finally now a blind or >> visually impaired person can now go into a store and purchase an accessible >> product, whether that be a computer, iPhone, or iPod, and not have to >> purchase additional and expensive software makes a tremendous difference. >> I think there is >> more to be gained by proving the Mac or other offerings by Apple are viable >> solutions is what will sell the product to a blind or visually impaired user >> honestly. >> >> On Dec 22, 2009, at >> 12:58 PM, Tyler Littlefield wrote: >> >> >> >> The iphone >> seems nice enough, but lets not go on a converting rampage. I'm personally >> getting something else, because I don't like the iphone, even if we had >> service for it where I'm at. >> On Dec 22, >> 2009, at 10:46 AM, Jess wrote: >> >> >> >> >> Hi >> folks, >> >> >> Well, I'm getting the IPhone 3 GS today. But more than that, folks, we need >> to keep the trend of switching to the Mac and IPhone going. The more people >> we have switching, the more inclined Apple will be to continue support and >> development for Voice OVer. >> For >> the first time, I can walk into a store, pick up a phone, and have it talk >> out of the box. I don't have to have this special software that makes my >> phone accessible, and explain to people, oh, this is special software that >> reads aloud what you see on the screen. When I mention to people that I am >> going to get the IPhone, I feel a great deal of satisfaction that people >> don't look at me and go, well Jess, youre blind, so how the hell will you be >> able to use it? It's awesome that I can be treated as an equal. We half! to >> keep this trend up! Otherwise, what we have waited for, hoped for, and >> longed for, access to something right out of the box, will soon be gone >> forever! And by the way, every time I try to convince someone that >> accessibility is a right and we have the right to have 100 percent access to >> everything we buy, that argument that we are to small of a market is always >> what I get. I'm sorry, but Apple is proving that argument to be void, and I >> have never agreed with >> it >> and never will. Any thoughts on this post? >> >> >> Jes >> >> -- >> >> 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. >> >> >> >> -- >> >> 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. >> >> >> >> >> -- >> >> 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. >> >> >> >> -- >> >> 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. > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "MacVisionaries" group. 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