[access-uk] Re: My experiences with the Mac
- From: "Ray's Home" <rays-home@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sat, 24 Sep 2005 21:23:35 +0100
I haven't looked recently at prices of the Mac Mini, but it comes in around
£400, although my guess is that Andrew may have gone for more RAM as well as
the DVD writer, so most likely he has spent getting on for £500, but of course,
and crucially from our standpoint, that does include the screen reader and
magnification options. As things stand, these are definetly not up to Windows
special access tech programs, but one presumes that things =can only get
better. as the operating system is updated, around once a year. (That's an
on-going exspense, of course, but one which compares very favourably with what
we are charged here for SMAs for screen readers and magnifiers.) If you have
both of these, then that, of course is two SMAs you are locked into.
Much too early yet to be very optimistic about the Apple alternative for us
access tech users, but the next one or two years should see whether its a good
cost-effective alternative for some of us. I for one certainly hope so.
Ray
Personal emails: Email me at
mailto:ray-48@xxxxxxxx
----- Original Message -----
From: "Harry Lyddall"
| HI ALL. how much does the mini mac cost? does it have a good sound card?
| 3.5 floppy? full desktop keyboard specs?
| it sounds very interesting.
| regards:
| harry
| ----- Original Message -----
| From: "Ray's Home"
|
| Justin, my understanding of the screen magnification builtin to OS X is that
| it is quite good, and I've heard its very clear in higher magnification. I
| don't know how flexible it is, but I hope that Andrewwill get around to
| giving it a try as I seem to recall he has some useful sight. Might be
| interesting too how effectively it works alongside SpeakOver.
|
| Given my disatisfaction with the on-going exspense of upgrading Zoomtext in
| the UK, its just one more reason why I might consider that, £400-500 spent
| on a Mac might satisfy my needs in the DTP area more cost effectively than
| on the PC. Sure, there is certainly a steep learning curve to start with,
| but I am interested in info coming this way about the Mac in order to help
| assertain the viability of the Mac as an alternative to a cost-conscious
| user like me.
| Ray
|
| Personal emails: Email me at
| mailto:ray-48@xxxxxxxx
|
| ----- Original Message -----
| From: "Justin R"
|
|| Hi all,
||
|| This is very interesting as, several friends of mine have spoken about
| macs
|| in the past and how much better they are than PC's generally.
||
|| What I'd like to know is that as the mac does have a screanreader built
| in.
|| Does it also have a screen "Macnifier" ? Sorry, couldn't resist that!
||
|| Does it though? I get nervous with just a screen reader as, I wouldn't be
|| able to see what was going on, especially if anything went wrong.
||
|| Justin
|| ----- Original Message -----
|| From: "Ray's Home"
|
|| > To Mary, who might not know, I might also add to Andrew's post, that the
|| > operating system which comes with all Macs now includes a screen reader
|| > for ffree as part of the operating system. Hence Andrew's and others'
|| > interest in the Mac. Its a fair bet that many including Andrew, might
| be
|| > attracted by the stability and relative lack of bugs in the Apple OS,
| not
|| > to mention that the writers of viruses give it less trouble as they tend
|| > not to target the Mac to anything like the exstent they plague us
| Windows
|| > users. Arguably, the Apple OS is more secure too.
|| > Ray
|| >
|| > Personal emails: Email me at
|| > mailto:ray-48@xxxxxxxx
|| >
|| > ----- Original Message -----
|| > From: "Andrew Hodgson"
|| >
|| > | Hi Ray,
|| > |
|| > | The machine is virtually noise free. It does make a bit of noise if
|| > | I have my head right by the machine, yes, I can hear a small noise,
|| > | but it is silent from my desk.
|| > |
|| > | I have managed to mess up the config in VO a couple of times, and it
|| > | is not reading what I wanted. However, there are reset buttons which
|| > | seem to do the business. The voice I think isn't that bad, and it
|| > | does get most things right. However, a Dectalk voice would be good.
|| > | It is certainly one hell of a lot better than the Narator voice!!
|| > |
|| > | I am still waiting for my long message to Mac Visionaries to get
|| > | through, but it hasn't yet, so I am still waiting to find things out.
|| > |
|| > | Will keep you in touch.
|| > | Andrew.
|| > |
|| > | On 24 Sep 2005, at 13:52, Ray's Home wrote:
|| > |
|| > | > Facinating Andrew, and please keep your comments coming to the
|| > | > list. You might give us some pointers to what you think of the
|| > | > bundled voices for starters, although I know you can opt to upgrade
|| > | > to better sounding voices.
|| > | >
|| > | > Once you've got the Voice Over a bit more sorted, you might,
|| > | > further down the line give us some idea of whether the speech
|| > | > recognition side of things in O SX works at all with Voice Over.
|| > | > If it did, or will, eventually, then that's one hell of a price
|| > | > advantage over current Windows options working with screen readers.
|| > | >
|| > | > One final question, how much noise does the Mini make? I've seen
|| > | > one in a local store but there was way too much shop noise gauge
|| > | > accurately how intrusive or not the box noise might be.
|| > | >
|| > | > Looking forward to your findings.
|| > | > Ray
|| > | >
|| > | > Personal emails: Email me at
|| > | > mailto:ray-48@xxxxxxxx
|| > | >
|| > | > ----- Original Message -----
|| > | > From: "Andrew Hodgson"
|| > | >
|| > | > | Hi all,
|| > | > |
|| > | > | I got my Mac Mini yesterday and I must say I am completely
| impressed
|| > | > | with the system. When I started the system, it gave me a short
|| > | > | tutorial on the Voice Over package, and its keyboard shortcuts. I
|| > | > | think the main thing is not go go into this with the expectation
|| > | > that
|| > | > | you will be hand fed the OS in a Windows fashion, as the OS is
|| > | > | certainly not Windows, and has several new concepts. I am still
|| > | > | floundering to a grate degree, but am able to now read/reply to
| mail
|| > | > | in the Exchange account, am able to read Mac online help, move
| files
|| > | > | around on the hard disk, and have changed a few preferences.
|| > | > |
|| > | > | I am still waiting to be able to connect to our network folders,
| (I
|| > | > | am able to connect to our NAS, but cannot connect to our domain or
|| > | > | our W2k3 server).
|| > | > |
|| > | > | One thing this Mac is the one with the CD and DVD burner
| installed,
|| > | > | as I wanted to see how easy it is to get running. It also comes
|| > | > with
|| > | > | a bluetooth and wireless card installed, which I got partially
|| > | > | working last night to provide wireless Internet access. This is
|| > | > | quite amazing that you get all this in such a small package.
|| > | > |
|| > | > | Hope this information is helpful.
|| > | > | Andrew.
|| > | > |
|| > | >
|
|
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