Cheree Heppe here: >From what has been recently posted about learning how to use an MBA and Mac >computers, and based on my very abbreviated experience with the MAC, and about >three years using IOS, I agree with the majority of thoughts and suggestions.
Where I disagree concerns the way the skills should be acquired and the level of frustration which, according to some, should be high, almost like a rite of passage or a toll, in order to enter an elite subset of computer users. Something in me crys out that we are now in the 21st century and not at the beginning of the computer revolution, when, indeed, it took intrepid trail blazers to make the modern computer experience what it now is for so many. It's my thinking that a computer use curve should be a smooth and intuitive process, in so far as possible. It seems that the command structure nd maybe the MAC architecture comprises many oldisms and hold-overs and that these are kept in place by social pressure and habit. For example, the Mac's way of moving from segment to segment, area to area, seems like island hopping where a blind user has to interact, then uninteract and move into the next mode. It seems that this clumsiness has been ditched or primarily automated in the IOS platform. Mac has to go toward IOS fluidity and bring with it all the power, file porting and operational modalities when it does. Why not take lessons from history? The Braille codex, many proprietary to individual people's design or to a school or institution, had to be unified in the early 20th century in order to eliminate archaic and cumbersome elements and to streamline and modernize the Braille code. Now, we have a standard code in the English speaking world which lends itself to all of the modern applications. Why not re-design the Mac VoiceOver command structure, incorporating modern elements and removing clumsy and outdated modalities, such as the overly multiple key commands. A simplified structure would make learning the Apple platform a breeze and would help broaden the use of this platform because of ease of use, just like the IOS devices. Yes, we, especially the old-timers, would have to re-learn things they already had mastered, just as many blind people had to learn the unified Braille code that arose out of the changes in the early 20th century. It seems to me that unless Apple does this sort of modification, the Mac VoiceOver interface can only grow more and more cluttered and complicated. Thanks, everyone, for all the constructive suggestions. I intend to pass them along to the Apple store guys trying to help me so we all can learn and progress. Regards, Cheree Heppe Sent from my IPhone 4S On 09/01/2013, at 10:01, "Phil Halton" <[email protected]> wrote: Yes, 1) take the VoiceOver tutorial by pressing VO, Command, F8 2) repeatedly read the mountain lion with VoiceOver manual. It can be found on Apple's website, and also under the VoiceOver help menu (VO H) 3) make liberal use of the keyboard help function (VO K) 4) , explore and get very frustrated over and over again until frustration goes away. ----- Original Message ----- From: "David Hole" <[email protected]> To: "MacVisionaries" <[email protected]> Sent: Wednesday, January 09, 2013 12:28 PM Subject: How to help blind people new to Mac learn it as fast and smooth as possible > Hi folks. > > As far as I know, there are many here in this group who are helping > blind people switching from Windows to Mac. > Do you have any strategies to help them get fast into the VoiceOver > commands, and how they can "distance" them selves from the Windows > platform, and learn Mac the best way there is? > For example, is the best way to first learn to use VoiceOver with the > QuickKeys, or the hard way with so many keys pressed at once some > times? > What about what to learn first, do you learn them a piece of software > (such as Mail or Safari) or how the OS and how VoiceOver interacts > with it before going into apps? > > All comments on this is really welcome. > > Best regards David > > -- > 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.
