[access-uk] Re: e: Re: Zoomtext users
- From: "Tristram Llewellyn" <tris-l@xxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 19 Jul 2005 09:34:05 +0100
If I could jump in here and clarify two points here with respect to Zoomtext
8.0 or 9.0.
The actual dialogue boxes themselves within Zoomtext are fully supported by
the speech and you can tab around those quite happily. Whilst it is true
you cannot tab around the main window, I can't honestly see a good reason
for doing this when Zoomtext is stuffed with hotkeys that make operating far
faster than trudging round it's control panel with a tab key. If you find
you are going back to the main Zoomtext window a lot, try investing some
time on a couple of the hotkeys you need.
Regards.
Tristram Llewellyn
Sight and Sound Technology
Technical Support
www.sightandsound.co.uk
----- Original Message -----
From: "Ray's Home" <rays-home@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, July 18, 2005 9:59 PM
Subject: [access-uk] Re: e: Re: Zoomtext users
Good observation Jayne. I do think though that ZT's document reading
facilities and interactive document reading is quite good, although no one,
I think, touts it as a screen reader, and they certainly shouldn't.
Does seem a daft short coming not to have keyboard support for navigating
dialogues.
I do think though that AISquared were very wise to innovate all those years
back into augmenting magnification with speech. It does sadden me somewhat
though, that many VI people on the cusp, so to speak, of being partially
sighted, although they are probably registered blind, cannot bring
themselves to use the speech element more, as I feel they would benefit
considerably. Or is it a limitation in the program that doesn't encourage
them away from over-reliance on magnification? Has to be said, though, that
being a particularly lucky, if odd example, of VI-ness, I can also read
Braille, so if I had the luxury of a Braille display no doubt I would
treasure the ability to look at characters closely and edit at that level.
I apologise if I'm getting somewhat carried away on this theme, but I recall
still, though it was more than fifteen years ago, struggling to use the
primitive CGA text magnifier alongside Dolphin's 4.x screen reader. This
too on a cramped 8088 laptop, would you believe? It soon struck me that for
most purposes I was better off with speech alone. I often now zap a
misspelled word out and type it over again, rather than fiddling with word
level editing.
To be honest, I like magnification for bringing up small images, or getting
at text a screen reader cannot get at, such as bitmapped text images.
Ray
Personal emails: Email me at
mailto:ray-48@xxxxxxxx
----- Original Message -----
From: Jane Taylor
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Monday, July 18, 2005 9:34 PM
Subject: [access-uk] Re: e: Re: Zoomtext users
Hi Ray
Zoomtext is not a screen reader and looks like it never will be quite
honestly. true the new voices are pleasant but for me i would be happier if
thye made the Zoomtext control panel accessible, it is so annoying having to
use the mouse in the control panel all the time. Surely AI Squared would be
able to put a tab order for this element?
With regards the web support, try using it on a complicated web page like
BBC; the reading order is still wrong.
Not happy with another costly SMA life for more bugs!
Jayne
Justin R <mypc128@xxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Hi Ray,
Well, I can say that the new neospeech is great for the screenreading
part.
It's so human sounding, almost like the AT&T voices. It actually does
not
speak out the < and > when reading a newspost or reading out someone
elses
e-mail to quote them. That's great as, truvoice will always read them
out
and, it's so annoying. It stops me from reading previously quoted
e-mails.
However, neospeech is not entirely clear in prenounciation all the time.
Plus, it's such a fine sound that any excess external noise makes it
hard
for me to hear what its saying. HOwever, it's worth Aisquared keeping
this
voice package and developing it further.
ZT anounces a lot of what's going on, on screan, it always tells you
where
you are. Plus, there is the webfinder, that produces a list of links on
each webpage. Now. beta 9 executes this better than 8.1 does. It
identifies links in webpages quicker then the current full version.
There's
the desktop finder too. That, with some keyboard short cuts, brings up
the
list of all what's on the computer, all folders and, you can access my
documents and anything that way. I don't use it personally as, I don't
see
i need this as opposed to the webfinder which, is a lot more helpful to
me.
There is this new Xfont thingie. All I know is, from what i see on
screan
that it seems to make the text, any text finer, more defined, emboldened
a
little, prenounced maybe. NOt sure how to describe it but, it helps to
make
words on screan more readable. This helps me out initially but, I still
have a struggle reading of screan for more than a couple of minutes
anyway.
However, it's great for small amounts of reading, makes it easier too.
I expect you know about appreader Ray? That was a god send since version
8.0 Docreader was n ever meant for reading e-mails and webpages. Not
much
has changed with appreader. It does the job well though. pdf files can
mostly be red OK although, dependng on their design depends on how
appreader
will read them out. I think appreader's ability to read pdf files may
have
ever so slightly advanced from the 8.1 version when zt could read pdfs.
I
don't use pdfs much myself so, that's not easy to judge at all.
hope some of this helps Ray
Justin
----- Original Message -----
From: "Ray's Home"
To:
Sent: Sunday, July 17, 2005 8:52 AM
Subject: [access-uk] e: Re: Zoomtext users
> What IS going on with this list? Another message that didn't make it.
> Sigh.
>
> Folks, you make me think I'll give Zoomtext 9 Beta a try. Wonder if
> anyone would care to give an opinion on its screen reader aspects? I
know
> it is NOT a screen reader as such, but for those who have some usable
> sight it sure is a good approach to maximising one's use of sight and
> hearing.
>
> What struck me about the new version more than anything else is the
long
> awaited, by me, context files; i.e. having settings specific to the
> program in use. That has to be a good move.
> Ray
>
> Personal emails: Email me at
> mailto:ray-48@xxxxxxxx
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Jane Taylor
> To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Hi Peter
>
> Trust me it doesn't i wish I had stayed with the reliable version 7.x.
> What's even more annoying is the lack of real new features for the SMA
> money.
>
> Jayne
> Peter Logue wrote:
> Thanks Justin. Glad I'm not alone. Perhaps version 9 will relieve a
lot
> of
> problems.
>
> Peter from sunny Ontario.
>
>< BR>> Ray
>
> Personal emails: Email me at
> mailto:ray-48@xxxxxxxx
>
>
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