Re: [WSG] Article: Vocalize Firefox (text-to-speech extensions for Firefox)
To get an idea of how screen readers vocalise content (it also many other features) I would recommend trying adesigner (http://www.alphaworks.ibm.com/tech/adesigner) On 06/12/2007, Jixor - Stephen I [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: That said how would it compare for a developer that is making an effort to correctly mark up their html just to get an impression of how it would work for a screen reader user? Steve Green wrote: A year ago I started to evaluate FireVox 2.6 and had a dialog with Charles Chen, its creator. At that time there is no way I would describe it as full-fledged screen reader as it had many shortcomings. I got the impression it was really just a hobby project, and Charles said he had pretty much abandoned it in order to work on more interesting stuff. I see it is now up to version 3.4 so it will be interesting to see how it has progressed. It was certainly usable, but it bears no comparison with a professional screen reader like JAWS, which is a far superior product. OK, it should be for $1500 but people should not think that they're getting a $1500 product for free when they install FireVox. It's more akin to products in the $200 price bracket. One example of the difference is in forms where label elements have not been used, and let's face it, that's 99% of all forms. JAWS applies heuristics to identify the text that is most likely to be the label, and associates it with the form control as if a label element had been used. 9 times out of 10 it gets it right. FireVox does not do this. Steve -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Nick Lo Sent: 05 December 2007 04:25 To: wsg@webstandardsgroup.org Subject: [WSG] Article: Vocalize Firefox (text-to-speech extensions for Firefox) I'm wondering if anyone has tried/tested the following potentially useful extensions and if so what their opinion was/is: Two recently released text-to-speech extensions can transform Firefox into a talking Web browser suitable for users with visual impairments -- and anyone else who can use a speech interface to the Web. Fire Vox is designed to be a full-fledged screen reader in a browser, usable for daily browsing even for unsighted users. CLiCk, Speak provides point-and-click screen reading, which can be helpful for partially-sighted users or sighted users who have written language difficulties (such as dyslexia). http://www.linux.com/feature/122197 Nick *** List Guidelines: http://webstandardsgroup.org/mail/guidelines.cfm Unsubscribe: http://webstandardsgroup.org/join/unsubscribe.cfm Help: [EMAIL PROTECTED] *** *** List Guidelines: http://webstandardsgroup.org/mail/guidelines.cfm Unsubscribe: http://webstandardsgroup.org/join/unsubscribe.cfm Help: [EMAIL PROTECTED] *** *** List Guidelines: http://webstandardsgroup.org/mail/guidelines.cfm Unsubscribe: http://webstandardsgroup.org/join/unsubscribe.cfm Help: [EMAIL PROTECTED] *** *** List Guidelines: http://webstandardsgroup.org/mail/guidelines.cfm Unsubscribe: http://webstandardsgroup.org/join/unsubscribe.cfm Help: [EMAIL PROTECTED] *** -- with regards Steve Faulkner Technical Director - TPG Europe Director - Web Accessibility Tools Consortium www.paciellogroup.com | www.wat-c.org Web Accessibility Toolbar - http://www.paciellogroup.com/resources/wat-ie-about.html *** List Guidelines: http://webstandardsgroup.org/mail/guidelines.cfm Unsubscribe: http://webstandardsgroup.org/join/unsubscribe.cfm Help: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ***
Re: [WSG] Article: Vocalize Firefox (text-to-speech extensions for Firefox)
Firevox also implemts much of WAI-ARIA, so it is useful for testing and demos of ARIA functionality. On 05/12/2007, Steve Green [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: A year ago I started to evaluate FireVox 2.6 and had a dialog with Charles Chen, its creator. At that time there is no way I would describe it as full-fledged screen reader as it had many shortcomings. I got the impression it was really just a hobby project, and Charles said he had pretty much abandoned it in order to work on more interesting stuff. I see it is now up to version 3.4 so it will be interesting to see how it has progressed. It was certainly usable, but it bears no comparison with a professional screen reader like JAWS, which is a far superior product. OK, it should be for $1500 but people should not think that they're getting a $1500 product for free when they install FireVox. It's more akin to products in the $200 price bracket. One example of the difference is in forms where label elements have not been used, and let's face it, that's 99% of all forms. JAWS applies heuristics to identify the text that is most likely to be the label, and associates it with the form control as if a label element had been used. 9 times out of 10 it gets it right. FireVox does not do this. Steve -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Nick Lo Sent: 05 December 2007 04:25 To: wsg@webstandardsgroup.org Subject: [WSG] Article: Vocalize Firefox (text-to-speech extensions for Firefox) I'm wondering if anyone has tried/tested the following potentially useful extensions and if so what their opinion was/is: Two recently released text-to-speech extensions can transform Firefox into a talking Web browser suitable for users with visual impairments -- and anyone else who can use a speech interface to the Web. Fire Vox is designed to be a full-fledged screen reader in a browser, usable for daily browsing even for unsighted users. CLiCk, Speak provides point-and-click screen reading, which can be helpful for partially-sighted users or sighted users who have written language difficulties (such as dyslexia). http://www.linux.com/feature/122197 Nick *** List Guidelines: http://webstandardsgroup.org/mail/guidelines.cfm Unsubscribe: http://webstandardsgroup.org/join/unsubscribe.cfm Help: [EMAIL PROTECTED] *** *** List Guidelines: http://webstandardsgroup.org/mail/guidelines.cfm Unsubscribe: http://webstandardsgroup.org/join/unsubscribe.cfm Help: [EMAIL PROTECTED] *** *** List Guidelines: http://webstandardsgroup.org/mail/guidelines.cfm Unsubscribe: http://webstandardsgroup.org/join/unsubscribe.cfm Help: [EMAIL PROTECTED] *** -- with regards Steve Faulkner Technical Director - TPG Europe Director - Web Accessibility Tools Consortium www.paciellogroup.com | www.wat-c.org Web Accessibility Toolbar - http://www.paciellogroup.com/resources/wat-ie-about.html *** List Guidelines: http://webstandardsgroup.org/mail/guidelines.cfm Unsubscribe: http://webstandardsgroup.org/join/unsubscribe.cfm Help: [EMAIL PROTECTED] *** *** List Guidelines: http://webstandardsgroup.org/mail/guidelines.cfm Unsubscribe: http://webstandardsgroup.org/join/unsubscribe.cfm Help: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ***
Re: [WSG] Article: Vocalize Firefox (text-to-speech extensions for Firefox)
Firevox also implemts much of WAI-ARIA, so it is useful for testing and demos of ARIA functionality. On 05/12/2007, Steve Green [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: A year ago I started to evaluate FireVox 2.6 and had a dialog with Charles Chen, its creator. At that time there is no way I would describe it as full-fledged screen reader as it had many shortcomings. I got the impression it was really just a hobby project, and Charles said he had pretty much abandoned it in order to work on more interesting stuff. I see it is now up to version 3.4 so it will be interesting to see how it has progressed. It was certainly usable, but it bears no comparison with a professional screen reader like JAWS, which is a far superior product. OK, it should be for $1500 but people should not think that they're getting a $1500 product for free when they install FireVox. It's more akin to products in the $200 price bracket. One example of the difference is in forms where label elements have not been used, and let's face it, that's 99% of all forms. JAWS applies heuristics to identify the text that is most likely to be the label, and associates it with the form control as if a label element had been used. 9 times out of 10 it gets it right. FireVox does not do this. Steve -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Nick Lo Sent: 05 December 2007 04:25 To: wsg@webstandardsgroup.org Subject: [WSG] Article: Vocalize Firefox (text-to-speech extensions for Firefox) I'm wondering if anyone has tried/tested the following potentially useful extensions and if so what their opinion was/is: Two recently released text-to-speech extensions can transform Firefox into a talking Web browser suitable for users with visual impairments -- and anyone else who can use a speech interface to the Web. Fire Vox is designed to be a full-fledged screen reader in a browser, usable for daily browsing even for unsighted users. CLiCk, Speak provides point-and-click screen reading, which can be helpful for partially-sighted users or sighted users who have written language difficulties (such as dyslexia). http://www.linux.com/feature/122197 Nick *** List Guidelines: http://webstandardsgroup.org/mail/guidelines.cfm Unsubscribe: http://webstandardsgroup.org/join/unsubscribe.cfm Help: [EMAIL PROTECTED] *** *** List Guidelines: http://webstandardsgroup.org/mail/guidelines.cfm Unsubscribe: http://webstandardsgroup.org/join/unsubscribe.cfm Help: [EMAIL PROTECTED] *** *** List Guidelines: http://webstandardsgroup.org/mail/guidelines.cfm Unsubscribe: http://webstandardsgroup.org/join/unsubscribe.cfm Help: [EMAIL PROTECTED] *** -- with regards Steve Faulkner Technical Director - TPG Europe Director - Web Accessibility Tools Consortium www.paciellogroup.com | www.wat-c.org Web Accessibility Toolbar - http://www.paciellogroup.com/resources/wat-ie-about.html *** List Guidelines: http://webstandardsgroup.org/mail/guidelines.cfm Unsubscribe: http://webstandardsgroup.org/join/unsubscribe.cfm Help: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ***
RE: [WSG] Article: Vocalize Firefox (text-to-speech extensions for Firefox)
A year ago I started to evaluate FireVox 2.6 and had a dialog with Charles Chen, its creator. At that time there is no way I would describe it as full-fledged screen reader as it had many shortcomings. I got the impression it was really just a hobby project, and Charles said he had pretty much abandoned it in order to work on more interesting stuff. I see it is now up to version 3.4 so it will be interesting to see how it has progressed. It was certainly usable, but it bears no comparison with a professional screen reader like JAWS, which is a far superior product. OK, it should be for $1500 but people should not think that they're getting a $1500 product for free when they install FireVox. It's more akin to products in the $200 price bracket. One example of the difference is in forms where label elements have not been used, and let's face it, that's 99% of all forms. JAWS applies heuristics to identify the text that is most likely to be the label, and associates it with the form control as if a label element had been used. 9 times out of 10 it gets it right. FireVox does not do this. Steve -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Nick Lo Sent: 05 December 2007 04:25 To: wsg@webstandardsgroup.org Subject: [WSG] Article: Vocalize Firefox (text-to-speech extensions for Firefox) I'm wondering if anyone has tried/tested the following potentially useful extensions and if so what their opinion was/is: Two recently released text-to-speech extensions can transform Firefox into a talking Web browser suitable for users with visual impairments -- and anyone else who can use a speech interface to the Web. Fire Vox is designed to be a full-fledged screen reader in a browser, usable for daily browsing even for unsighted users. CLiCk, Speak provides point-and-click screen reading, which can be helpful for partially-sighted users or sighted users who have written language difficulties (such as dyslexia). http://www.linux.com/feature/122197 Nick *** List Guidelines: http://webstandardsgroup.org/mail/guidelines.cfm Unsubscribe: http://webstandardsgroup.org/join/unsubscribe.cfm Help: [EMAIL PROTECTED] *** *** List Guidelines: http://webstandardsgroup.org/mail/guidelines.cfm Unsubscribe: http://webstandardsgroup.org/join/unsubscribe.cfm Help: [EMAIL PROTECTED] *** *** List Guidelines: http://webstandardsgroup.org/mail/guidelines.cfm Unsubscribe: http://webstandardsgroup.org/join/unsubscribe.cfm Help: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ***
RE: [WSG] Article: Vocalize Firefox (text-to-speech extensions for Firefox)
A year ago I started to evaluate FireVox 2.6 and had a dialog with Charles Chen, its creator. At that time there is no way I would describe it as full-fledged screen reader as it had many shortcomings. I got the impression it was really just a hobby project, and Charles said he had pretty much abandoned it in order to work on more interesting stuff. I see it is now up to version 3.4 so it will be interesting to see how it has progressed. It was certainly usable, but it bears no comparison with a professional screen reader like JAWS, which is a far superior product. OK, it should be for $1500 but people should not think that they're getting a $1500 product for free when they install FireVox. It's more akin to products in the $200 price bracket. One example of the difference is in forms where label elements have not been used, and let's face it, that's 99% of all forms. JAWS applies heuristics to identify the text that is most likely to be the label, and associates it with the form control as if a label element had been used. 9 times out of 10 it gets it right. FireVox does not do this. Steve -Original Message- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Nick Lo Sent: 05 December 2007 04:25 To: wsg@webstandardsgroup.org Subject: [WSG] Article: Vocalize Firefox (text-to-speech extensions for Firefox) I'm wondering if anyone has tried/tested the following potentially useful extensions and if so what their opinion was/is: Two recently released text-to-speech extensions can transform Firefox into a talking Web browser suitable for users with visual impairments -- and anyone else who can use a speech interface to the Web. Fire Vox is designed to be a full-fledged screen reader in a browser, usable for daily browsing even for unsighted users. CLiCk, Speak provides point-and-click screen reading, which can be helpful for partially-sighted users or sighted users who have written language difficulties (such as dyslexia). http://www.linux.com/feature/122197 Nick *** List Guidelines: http://webstandardsgroup.org/mail/guidelines.cfm Unsubscribe: http://webstandardsgroup.org/join/unsubscribe.cfm Help: [EMAIL PROTECTED] *** *** List Guidelines: http://webstandardsgroup.org/mail/guidelines.cfm Unsubscribe: http://webstandardsgroup.org/join/unsubscribe.cfm Help: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ***
Re: [WSG] Article: Vocalize Firefox (text-to-speech extensions for Firefox)
I haven't tried them before but they sound very interesting. I'll have to give them a look. Nick Lo wrote: I'm wondering if anyone has tried/tested the following potentially useful extensions and if so what their opinion was/is: Two recently released text-to-speech extensions can transform Firefox into a talking Web browser suitable for users with visual impairments -- and anyone else who can use a speech interface to the Web. Fire Vox is designed to be a full-fledged screen reader in a browser, usable for daily browsing even for unsighted users. CLiCk, Speak provides point-and-click screen reading, which can be helpful for partially-sighted users or sighted users who have written language difficulties (such as dyslexia). http://www.linux.com/feature/122197 Nick *** List Guidelines: http://webstandardsgroup.org/mail/guidelines.cfm Unsubscribe: http://webstandardsgroup.org/join/unsubscribe.cfm Help: [EMAIL PROTECTED] *** -- Christian Snodgrass Azure Ronin Web Design http://www.arwebdesign.net/ http://www.arwebdesign.net Phone: 859.816.7955 *** List Guidelines: http://webstandardsgroup.org/mail/guidelines.cfm Unsubscribe: http://webstandardsgroup.org/join/unsubscribe.cfm Help: [EMAIL PROTECTED] *** *** List Guidelines: http://webstandardsgroup.org/mail/guidelines.cfm Unsubscribe: http://webstandardsgroup.org/join/unsubscribe.cfm Help: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ***
Re: [WSG] Article: Vocalize Firefox (text-to-speech extensions for Firefox)
I haven't tried them before but they sound very interesting. I'll have to give them a look. Nick Lo wrote: I'm wondering if anyone has tried/tested the following potentially useful extensions and if so what their opinion was/is: Two recently released text-to-speech extensions can transform Firefox into a talking Web browser suitable for users with visual impairments -- and anyone else who can use a speech interface to the Web. Fire Vox is designed to be a full-fledged screen reader in a browser, usable for daily browsing even for unsighted users. CLiCk, Speak provides point-and-click screen reading, which can be helpful for partially-sighted users or sighted users who have written language difficulties (such as dyslexia). http://www.linux.com/feature/122197 Nick *** List Guidelines: http://webstandardsgroup.org/mail/guidelines.cfm Unsubscribe: http://webstandardsgroup.org/join/unsubscribe.cfm Help: [EMAIL PROTECTED] *** -- Christian Snodgrass Azure Ronin Web Design http://www.arwebdesign.net/ http://www.arwebdesign.net Phone: 859.816.7955 *** List Guidelines: http://webstandardsgroup.org/mail/guidelines.cfm Unsubscribe: http://webstandardsgroup.org/join/unsubscribe.cfm Help: [EMAIL PROTECTED] ***
