I happen to know about 15 blind scuba divers personally. that is just in the state of colorado alone. I know 4 here in phoenix (where I am vacationing currently). this is a lot more than a handful.
all of these individuals point out one common cause that there aren't more of us in diving: attitudes on the part of instructors. another common complaint is accessibility. there is one place here in arizona that will offer PADI rated instruction to blind scuba enthusiasts. its called aqua wet scuba. the cost is about $500 for the courses and certification. I haven't looked up anything for colorado. I happen to be interested in this activity mostly because someone told me that it would be impossible for me to do it. I am already a proven totally blind mountain biker, so scuba diving isn't beyond me (unrelated sports with similar difficulties). -eric On Dec 20, 2012, at 9:55 AM, Ricardo Walker wrote: > haha. > > I mean, you have a point but, its also the fact developers aren't aware we > even exist. Sure, they know there are blind people in the world but, they > don't often consider that a blind person might want to use there application. > And it really takes more than just reason when money is involved. I mean > seriously? What segment of the population scuba dives. Now, how much of > them are blind? And further, how many of them own an IOS device. You could > probably fit these people comfortably around my dining room table. So the > trick is, how do you make the developer care? I agree money screams but, I > don't see how a hand full of people could effect the developers bottom line. > So, you would have to just convince them its the right thing to do, although > it might end up with them loosing money on the endeavor. And in my opinion, > that is the real problem. > > Ricardo Walker > [email protected] > Twitter:@apple2thecore > www.appletothecore.info > > On Dec 20, 2012, at 12:56 AM, Eric Oyen <[email protected]> wrote: > >> accessible diving apps aren't the only apps that need to be made more >> accessible. the problem is that the developers are of the opinion that we >> don't matter. we need to make them understand (even if it means that we >> attack their revenue stream) that we are a non-trivial market segment and >> that, the blind, are participating in more of the same activities that >> everyone else does. >> >> I have already had some experience with a developer that wouldn't even >> listen to reason, even when his position violates US federal law (he's the >> developer of the smart crd system for the denver-rtd regional transit >> system. The person is so stubborn in his position that he has gone as far as >> trying to deactivate accessibility features on the denver-rtd.com website. >> It basically took a direct order from his boss before he would even come >> over to the colorado center for the blind to talk to us. I am still not >> certain he has recognized the error of his opinion. >> >> anyway, we as a community, need to make these developers see that we are >> serious (even if it means that we have to cut off their funding to do so). >> >> its the old adage: money doesn't talk… it SCREAMS at the top of its lungs. >> >> -eric >> >> On Dec 17, 2012, at 4:42 AM, Louise Redsull wrote: >> >>> Hi Mark, >>> Now I think it would be different as there are a number of IOS apps which >>> could help, varhying in accessibility though but the more people who would >>> use them the stronger the case for getting the developer to work on the app. >>> Take care, >>> >>> Louise. >>> >>> >>> >>> From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf >>> Of Mark BurningHawk >>> Sent: 16 December 2012 3:12 PM >>> To: [email protected] >>> Subject: Re: Scuba diving and accessible dive logs >>> >>> Considering that, when I entered the class, the instructor politely asked >>> me if he could show me to the *RIGHT* place, because obviously, ha ha, I >>> didn't want to be in Scuba diving class… Oh BOY was he apologetic when I >>> pulled the woman who FAILED the swim test out of the water before she >>> drowned. I was the best in that class (as I usually am at anything I >>> attempt *grin*) and when he failed me, I just got up and left without a >>> word. Should've maybe contacted the NFB, but I was 17 at the time and at >>> Dartmouth and I was beginning to figure out that I didn't need someone else >>> to tell me I'd passed a course or a test. I bet I could go back today and, >>> except for the formulas for decompression time and safe diving time, I'd >>> pass again. And, this wouldn't be a hard app to make for IOS, though I >>> don't think the Otterbox was designed to keep your I thing dry at 30-50 >>> feet. :) pressure might actually make the screen implode at that depth. :) >>> However, I've thought from time to time about accessible dive meter/depth >>> gauge, so maybe it could be controlled by an I thing on the surface, though >>> obviously there are design flaws with this. I'm just babbling. >>> >>> Mark BurningHawk >>> Skype and Twitter: BurningHawk1969 >>> Home page: Http://MarkBurningHawk.net/ >>> >>> -- >>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the "VIPhone" >>> Google Group. >>> To search the VIPhone public archive, visit >>> http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/. >>> To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. >>> To unsubscribe from this group, send email >>> [email protected]. >>> For more options, visit this group >>> athttp://groups.google.com/group/viphone?hl=en. >>> >>> >>> >>> -- >>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the "VIPhone" >>> Google Group. >>> To search the VIPhone public archive, visit >>> http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/. >>> To post to this group, send email to [email protected]. >>> To unsubscribe from this group, send email >>> [email protected]. >>> For more options, visit this group at >>> http://groups.google.com/group/viphone?hl=en. >> >> >> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the "VIPhone" Google >> Group. >> To search the VIPhone public archive, visit >> http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/. >> 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/viphone?hl=en. >> >> > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the "VIPhone" Google > Group. > To search the VIPhone public archive, visit > http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/. > 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/viphone?hl=en. > > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the "VIPhone" Google Group. To search the VIPhone public archive, visit http://www.mail-archive.com/[email protected]/. 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/viphone?hl=en.
