Hi Dave, Yep, you are right about that for sure. I was a Jaws user for quite
a while but in 2003 a friend of mine and I
hosted a website and an online radio show. I was using Jaws and he was a WE
user. There were a few things that I just could not do with jaws in building
the website. My friend was able to use the mouse keys in WE and get through
it. So I started using WE and have been a faithful WE user ever since. . I
don't even have a demo copy of JFW anymore. lol. We all seem to get comfy
with things and then they change on us. lol.
I use the pc for a lot of things just like you said you do. research, paying
bills, shopping, TV, music, etc.
We'll see where all of this goes but I'm not going to hold my breath. lol
Tony C
-----Original Message-----
From: [email protected]
Sent: Wednesday, August 12, 2015 5:37 PM
To: tchild ; Window-Eyes Discussion List
Subject: Re: Microsoft and accessibility
Hi tony,
I too have noticed the steps backwards when it comes to accessibility.
I do not like it, but at the same time, I do understand it. Things
change, and we Blind do live in a World dominated by those with Sight.
We are the minority, and while I never think of myself as a Second Class
Citizen, I do know that my Blindness does put me into some other
category of the population other than normal, or average.
After losing my sight, I have made it a point to not become too
dependant upon those wonderful electronic gadgets that make life a bit
easier. Back when the first Talking Calculator came along, they sold
for $400, and those were 1975 dollars. I wanted one in the worst way.
Even saved up the money for one. But decided to not buy one, because I
had learned how to use the Abacus, and I could use it well. In fact, I
still use one from time to time, just for the fun of it. when I was
learning how to use it, I thought, why don't they teach how to use this
fantastic contraption to all school students?
but, I have seen a lot of electronic devices come and go. Most I did
not purchase, because I did not want to become so dependant upon them.
And to be honest, I could not always afford them.
In the early 1980's, when I could buy my first computer, and a primitive
Screen Reader, I was all in. I jumped into the Electronic contraption
world with everything I had. And I have become extremely dependant
upon my computer. I do almost everything with the help of my computer.
shopping, research, entertainment, employment, and even Hobbies. On
occasion, my neighborhood has suffered a power outage. And it is during
these power outages that I am reminded just how dependant upon my
Talking Computer, Thanks to Window eyes, I am.
To live without the use of a computer would be a shock. I am ssure I
would adapt some how, as I always have learned to adjust when adjustment
was needed, but it would be difficult.
I have to admit, I am spoiled. And I am spoiled by the very good
quality of the product GW Micro has been producing since the early
1990's.
I have been one to voice my irritations with the new 9.X edition of
Window Eyes. And this version and I still are not getting along well.
I am hoping that 9.3 will fix everything. And as I say this, I do know
that there are many factors that cause problems. And to make Window
eyes work well today, is more complicated than it was 15 years ago. And
yet, I am spoiled, and very dependant. Very Dependant. Too dependant.
But, I have little in the way of alternatives at this point. And I am
speaking of using the computer here and not just the Window eyes screen
Reader.
I have become what I avoided for so many years, and that is deeply
dependant upon a machine that can fail, for a long list of reasons.
So as I observe the need for accessibility increasing, at the same time,
the level of accessibility is shrinking. right now, software is used
in many offices that is not read well by any screen reader. And to
change out a Companies Customer Service Database, to one that can be
read by a Screen Reader. . . well, it just isn't going to happen. Why
force an entire company to adjust to one Blind guy that has special
needs?
So, i hope that Brains smarter than mine can figure out how to adjust to
the ever changing world of Computer software. And I hope that any of us
can find employment because our Screen Reader becomes a tool that makes
the playing field a lot more even.
Dave
--
Dave <[email protected]>
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