Re: The Juice Receiver is cross-platform

  • From: Shelly <shellyspodcasts@xxxxxxxxx>
  • To: blindcasting@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Thu, 19 Jan 2006 22:16:49 -0600

It is inaccurate to say that "almost everyone" uses Windows. To be sure,
Microsoft has the lion's share of the PC operating system market, but
between the sales of new Macs (5% or so of new OS sales) and the current
installed base, the Mac OS is a significant enough platform to warrant
consideration by accessibility advocates. The Mac is particularly widely
installed in educational environments, and the promise of VoiceOver is that
an off-the-shelf system can be made accessible with the press of a key.
We're not there yet, but we never will be If closed-mindedness is allowed to
rule the day.

Dismissing Mac (and Linux users for that matter) by suggesting that almost
no one uses it is pretty much like suggesting that almost no one (comparing
the population of blind people to the computer using world at large) needs a
screen reader to access a computer, so why bother. At this time, a tricked
out Windows system with Jaws or Window Eyes provides more complete
accessibility than a Mac does. but it costs a lot more. In the
non-accessibility world, cost is often cited as a primary benefit of
Windows-based systems. I'm just sayin...

Despite my long association with the Mac, I am not ignorant of its
accessibility limitations, or the degree to which some of my fellow Mac
users have gained a reputation for zealotry. I am fortunate that previous
versions of OS X have solved the major portion of my accessibility needs. I
waited many years for that to happen, and I assure you that I am sensitive
to the needs of screen reader users. I would never suggest anyone move to
the Mac prematurely. I only insist that we deal with the facts, and not
close off the potential opportunity for accessible systems that are both
affordable and easy to configure for our needs, especially on the pretext
that "no one uses these systems anyway".

I regre

On 1/19/06, Darrell Shandrow <nu7i@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
> Hi Gabe,
>
> I have indicated that I have mixed feelings about the viability of the Mac
> with respect to accessibility.  I am personally a PC user.  I advocate for
> accessibility regardless of platform, but I have virtually all my
> computing
> experience on the PC and virtually no such experience on the Mac.  I will
> thus tend to focus on accessibility related matters pertaining to the
> Windows, and to a lesser extent, Linux platforms.  Almost everyone out in
> the big bad real world uses Windows.  It is already tough enough to
> advocate
> for better accessibility on that operating system.  Let's be careful not
> to
> spread our focus too wide.
>
> You are a Mac user.  I think that's excellent!  Please do feel free to
> advocate for Mac related accessibility.  I will even be happy to post any
> well composed and written material concerning the subject.
>
> Juice Receiver is written in a variation of the Python language.  It is
> not
> written in Coco, so who knows how well, if at all, it will work with
> VoiceOver in its current form.  It is open source so, by all means, feel
> free to rewrite it in Coco...  :-)
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "BlindTech of BlindTechs.Net" <blindtech@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> To: <blindcasting@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Thursday, January 19, 2006 8:15 PM
> Subject: Re: The Juice Receiver is cross-platform
>
>
> > Darel:
> > as I asked in the last message and I haven't reccieved a
> straight  answer
> > from you yet is, as you fight for what you say accessibility  for all,
> > will you put in an inquiry to possibly making jiuce  accessible to use
> > using the mac and voice over just as you want  everyone on the band
> waggon
> > on accessibility to windows users, or  Does accessibility only count
> with
> > jaws?
> > On Jan 19, 2006, at 8:09 PM, Darrell Shandrow wrote:
> >
> >> Hi Gabe,
> >>
> >> I have really mixed feelings about the Mac at this time, but I  remain
> >> open minded, especially until I see VoiceOver in action.   The evidence
> >> at my disposal to date would suggest that  accessibility and overall
> >> functionality for blind users is still  significantly better on the
> >> Windows platform.
> >>
> >> ----- Original Message ----- From: "BlindTech of BlindTechs.Net"
> >> <blindtech@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> >> To: <blindcasting@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> >> Sent: Thursday, January 19, 2006 7:30 PM
> >> Subject: Re: The Juice Receiver is cross-platform
> >>
> >>
> >>> Are! You! Serious!!!??????
> >>> So, your saying righyt now that accessibility is only validly
> avaiable
> >>> for windows users and that is fine? not the blind that   choose to use
> >>> anything else?
> >>> Wow, this is selffish If I ever heard of it. thats just so  amazing,
> >>> and sad for all of us as a blind community as a hole.
> >>> On Jan 19, 2006, at 6:08 PM, Chris Skarstad wrote:
> >>>
> >>>> Hey, if people want alternatives, I believe the answer is most
> likely
> >>>> yes.
> >>>> I have to be honest when I say that I have absolutely
> no  interest  in
> >>>> using a mac, since Windows and JAWS serve their  purposes just  fine
> >>>> for me.  That doesn't necessarily mean I  won't ever try a Mac,  but
> >>>> for now, this works.
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>> At 06:54 PM 1/19/2006, you wrote:
> >>>>> and my question is , will the blind community, and the blind
> >>>>> advocates for accessibility such as darel shandrow and the blind
> >>>>> access journal fight or request for accessibility for us, or is
> >>>>> accessibility only a jaws thing?
> >>>>> On Jan 19, 2006, at 7:21 AM, Jeff Bishop wrote:
> >>>>>
> >>>>>> There are accessibility issues with the Mac version.
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> -----Original Message-----
> >>>>>> From: blindcasting-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> >>>>>> [mailto:blindcasting-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Jennifer
> >>>>>> Sutton
> >>>>>> Sent: Thursday, January 19, 2006 6:43 AM
> >>>>>> To: blindcasting@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> >>>>>> Subject: The Juice Receiver is cross-platform
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> Hello:
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> I've changed the subject line since this question wasn't  relevant
> to
> >>>>>> my last message, at all.
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> As I understand it, the Juice Receiver can be used on both  Linux
> and
> >>>>>> the Mac.  It's entirely cross-platform.
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> If you get it to work with Voice Over, I'd love to hear
> that  since,
> >>>>>> as far as I can tell, VO's ability to work depends on how programs
> >>>>>> are developed.  But I don't want to turn this list into
> a  discussion
> >>>>>> of Mac and VO since there are plenty of other places to do that.
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> Go look for what you want to try by going directly to  sourceforge
> >>>>>> at:
> >>>>>> http://juicereceiver.sourceforge.net/index.php
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>> I found this by using Google and searching on keywords:
> >>>>>> "ipodder for the Mac."  It was right there on the first page.
> Don't
> >>>>>> forget that Google's your friend.
> >>>>>> Best,
> >>>>>> Jennifer
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>
> >>>
> >>
> >>
> >
> >
> >
>
>
>


--
Shelly Brisbin, Writer, Editor, Geek for Hire

Shelly's Podcast: http://shellyspodcast.com
Hollywood On The Radio: http://hollywood.libsyn.com
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Member, Podcast Outlaws Network: http://www.podcastoutlaws.com

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