OH wow. I might have to check that out. I'm using text edit and open office but it's nice to have another tool under your belt.
S On Sep 27, 2010, at 8:08 PM, Rose Morales wrote: > I had to laugh while reading that message, Isaac. Ironically, I wrote that > while dealing with a migraine I already had for four or five hours. Yes, I > did go to business school and was given the opportunity to study Office XP > very extensively. For those of you who have never seen Office XP (Also known > as Office 2002), it looks very similar to Office 2003. The extra features in > 03 seem to mainly deal with XML support. I played with Measure Up at school > and was given a copy to take home. I was surprised to see how accessible it > actually is. It's a great tool for testing out your skills in Office. I have > the Microsoft Specialist Study GUide here for Office 03. That thing fills in > the gaps of what I don't know about Office after that program. Before taking > that program, I honestly didn't have as much of an appreciation for Office as > I do now. I thought, what could a program like this teach me that I don't > already know? I was pleasantly surprised to learn so much from the classes I > took. > > These are the reasons why I can appreciation the beauty of having an > equivalent for Office that we as Voiceover users can make use of on the mac. > > You may be pleased to know that Text Edit creates, opens, and edits a variety > of formats: .txt, .rtf, .doc, .docx, .rtfd, .odt, .webarchive, .html and > .xml. However, you should also be aware that Text Edit does not support all > of Word's features. According to the reviews from the page I previously > posted a link to, the same goes for Pages. If you're only doing basic word > processing, this shouldn't be an issue. The worst thing which could happen > might be that you have to reformat your document by picking new fonts and > changing how your paragraphs are formatted. I could see this being a pain if > you're using styles, but your average user generally doesn't. > On Sep 27, 2010, at 10:22 AM, Isaac Obie wrote: > >> Hi Rose, >> do you have any tylenol or Leave? I got a headache readin' your dissertation >> on MS Word! I don't really need a spellchecker! I honestly don't! If I >> have any typos it's because my fingers didn't press hard enough! >> I have Word97 on all my windows machines. I use it mostly to convert .doc >> files to text files for my notetakers. >> all I ever write mostly is grocery lists and letters and they're not fancy >> letters either! Plain text and straight to the point! I'll be doing the same >> with the mac! >> Rose, do you have stock in Microsoft? How many shares? how much are they >> going for today? About sixty bucks a share? I am guessing.... >> You sound like you went to business management school. I've never seen such >> a dissertation on an office suite before! I had to read it to the end. Not >> even Ester and Anne robbinson talk in such depth! Whew! I think I'll take >> four more tylenols! :) :) >> I am going to save this one! this is a keeper! >> Isaac >> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Rose Morales" <[email protected]> >> To: <[email protected]> >> Sent: Monday, September 27, 2010 8:15 AM >> Subject: Re: Microsoft Office 2011 and VoiceOver >> >> >> The problem with something like Notepad is that notepad can only write text >> files. This is fine if you're just looking to jot down a note or ten. Hence >> the name notepad, :). MS Word is designed to let you format your text. Now, >> one could use Wordpad, but that doesn't have a spellchecker. Furthermore, MS >> Word is able to handle some pretty advanced word processing features: >> indices, table of contents, table of figures, table of authorities, >> outlines, bulleted lists, subdocuments, styles, track changes, tables, >> charts, simple excel calculations and formulas, mail merge, envelope >> labeling, and probably more I'm not thinking of. WHile your average MS Word >> user might not even know half of these features exist, there are others who >> simply cannot live without them. Personally, having taken a course in >> Office, I can certainly appreciate the idea of MS Word for mac. An awesome >> word processor on an even more awesome OS? That sounds lovely. Too bad that >> won't happen for awhile. With that being said, let's look at some of Pages >> notable features: numerous preloaded templates, the ability to create custom >> templates, easy insertion of headers and footers, styles, track changes, >> mail merge, footnotes, endnotes, bookmarks, tables, charts, and formulas. >> And Pages has the ability to export not only to word documents but epub, >> rtf, PDF, and html. You can't save as .docx yet, which is a pity, but you >> can open .docx files just fine. >> >> I'm not saying all this to suggest that everyone immediately love Pages. We >> can all agree it lacks some features which word has. Honestly, my first >> instinct is to fire up Word when I'm doing some intense document writing and >> editing. And I'm a hard core Mac girl. For my every day writing, I use Text >> Edit, and I love it. I call it WOrdpad on steroids because Wordpad doesn't >> have a spellchecker, the ability to save to PDF, or the ability to implement >> basic styles. At any rate, what I am suggesting is that we as Mac users >> (those of us with Pages at least) step back and say, okay, Pages isn't word. >> But what can it offer me? Is there some word processing I could be doing in >> Pages which I previously only did in Word? And if we don't know the answer, >> why not try creating that document in Pages when we're not on a time crunch? >> We might just surprise ourselves. In an effort to remain objective, I will >> also take the opportunity to include this link in my post. It is to Pages >> reviews on macupdate.com. >> >> http://www.macupdate.com/reviews.php?id=17494 >> On Sep 27, 2010, at 5:51 AM, ISAAC OBIE wrote: >> >>> Hi Kawal, >>> Frankly, I don't like programs like MS Word because it's too big for what I >>> want to do. It's huge, clumsy and plain a pain in the posterior. I love >>> notepad! I think Notepad can do all I want including cleaning up a file. >>> Now when I really get in to the Mac I think Text edit might do the trick. I >>> honestly don't know yet. Maybe Esther's "Simplenote" might do it. I'll have >>> to explore that at some point. >>> Isaac >>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Kawal Gucukoglu" >>> <[email protected]> >>> To: <[email protected]> >>> Sent: Monday, September 27, 2010 4:27 AM >>> Subject: Re: Microsoft Office 2011 and VoiceOver >>> >>> >>>> I too will be switching to I works rather than working with Microsoft >>>> Products in the future. >>>> >>>> >>>> Kawal Gucukoglu >>>> >>>> On 27 Sep 2010, at 12:53 AM, gkearney <[email protected]> wrote: >>>> >>>>> It is interesting to note that the ribbons were accessible, much of >>>>> the user interface is as well. It is the main content areas that are >>>>> not accessible. >>>>> >>>>> Greg >>>>> >>>>> On Sep 27, 6:16 am, "Dave Taylor" <[email protected]> wrote: >>>>>> I bet that if they tried, they would soon realise that the ribbons would >>>>>> be >>>>>> difficult if not impossible to implement with VO anyway. As it is, their >>>>>> insistence on these awful things is one of my key drivers for making the >>>>>> switch, though there are many others too. Mike, the podcast where you >>>>>> install Snow Leopard is as good a demonstration as anything of how far >>>>>> things have come on the Mac side, I'm afraid it is the opposite story, >>>>>> almost the reverse story, on the windows side! >>>>>> >>>>>> Cheers >>>>>> Dave >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> -----Original Message----- >>>>>> From: [email protected] >>>>>> >>>>>> [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Mike Arrigo >>>>>> Sent: Sunday, September 26, 2010 11:03 PM >>>>>> To: [email protected] >>>>>> Subject: Re: Microsoft Office 2011 and VoiceOver >>>>>> >>>>>> I don't think he said it was a beta. It is very disappointing indeed, >>>>>> really, Microsoft has no excuse for this one, it's not like they were not >>>>>> aware of accessibility and voice over, they just chose not to do anything >>>>>> with it. Apple has created a built in screen reader and provided the >>>>>> APIs to >>>>>> make programs accessible, Microsoft has definitely shown their interest >>>>>> in >>>>>> this. At least on the mac, there are alternatives that will handle >>>>>> Microsoft >>>>>> Office files, namely iwork and open office. >>>>>> On Sep 26, 2010, at 3:18 PM, M. Taylor wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>>> Hello Greg, >>>>>> >>>>>>> Thank you so much for providing this info. >>>>>> >>>>>>> I cannot begin to relay how sad and disappointed I am at the news of >>>>>>> Microsoft's Office 2011 VoiceOver inaccessibility. >>>>>> >>>>>>> Wow! >>>>>> >>>>>>> You know, when I installed the very first beta of Windows 7, it was >>>>>>> completely accessible. That is to say, as soon as one launched the >>>>>>> installation program for Windows 7, a very clear voice prompt asked if >>>>>> audio >>>>>>> assistance was required. This came as a total surprise to me, to say >>>>>>> the >>>>>>> least. I answered in the affirmative and was able to install Windows 7 >>>>>>> without any sighted assistance, whatsoever. I installed that first beta >>>>>> on >>>>>>> three of my computers. By the way, the voice that was used to guide me >>>>>>> through the setup was not that of Narrator--it was much clearer. >>>>>> >>>>>>> Astonishingly, with the release of the next beta of Windows 7, this >>>>>> feature >>>>>>> was removed. I was shocked, disappointed, and angry, to say the least. >>>>>> >>>>>>> It was then that I began considering purchasing a Macintosh. >>>>>> >>>>>>> It's been much too long to recall how I came to learn Microsoft's reason >>>>>> for >>>>>>> removing this feature but they said they removed it for security >>>>>>> concerns; >>>>>>> to which I exclaim, "TommyRot!!!!!" Or, to put it in the vernacular, >>>>>>> "That's a load of crap!!!!" >>>>>> >>>>>>> Greg, is it possible that the final release of Office 2011 will be >>>>>> VoiceOver >>>>>>> accessible? I mean, you reviewed a beta, did you not? Perhaps I'm just >>>>>>> grasping at straws, eh? (Smile) >>>>>> >>>>>>> Thanks again for giving us a proverbial "heads-up" on this one. >>>>>> >>>>>>> Most Sincerely, >>>>>> >>>>>>> mark >>>>>>> - >>>>>> >>>>>>> -----Original Message----- >>>>>>> From: [email protected] >>>>>>> [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Greg Kearney >>>>>>> Sent: Sunday, September 26, 2010 1:22 AM >>>>>>> To: [email protected]; [email protected]; Mary >>>>>>> Beth >>>>>>> Janes; Mike Shebanek >>>>>>> Subject: Microsoft Office 2011 and VoiceOver >>>>>> >>>>>>> It is my sad duty to report that after getting a chance to test >>>>>>> Microsoft >>>>>>> Office 2011 for Mac that it is no more accessible in this version than >>>>>>> in >>>>>>> any of the previous versions. As in the past it is impossible to >>>>>>> interact >>>>>>> with any of the content areas of the program. You are not able to >>>>>>> review, >>>>>>> read or edit the text area in Word or Excel. >>>>>> >>>>>>> It should not be clear to all that Microsoft has no intention of ever >>>>>> fixing >>>>>>> these issues. I communicated directly with Microsoft over the same >>>>>>> failing >>>>>>> in Office 2008. The fact that after a complete rewire of the programs >>>>>>> they >>>>>>> remain inaccessible to the built in screen reader of the OS to me speak >>>>>>> volumes about Microsoft's total lack of commitment to accessibility on >>>>>>> the >>>>>>> Macintosh platform and may well speak to Microsoft's general commitment >>>>>>> to >>>>>>> the platform as well. >>>>>> >>>>>>> Gregory Kearney | Manager Accessible Media >>>>>>> Association for the Blind of WA - Guide Dogs WA >>>>>>> PO Box 101, Victoria Park WA 6979 | 61 Kitchener Ave, Victoria Park WA >>>>>> 6100 >>>>>>> Tel: 08 9311 8246 | Fax: 08 9361 8696 |www.guidedogswa.com.au >>>>>>> Tel: 307-224-4022 (North America) >>>>>>> Email: [email protected] >>>>>>> Email: [email protected] >>>>>> >>>>>>> -- >>>>>>> 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 >>>>>>> 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 >>>>>> 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. >>> >> >> -- >> 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.
