Or are they just giving accessibility the nod because thre's a bit of = good press. What's the accessibility of the online apps like? Have a = read of the article and linked pieces at = http://blog.fawny.org/2007/04/09/shorter-raman/ for some balance. =20 -----Original Message----- From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf = Of Ankers, Dave (UK) Sent: 30 April 2007 12:11 To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [access-uk] Re: Fw: Google Reaching Out for Accessibility (EASI = Podcast) Isn't it nice to see a company doing something to help make computers = accessible. Shame those at Microsoft with their vast wealth can't be = bothered doing the same. Every time a new operating system comes out, = everyone has to start from scratch again. Bill Gates seems more = interested in the rest of the world instead of looking after disabled = users of his software. By now we should have a fully accessible = software package from Microsoft including screen reader and magnifier. Instead we have to shell out a fortune to the likes of freedom = scientific and continue shelling out every time an upgrade is released. Can you imagine how much it would cost if Microsoft applied the same = principle. Websites are now expected to be accessible to screen readers = etc, but Microsoft sell an operating system which isn't fully = accessible! I am sure we as vision impaired are not the only people who = would benefit from built in screen reading software. How many users = would like to hear a letter read out while doing some other task. The companies producing screen readers and magnification software are = doing their best and need to make money as well, but their products = could be incorporated into the standard package from Microsoft, which = would make it far cheaper and should someone require it, simply turn it = on. Does anyone believe Microsoft could not afford to do such a thing, = I don't think so;. =3D20 Dave Ankers ----- Original Message ----- From: Prof Norm Coombs To: BLIND-L@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Sent: Saturday, April 28, 2007 4:48 PM Subject: Google Reaching Out for Accessibility (EASI Podcast) Google is actively reaching out to Internet users with disabilities and = is working to make all of their products more accessible to this = population. In March, Google came to the giant international conference = on People with Disabilities and Technology produced by CSUN (California = State University Northridge). Google had a booth and also gave a couple = presentations. Next week, EASI's Podcast on conference presentations will provide the = audio of a CSUN Google presentation and on the Podcast site will have a = link to documents used in that presentation. We are excited to bring = this to our EASI friends. This link will take you to a two-minute excerpt from the Google presentation: http://easi.cc/archive/g-promo.mp3 You can find the EASI Podcasts at http://easi.cc/podcasts/ There are 3 different Podcast feeds there. For this presentation select = the conference Podcast feed which will take you to the page where you = can subscribe. It will be posted next Thursday or Friday. EASI also is planning to host a live Webinar with Google folk in the = next month or two. Watch for an announcement at: http://easi.cc/clinic.htm EASI, (Equal Access to Software and Information), is committed to using = Podcasts, Webinars, online courses and interactive Internet tools to = help institutions make their computer and information technology = resources more accessible to users with disabilities. Norman Coombs CEO EASI ** To leave the list, click on the immediately-following link:- ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=3D3Dunsubscribe] ** If this link doesn't work then send a message to: ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ** and in the Subject line type ** unsubscribe ** For other list commands such as vacation mode, click on the ** immediately-following link:- ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=3D3Dfaq] ** or send a message, to ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the Subject:- faq ******************************************************************** This email and any attachments are confidential to the intended = recipient and may also be privileged. If you are not the intended = recipient please delete it from your system and notify the sender. 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