In short, yes. We won't be able to go out alone soon at this rate, or live alone in a few years! -------------------------------------------------- From: "Marie Baisez" <baisez.marie@xxxxxxx> Sent: Thursday, May 29, 2008 9:24 PM To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Subject: [access-uk] Re: Windows 7 ? agreed, I went into a public toilet in an airport recently and,when I couldn't find the button to flush it, I was told there was a place, totally unmarked so I could feel it where you had to wave. I smiled at the time but thought, whatever next? will we have to wave at a lift to call it soon? Marie----- Original Message ----- From: "Dave Taylor" <dave@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Thursday, May 29, 2008 4:12 PM Subject: [access-uk] Re: Windows 7 ? > More worrying is the use of it on remote controls etc. I keep warning > people > we won't be able to live independently for long unless something is done! > Just think, we might not be able to use a radio soon! > > > > -------------------------------------------------- > From: "Vanja Sudar" <vanja@xxxxxxxxxxx> > Sent: Thursday, May 29, 2008 1:49 PM > To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> > Subject: [access-uk] Re: Windows 7 ? > > And to bring accessibility in to this, I wonder is this a bad news for > those > of us who are blind or VI? I know it's very early days now, but there are > questions to be raised here. For example: would this touch screen > interface > be possible to be disabled? Would some features only be available if you > use > touch screen? > Vanja > http://www.sudar.co.uk > http://mashupradio.net > MSN/windows live messenger: sudar23@xxxxxxxxxxx > AIM: vanja121 > Skype: vanja121 > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Derek Hornby" <derek.hornby_uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> > To: "Access-Uk@Freelists. Org" <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> > Sent: Thursday, May 29, 2008 12:29 PM > Subject: [access-uk] Windows 7 ? > > >> Hi all >> I thought the floowing would be of interest here. >> Sorry rather long. >> >> Touch and go for the new Windows system: >> By Jonathan Richards >> The Times 29 May 2008 >> >> Microsoft is signalling the end of the mouse with its latest >> operating system, which aims to build on the success of its rival >> Apple's iPhone touch screen. >> >> Windows 7 will allow PC users to touch, rather than point and click, >> in a move which indicates that the world's most influential software >> company believes that the days of the keyboard-mouse combination are >> coming to an end. But some critics claim that Microsoft is a long way >> from replacing what has been the dominant human-computer interface >> since its invention by Xerox researchers in the 1970s. >> >> It is unclear how willing office workers or home users are to abandon >> hard-won typing skills and lean forward to start manipulating images >> on a large computer screen. >> >> Windows 7 -which is not due to be released until 2010 -represents the >> latest in a long line of attempts by Microsoft to catch up with the >> technical lead established by Apple -though the software giant >> usually overhauls its rival in the end. >> >> "The way you interact with the system will change dramatically," Bill >> Gates, Microsoft's billionaire chairman, said at a conference in >> California this week. "Today, almost all the interaction is >> keyboard-mouse." He indicated that he expected users to talk and use >> a pen to interact with their computers as well as caress them. >> >> But Roberta Cozza, an analyst at Gartner, said: "With mobiles, which >> you hold in your hand, touch can make things easier -you get to the >> phone's functions faster, whereas with a PC you'd have to lift your >> arm every time, and with a screen that's 17 inches wide that's going >> to become more difficult." >> >> Although Microsoft is loath publicly to acknowledge the success of >> its competitors, except when it is trying to buy them, it is clearly >> worried about the popularity of the touch-screen interface on a >> string of handheld devices, ranging from sat-navs to iPhones. A >> touch-screen BlackBerry is expected this year. >> >> "Touch-enabled surfaces are popping up everywhere, including >> cellphones, remote controls, GPS devices, and more," Chris Flores, a >> director on the Windows Client team at Microsoft, said. >> >> Microsoft is in need of a lift after the success of the Apple iPod >> and other handheld technologies, the losing battle that it continues >> to fight with Google over control of the internet, and the lacklustre >> release of Vista, the operating system released last year. >> >> Nevertheless, Windows remains the dominant desktop computer standard, >> and Microsoft could not resist a swipe at its rival. >> >> Asked whether Microsoft or Apple would be first to market with >> touchscreen computer software for desktop computers, Steve Ballmer, >> Microsoft's chief executive, suggested that the two companies were >> not in direct competition. >> >> "We'll sell 290 million PCs, and Apple will sell 10 million PCs. >> Steve (Jobs, Apple's chief executive) can flip his hand and sell a >> few models -they're fantastically successful and so are we, but it's >> a different job." >> >> This month, the company was forced to abandon a $47.5 billion bid to >> acquire Yahoo!, the internet portal, in an attempt to wrest control >> of the internet from the search-engine giant Google. That collapsed >> because it could not agree a price, although Yahoo! was reluctant to >> be bought by a company seen as anathema to the entrepreneurial >> creativity of Silicon Valley. >> >> Meanwhile, most of its customers -including businesses -have not >> upgraded their computers to Vista. The majority of the 140 million >> copies Microsoft says that it has shipped so far have been sold >> bundled with new machines. A video of Windows 7 on Microsoft's >> website shows the technology being used to spin an on-screen globe, >> zoom in on a map, and scroll through menu lists in a gentle, flicking >> motion. >> >> Yet, despite the slick demonstration, it is not clear that computer >> makers are clamouring to follow the Windows 7 ideal. Dell, the >> second-largest PC manufacturer, said that "multi-touch" was >> "interesting", but declined to say whether it would release a >> touchscreen laptop in time for January 2010, when Microsoft said it >> expected Windows 7 to be introduced. >> >> LOOKING BACK >> >> * Windows 3.0 (1990) >> >> Microsoft's first succesful attempt at a graphical user interface >> (GUI). Still inferior to the look and feel of Apple's Macintosh >> system, but PCs sold better than its overpriced rival. The tiled >> windows are still fondly remembered >> >> * Windows 95 >> >> Microsoft finally caught up with Apple, launching an operating system >> with an easy-to-use interface and natural language file names. Bill >> Gates persuaded Mick Jagger to allow the use of Start Me Up on its >> launch >> >> * Windows XP (2001) >> >> After a succession of upgrades to Windows 95, XP came in. It was more >> stable than the 95 family and sold well, but had security flaws, >> exposed by the Sobig virus, which generated e-mails that filled >> in-boxes worldwide >> >> * Windows Vista (2007) >> >> Software demands meant that only higher-end computers could run the >> system adequately. Concerns on compatibility held back uptake. Sold >> 20million in first month. Bill Gates claimed sales of 100million by >> Jan 2008 >> >> >> ** To leave the list, click on the immediately-following link:- >> ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe] >> ** 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=faq] >> ** or send a message, to >> ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the Subject:- faq >> >> >> > > ** To leave the list, click on the immediately-following link:- > ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe] > ** 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=faq] > ** or send a message, to > ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the Subject:- faq > > > > > > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG. > Version: 8.0.100 / Virus Database: 269.24.1/1469 - Release Date: 5/27/2008 > 1:25 PM > > ** To leave the list, click on the immediately-following link:- > ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe] > ** 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=faq] > ** or send a message, to > ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the Subject:- faq > > > __________ NOD32 3144 (20080529) Information __________ > > This message was checked by NOD32 antivirus system. > http://www.eset.com > > ** To leave the list, click on the immediately-following link:- ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe] ** 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=faq] ** or send a message, to ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the Subject:- faq No virus found in this incoming message. 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