[access-uk] Re: Time to do the Apple Switch? Leopard's New VoiceOver features
- From: "Ray's Home" <rays-home@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 29 Oct 2007 12:35:53 -0000
Arri, would only say to you that, in the first place, there are two or
three people on the VoiceOver development team to my knowledge, and
that VoiceOver is under continual development.
Support though is another issue, and screen reader vendors have voiced
doubt and scepticism on this issue. That's not to say that
evangelists for the Mac couldn't actually set up their own support
network, and in fact that would be a good opportunity for VI Mac users
to take the lead in this area. I'm not cut out to be an 'evangelist'
for anything, being what I would regard as a more measured sceptical
soul. Still, cost might be one issue influencing people, especially
first timers - if only some support were there. Windows screen reader
users though have an investment, sometimes a personal one, , and
certainly an investment in learning what they've got used to, so they
would tend to be more reluctant switchers. I'd contend too that the
business and much of the vol sector have something of a vested
interest in the status quo.
If, through reviews and personal accounts on Main Menu and BCT I'm
persuaded that the Mac could be the way to go, then I shall look to
spending my money in that direction in the next two years, and take my
Windows experience with me as well as a bonus via a dual boot or
virtual hosting of Windows on the Mac.
I am hoping particularly that audio software becomes a viable
alternative on the Mac, and someone hinted on last week's Main Menu
that this might be so, although it was all very vague. Access to
multi-track audio editing would certainly be a great incentive to me,
as choice isn't that great on the PC as of now in that field. Again,
JFW users who have made the tremendous investment demanded for such
work are unlikely to switch over night. I'm not in that position
though which is one reason I am eager to see what Mac users have to
say.
The other area that might influence more people is greater security.
Not being a greatly technical person, my perception is that the Apple
OS is a good deal less prone than Windows. that and the Mac being a
minority platform means that hackers, have a harder time of it with
Mac users.
So, just lets see how things turn out.
From Ray
I can be contacted off-list at:
mailto:ray-48@xxxxxxxx
-----Original Message-----
Of ari
Hi Ray,
And this is where the whole argument about buying a mac comes from,
first, I
wouldn't mind the learning curve, but has anyone done a sort of study,
let's
say you compare a mac with a windows pc for screenreaders, and looking
at
how info a screenreader can give compared to VO? I mean, take me as a
student who uses Word a lot, with the Mac processor, can it tell me
colour
changes, document styles and when they change, or can I even navigate
quite
fast through a document like with JAWS. The cool thing about Windows
screen
readers, yes they do cost a lot, but the people making them think how
to
improve them all the time.
Ari
----- Original Message -----
From: "Ray's Home" <rays-home@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, October 29, 2007 2:08 PM
Subject: [access-uk] Re: Time to do the Apple Switch? Leopard's New
VoiceOver features
> First a comment following on from Jackie. My sister has an Apple
> IBook now but she's still not got used to where a fraction of the
> things are and what it'll do. She's thinking of going to an Apple
> shop where they do some one-to-one teaching. She hasn't the
problems
> we would have getting used to the operating system and the way
things
> are done on the Mac, and this only points up the preparedness to do
> some learning. Many if not most people are conservative when it
comes
> to change.
>
> Following on from that, MS Windows users of screen readers have to
get
> a grip on the fact that, a), it isn't a PC they are using; b) it
> isn't JFW or HAL or for that matter Window-Eyes. W-E users might in
> fact have less hassle from the standpoint of using the mouse at
times
> to navigate some features of the Mac and the way it does things.
>
> I think anyone looking seriously at buying a Mac has to treat it as
a
> serious learning project.
>
> As for ITunes, I keep hearing varying stories about it's usability
on
> the Mac as I do subscribe to a list that very often discusses Macs.
> It does seem to be though that the ITunes development team aren't
> plugged into what might be the new commitment on Apple's part to
> 'universal access'. You cannot help but get the impression that
many
> Apple developers sort of hold their noses when it comes to access
> issues and the implementation of them. Not that the attitude
problem
> is a Mac phenomenon alone.
>
> From Ray
> I can be contacted off-list at:
> mailto:ray-48@xxxxxxxx
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> Jackie Cairns
>
>
> If only this had been possible four or five years ago when I was
doing
> journalism at college. The newsroom was full of Macs and the one PC
> with
> Windows 98 that I used to monopolise. Interestingly, all the
students
> used
> to jump in my seat the minute I moved so they could use the PC
instead
> of
> their Macs because they hated them, and they were all fully sighted.
> I
> think they all used a PC at home and just couldn't get to grips with
> the
> Mac. So this big queue would form to get on my machine, and I
> couldn't
> venture anywhere without someone literally hot-footing it to my
desk.
> All
> good fun.
>
> Jackie
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Graham Page" <gpage@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Monday, October 29, 2007 11:34 AM
> Subject: [access-uk] Re: Time to do the Apple Switch? Leopard's New
> VoiceOver features
>
>
>> well Gordon it will be interesting to see how you go with this and
> to see
>> how others go as well. I would not be surprised to find more info
>> appearing
>> on ACB Radio's Main Menu or blindcooltec at some point when those
> with
>> some
>> experience of the mac get hands on it. Altimately we will see
> whether the
>> hype reflects the real situation and whether once again, the Mac
can
> be
>> described as anything like accessible and how far this
accessibility
> goes.
>>
>> Regards
>>
>> Graham
>> Graham Page
>> Home Phone: 0207 265 9493
>> Mobile: 07753 607980
>> Fax: 0870 706 2773
>> Email: gpage@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> MSN: gabriel_mcbird@xxxxxxxxxxx
>> Skype: gabriel_mcbird
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Gordon Keen" <gordon.keen@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>> To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>> Sent: Monday, October 29, 2007 11:16 AM
>> Subject: [access-uk] Re: Time to do the Apple Switch? Leopard's New
>> VoiceOver features
>>
>>
>> Hi Ray
>> I can confirm that the mac-book works very happily as a dual boot
> machine
>> and I have been running it for about three or four months using hal
> as the
>> screen reader.
>> Next week end I shall be upgrading to leopard and weaning myself
off
> the
>> dreaded microsludge.
>>
>>
>> Regards
>> Gordon
>> From glorious Devon, England
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
> Behalf
>> Of
>> Ray's Home
>> Sent: 29 October 2007 10:44
>> To: Access-Uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> Subject: [access-uk] Time to do the Apple Switch? Leopard's New
> VoiceOver
>> features
>>
>> Hope you find this interesting, as I do. A few comments after news
> of
>> Leopard's new Voice Over features.
>>
>> VoiceOver info.
>>
>> Universal Access
>>
>> Alex - A New Voice Give yourself a new voice. Meet Alex - a new
>> English male voice that uses advanced,
>> patented Apple technologies to deliver natural breathing and
>> intonation, even at
>> fast speaking rates.
>>
>> Plug-and-Play Refreshable Braille Display Support Quickly set up
>> popular, refreshable Braille displays. VoiceOver detects and
>> configures
>> as soon as you plug them in. No additional software or setup is
>> required.
>>
>> Braille Output During OS Installation For the first time ever on a
>> desktop computer, you can use a Braille display while
>> installing or upgrading your operating system.
>>
>> The Braille Panel See a virtual Braille display - a visual
>> representation of VoiceOver Braille output
>> onscreen along with an English text translation.
>>
>> Customisable Braille Display Input Keys Customise a Braille display
>> more easily than ever before. Just choose a VoiceOver
>> command, then press and hold the input keys. A tone sounds to let
> you
>> know the command has been assigned successfully.
>>
>> Contracted and Non-Contracted Braille Output Braille in standard
>> contracted format or non-contracted "computer Braille".
>> VoiceOver automatically converts contracted Braille under the
cursor
>> so it's easier
>> to edit, then contracts it again when the cursor moves.
>>
>> NumPad Commander Control VoiceOver using only the numeric keypad
> just
>> like JAWS and Windows-Eyes.
>> This makes it easier for screen reader users to switch from a PC to
> a
>> Mac and provides easy access to your favourite VoiceOver commands.
>>
>> Portable VoiceOver Preferences Instantly reconfigure your VoiceOver
>> preferences. Just plug in a flash drive containing
>> your preferences and Leopard instantly reconfigures to work and act
>> just like your Mac - without leaving a trace when you leave.
>>
>> Faster Web and Page Navigation Quickly navigate long documents or
> web
>> pages. Jump to key elements like headers,
>> tables and links and by text attributes like underlining, bold,
>> italics and colour - even text phrases.
>>
>> Hot Spots Monitor up to ten different areas onscreen and be alerted
>> when there's a change.
>> Then jump directly to any hot spot to investigate or take action.
>>
>> Drag-and-Drop Support Use drag-and-drop actions by keyboard only,
in
>> accessible applications.
>>
>> Integrated Interactive Tutorial Learn VoiceOver unassisted in a
safe
>> environment. A built-in tutorial lets you practice
>> as you learn.
>>
>> Misspelled Word Detection Hear when a word is misspelled while
> reading
>> text. Choose a tone or a spoken description.
>> Positional Audio Effects Benefit from many new sound effects in
>> VoiceOver. Audio cues provide an improved
>> sense of location.
>>
>> Highlight by Word or Sentence Set the VoiceOver cursor to highlight
>> each word or sentence being read as it is spoken.
>>
>> New VoiceOver Utility Customise VoiceOver more easily. A new
> VoiceOver
>> Utility layout includes many new
>> options and preferences for customising VoiceOver.
>>
>> Improved Application Accessibility Do more with VoiceOver. Bundled
>> Leopard applications and utilities have been enhanced
>> for improved accessibility.
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> (Ray back again)
>> I'm thinking now seriously of doing the switch, and possibly going
> for
>> a dual boot equiped Apple, so not leaving Windows behind entirely.
>> This seems to work better than many might think it does.
>>
>> Given Vista's fearsome reputation so far, and some prety draconian
>> measures around DRM to boot, I wonder seriously if the Apple
> shouldn't
>> be given a serious look. Not that I know for certain the Apple
will
>> be imune from the media industry's inroads on what we can do. (No,
>> I'm not an ilegal sharer or anything, but I do use my PC for a lot
> of
>> audio work these days.)
>>
>> Those thoughts apart, hope the above was of interest.
>>
>> Cheers,,
>> From Ray
>> I can be contacted off-list at:
>> mailto:ray-48@xxxxxxxx
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