[macvoiceover] Re: Ready to take the plunge, but...

  • From: "Russell Solowoniuk" <rsolowoniuk@xxxxxxx>
  • To: <macvoiceover@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Tue, 4 Aug 2009 09:57:21 -0600

Hi David,

I'm sort of leaning toward not installing Windows... I like your notion of totally immersing oneself in the Mac.. and, also, I found a free Braille translator that I may be able to use in order to use my Braille Blazer embosser. So, if I'm able to emboss, and find a scanning/OCR app that works well in the Mac, I'll have no real need to install Windows. Besides, I have a laptop running Windows 7, if I find I need Windows.

Thanks,

Russell

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From: "David Poehlman" <david.poehlman@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Tuesday, August 04, 2009 4:09 AM
To: <macvoiceover@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [macvoiceover] Re: Ready to take the plunge, but...

I'll say though that if you are going to load windows on the beast you will probably want a numpad.

On Aug 3, 2009, at 11:27 PM, Russell Solowoniuk wrote:

Hi John,

Great article! I read it a while back, not knowing, of course, that it was yours! Thanks for your feeback too!

Russell

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From: "John Panarese" <jpanarese@xxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Monday, August 03, 2009 8:32 PM
To: <macvoiceover@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [macvoiceover] Re: Ready to take the plunge, but...

Just to add to what Keith said, I wrote a brief account of my switching experience, which is on

www.lioncourt.com
and might also be on Keith's website. I can tell you that I have come a long way since then, and at this point, I use Windows for only the purpose of keeping up my skills and to support my existing customers on related products. Frankly, Everything for the business and Everything else is now been moved to the Mac. There are days I never fire up my Windows desktop or laptop. In fact, I almost dread having to deal with Windows at times. Now that I have several spreadsheet options and I can use my invoice template in Open Office, I have no need for MS Office in Windows. Also, since terminal talks, I can mud on the Mac.

The Mac is just far more reliable, stable and an environment in which you don't have the operating system in your face or getting in your way more times than it should or you often desire. No viruses or spam, and I have not had my system crash or VoiceOver suddenly clam up and leave me totally Blind as has occurred many times with both Window- Eyes and JAWS through the years. When Snow Leopard is out and we know exactly what advancements and improvements there are to VoiceOver, I will probably submit a follow up article on my experiences and my observations about the Mac and Windows. Frankly, although it will most likely be an awkward and frustrating start that will test your patience, once you put your Windows screen reader and operating system mindset aside and amerce yourself in the Mac ways of doing things, there literally comes a moment where it all falls into place and you realize just why switchers speak so highly and enthusiastically of the Mac. I honestly do not know any sighted person who claims to be a truly "happy" Windows user, and the only blind users I have heard say so have never used a Mac, simply have decided to stubbornly cling to Windows like survivors of a shipwreck holding on to pieces of debris, or have, as far as I'm concerned, drank the Microsoft cool-aid and are too far gone to change their minds. On the other hand, I know Many Happy Mac users both sighted and blind, especially those who have made the switch. With an open mind, you will also understand that wonderful feeling of firing up your computer and not having to Think about it. That is the difference between running the Mac and Windows, in fact.

Take Care

John D. Panarese
Managing Director
Technologies for the Visually Impaired, Inc.
9 Nolan Court
Hauppauge, NY 11788
Tel/Fax, (631) 724-4479
Email, tvii@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Internet, http://www.tvi-web.com

AUTHORIZED DISTRIBUTORS FOR PORTSET SYSTEMS LTD, COMPSOLUTIONS VA, PREMIER ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGIES, INDEX, PAPENMEIER, REPRO-TRONICS, DUXBURY, SEROTEK AND OTHER PRODUCTS FOR THE BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED

AUTHORIZED APPLE STORE BUSINESS AFFILIATE
MAC VOICEOVER TRAINING AND SUPPORT

On Aug 3, 2009, at 9:21 PM, Keith Reedy wrote:

Hi Russell,

I remember over 4 years ago now when I had mhy first MAC setting on a separate computer station in my office. I had used Windows for years, both JFW and Window-Eyes, this was how I got my work done and I was afraid to touch this new beast, but, one day, I said, I'm going to atleast give it a shot.

After a few weeks I found that
1 commands were the same for the most part from app to app,
2 it was faster,
3 I could shut off menubars and other things that I really didn't need,
4 I could do things with out using VO keys all of the time
5 Safari told me what was on the screen and where it was,
6 Mail was very, very, good.
7 I did not need to restart my computer several times a day.

It was after these few weeks that I started to use the MAC for every thing at work and home. The simple commands became a part of my natcherl movement.

I learned to do things which I had found so hard to do before, like record and edit music, I remember that being the big one for me.

I could walk up to any MAC in the world, press command-f5 and go to work.

Am I more productive, the MAC has been life changing for me, this is what using a computer should be like for some one who can not see the screen.

Keith Reedy


On Aug 3, 2009, at 1:14 PM, Russell Solowoniuk wrote:

Hi all,

Okay, I'm ready to take the plunge and buy an iMac 20", but have just one final question for everyone before I do...

I'm sure, like me, most of you have come from using Windows with either Jaws or WindowEyes. For those of you who have been using the Mac for a while now, would you say that you're as productive on the Mac as you once were on Windows? I mean, for me, using Jaws is second nature to me... I don't even need to think about what keystrokes to use, I just interact with whatever program I need to to complete a given task. Now, I know I've also been using Jaws for some 15 years now, so don't expect to get to this level of proficiency overnight, but what do you long time Mac users think? Has using the VO keystrokes become second nature to you? Once one uses the Mac for a while, does navigating in Safari become as easy as navigating IE with Jaws or WE?

Thanks for any and all opinions!

Russell

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