Re: .Net Framework Documentation

  • From: Dave <davidct1209@xxxxxxxxx>
  • To: programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
  • Date: Sun, 8 Aug 2010 10:33:47 -0700

Ken,

I think the issue of web accessibility has gone further than just
unlabeled buttons and blank alt text attributes.  There's a "new"
paradigm in which web technologies are not directly using html, but
instead abstracting away html.  With stuff like php, javascript, html
has largely become the "assembly" language of the web.

With a simple line of js and including an appropriate library, a web
developer can spit out hundreds of lines of html that's largely
transparent to the dev writing the js.  The end effect is that people
who use these frameworks or toolkits become enabled to build very
dynamic sites that look more and more like desktop app's (gmail for
example).  However, the things that screen reader users are used to
from the desktop haven't been introduced fully into these frameworks
or directly into html itself, so the experience totally sucks.  (i.e.
facebook, gmail, myspace, even nytimes).

As anyone who's tried to fix framework issues like this knows, it's
*very* hard and fraught with problems.  You have going from top to
bottom:  screen readers reading information from their platform
specific accessibility API's or interfaces, the scripting language of
the page (i.e. js), the framework, toolkit, cms, or whatever the
website is using, the browser (type, version, etc.) with varying
levels of suport for W3C standards, and finally the OS specific
quirks.  With all of these players, its a wonder that anything works
:).  To connect this coe path together with a standard that actually
works to satisfy people is also very hard and no one knows the right
answer.

This is a huge problem and representation on W3C from folks on this
list would help, but I don't know if anyone has the vision to push
through something that makes sense.  For example, should we introduce
desktop like conventions such as linear navigation via tabbing (beyond
tabbing through links)?  Should there be focusable tables?  etc.
Think of the work at every level of the stack from the screen readers,
to the web dev's, to web dev tools, to browser venders, to operating
system venders...

The mobile market is interesting because by its very nature, the UI is
drastically simplified so accessibility API's in turn can be
simplified.  The iPhone for example only recently got multi-tasking
and cut/copy/paste, so complex notions such as efficiency through
accelerators simply don't exist.  VoiceOver itself handles focus
management so that's another piece not needed within the framework
(notice this is different from Windows where focus is handled natively
within the app itself).
On 8/8/10, Ken Perry <whistler@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> This is an interesting argument Rick my opinion is that it is the web not
> the designers let me explain what I mean by telling you I also think that
> programs written in .net that are not accessible are a problem with .net not
> the designers.  Apple has come the closest to what I believe should be the
> way all programming languages should work but even Mac falls short on this
> one.  .net, gtk, win32, Java and Coco all have accessibility frameworks.
> That means nothing till the language forces you to fill in that
> accessibility framework.  You will find programs written in all the for
> mentioned languages where designers have just over looked the 4 or 5 fields
> that are designed for accessibility of custom controls because they couldn't
> be bothered to fill it in.  I will give you an example a guy wrote a game
> called Moxi it was the top of the IPhone game list for a long time and it
> was 90% accessible I wrote him and told him he could make it fully
> accessible and sent him the info.  He told me he didn't have the time he was
> working on the new Moxi II .  I guess he found time because while it's not
> the best of accessibility he did go back and put buttons in that were
> accessible.
>
> Now I have said all that to say this.  Until the frameworks tor toolkits do
> more than have the accessibility framework built in until they force you to
> fill it out we will continue to get the programs that are almost accessible.
> The problem comes in if the frame work forces you to put in accessible names
> and descriptions you can always put in "". and the compiler will be happy so
> what is the end all answer?  I think have the compilers spit out warnings
> that say if you don't set these flags your software won't be accessible.  We
> cannot force it but we can at least make the coders aware of accessibility.
> Right now they just ignore those fields and happily make a program in 5
> minutes.   True things like dreamweaver are starting to test for
> accessibility but until it complains as you are building it nothing will
> become accessible.  The web has the best chance because we can affect the
> html standard.  If you must have accessibility tags if you have an image or
> a caption if you have a video. Again people can make them "" but at least
> they have to see the places where they are putting "" not at least they have
> to know those tags are there.  Right now the tags are not forced they need
> to be forced just like forcing <html> or <body> If you put an image you must
> put access if you make custom css style sheets you should have to do custom
> access.  We are not there yet but it's getting there.
>
> Ken
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> [mailto:programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of RicksPlace
> Sent: Sunday, August 08, 2010 6:17 AM
> To: programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: Re: .Net Framework Documentation
>
> Hi Ken: Is it an inherrant problem with the Web Accessibility hooks or is it
>
> a problem with the Web Designers who layout Web Pages? I know from
> developing a couple of pages in VWD that I can make a page accessible with
> some extra work and by not using some canned cUI controls but I don't think
> most sighted designers, especially overseas, worry about that too much. Even
>
> the thousands of programmers at Google worry about accessibility after the
> fact when they put up a new application and that makes adding accessibility
> dificult and sometimes impossible without crazy modifications. For example,
> if the list of links in a mail program were inside a DropDown list you could
>
> have the ability to select a group, or all, the links using the cursor or
> the mouse and then hit a button or hot key to delete, copy or otherwise work
>
> with the selected group. That would be as fast as anything I can think of
> for that feature. I haven't done much with dynamic links and data but I
> should think that once they are in the dom they should be available for that
>
> type of "desktop" actionability. I am waiting until the guys at GW Micro
> come out with their COM interface to see how they handle things. My biggest
> concern is exactly what you have described. Limited accessibility ten times
> slower than sighted access is still accessibility achieved legally I guess.
> I am not so sure about not having Government / Industry based standards
> enforcable by law and eliminating the accessibility foundation diferences
> between major players like IBM and Microsoft when it comes to the technical
> hooks. One standard instead of IAccessible2 and, or, UIA and or other
> versions of Web Accessibility hooking models. As it now stands a screen
> reader has to handle the very complex interfaces for web apps and desktop
> apps, differing Operating System requirements, Diferent methods of dexposing
>
> Accessibility information and all the variants of Website Accessibility
> including JavaScript, CSS and Dynamic Html, AVI and Animation and all that
> jazz.
> IBM won't agree with Microsoft who won't agree with Google and so on. So we
> get Research Project after Research Project to describe the best
> Accessibility methodology and the Accessibility community applaud when each
> new white paper is released but nothing, or comparitivly little ever gets
> done. Where is the common accessibility standards between a Linux, IBM,
> based app and a UIA - Microsoft app? What about diferent browsers and
> diferent versions of each browser and related JS, CSS and other new
> technicals? It is still the Wild West out there when it comes to
> accessibility and the Screen Reader companies arefloundering to figure out
> how to handle all the crazyness that is International Corporate Egos when it
>
> comes to Accessibility Practices me thinks.
> Rick USA
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Ken Perry" <whistler@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> To: <programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Saturday, August 07, 2010 10:20 PM
> Subject: RE: .Net Framework Documentation
>
>
>>I am speaking only of the interface.  Not the languages the web is written
>> in.  When it comes right down to it we do not interface with php, pearl,
>> asp.  We interface with html weather it is served by Javascript or just a
>> clean page of html.  The html is what needs to have a blind friendly UI
>> stuck on the front.  That can mean ear cons like system access has or
>> voice
>> schema's like jaws but those seem to be more candy than actual helpful
>> information.
>>
>> You say Firefox and   Internet Explorer are very accessible I say go to
>> www.gmail.com a very accessible site and delete 246 emails.  It took me
>> forever.  My wife had over 1000 and was finished in less than 5 minutes.
>> I don't even know how long it took her because she was done before I could
>> time her.    If I am in outlook and want to delete all the mails from one
>> email list I do a quick search and ctrl-a and delete they are gone. .  Try
>> that on a web interface.   For the sighted user many of these web
>> interfaces
>> look exactly like a regular application. To us they look like nasty web
>> rather than easy to use dialogs.  Another example of what I am talking
>> about
>> is the Google Rss reader or Google docs.  My sited friends that code with
>> me
>> at work all use Google Rss now because it's an easy way for them to read
>> their news at work home or on the go with their Cell phone.  To them using
>> Google Rss is as easy as me using the rss groups I have set up in Outlook
>> or
>> other applications designed for rss because they can act on the groups
>> with
>> drags of their mouse right on the web  as if it was a true list try that
>> with a screen reader.  Same for Google docs.  Sure you can use it but I
>> challenge you to go make a document on google docs set up a table put some
>> items in the table and then put headers before and after the table.  See
>> how
>> long that takes you even if you can get it done over how long it would
>> take
>> you in something like word.
>>
>> What I am saying in short is the web right now might be accessible but it
>> sure is a bitch to use in many cases.
>>
>> Ken
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> [mailto:programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Katherine Moss
>> Sent: Saturday, August 07, 2010 8:14 PM
>> To: programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> Subject: RE: .Net Framework Documentation
>>
>> I mean firefox and internet explorer are both very accessible.  What do
>> you
>> mean that we need to find out a whole new way to work the web for the
>> blind.
>> You mean to drop the technology that we've been used to for years?  Do you
>> mean no more PHP, no more Perl, no more ASP.net?
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> [mailto:programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Ken Perry
>> Sent: Saturday, August 07, 2010 1:44 PM
>> To: programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> Subject: RE: .Net Framework Documentation
>>
>> I will second some of what people are saying here.  MSDN is very nice
>> online.  The problem is to this day no screen reader has made the web as
>> easy to use for the blind as it is for the sited.  A new way to deal with
>> the web has to be designed and I am not even sure what that new way is but
>
>> I
>> think that is where we have to be putting all our power.  Making the web
>> as
>> accessible as regular programs because that is where regular programs are
>> going.  We should be able to use Google docs as simply as opening Word
>> same
>> for gmail my wife doesn't even use a mail client any longer because the
>> web
>> clients are getting so good.  You sure the hell couldn't prove that to me
>> but I don't blame the web apps as much as I do all the screen readers and
>> I
>> mean all.  If people have ideas on how to make a better web browser
>> interface for the blind please write me and tell me I have several
>> projects
>> I am working on that this information would come in handy.
>>
>> Ken
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> [mailto:programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Katherine Moss
>> Sent: Saturday, August 07, 2010 1:09 PM
>> To: programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> Subject: RE: .Net Framework Documentation
>>
>> MSDN's  a beautiful thing, so why don't they make it beautiful for all who
>> want to use it?
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> [mailto:programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Dave
>> Sent: Saturday, August 07, 2010 11:26 AM
>> To: programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> Subject: Re: .Net Framework Documentation
>>
>> When I was doing more .Net related work with C#, I typically fired up
>> a browser and kept it at msdn.com.  I pretty much had entered class
>> names, then did a linear search (via a text find command) for members
>> (fields, properties, methods, parent/sub classes, etc).
>>
>> It would have been nice to get this directly from the IDE, but it's
>> just one extra step.  VS uses an embeded IE web view, it works, but
>> Jaws has some issues switching in and out of virtual buffering.
>>
>> On 8/7/10, RicksPlace <ofbgmail@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>> Hi: I tend to use the Online MSDN Class  Library documentation. Once you
>>> learn to navigate Google to find the ones you want they are pretty
>> helpful.
>>> They are mostely reference materials, not tutorials, but they do contain
>>> examples. They do give the necessary information on a class methods and
>>> procedures with the available parameters, events and enumerations with
>> some
>>> examples.
>>> The examples do tend to be overly complex at times but if you know what a
>>> class is you can read what each class does, what it's methods and
>> Properties
>>> do and see an example or 2 of how to use them. To find a tutorial on
>>> using
>> a
>>> particular method or property that I don't understand I find keywords to
>>> Google from the MSDN Document Examples or Reference and Google for third
>>> party articles on that method or property as used in a similar example to
>>> the one I am thinking of creating. . I don't like the IDE's built in help
>>> feature much at all. Another way to get at relevant methods is to use
>>> Intellisense. But, of course, that method does not give you any examples
>> or
>>> explanations of what selected methods or properties do.
>>>   You can add the Programmer's user Guide and Reference Manual pages as
>>> hyperlink Icons to your desk top for your particular version of VS and
>> then
>>> get to topics of interest from those main pages as well. It's like having
>>> those 2 online books on your desktop. You can do the same for other MSDN
>>> pages if you want as well or you can just save them in your favorites
>> folder
>>> or even in a text file in a folder to create your own book of reference
>>> materials and Programmers Guide Materials which are more a learning tool
>>> than the Reference Manual. .
>>>   Again, verify the version of the online MSDN Library docs you use.
>>> There
>>> are usually multiple versions available such as for vs 2005, 2008 and now
>>> 2010. I think once you have a main Library url for a class or a manual
>>> the
>>> embedded links to technicals will relate to other pages for that same
>>> version of VS so you only need to save the highest level page like the
>>> Programmer Reference or the Programmer Guide for your version and go from
>>> there or the Library Heading Page..
>>>   I have not found the MSDN Tutorials particularly helpful but I use
>>> their
>>> docs for reference and to learn new features since I already know most of
>>> what is provided, the classes and methods typical properties and events
>> for
>>> the VS features I use.
>>>   Anyway, that is how I use the MSDN Online Docs for vb.net 2008 and it's
>>> related features and VWD 2008 etc...
>>>   Rick USA
>>>   ----- Original Message -----
>>>   From: Kerneels Roos
>>>   To: programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>>   Sent: Saturday, August 07, 2010 5:23 AM
>>>   Subject: Re: .Net Framework Documentation
>>>
>>>
>>>   Hi everyone,
>>>
>>>   I was just wondering how other people experienced working with the
>>> Microsoft document explorer, and if people had some tips and tricks they
>>> were using to make browsing the docs more economic and a more productive
>>> process. What I'm saying is I -- for one -- was not blaming MS at all or
>>> complaining about it, just looking for advice :-).
>>>
>>>   It's really getting old this thing that blind people complain about how
>>> inaccesseble this or that piece of software is, as if we have this
>>> special
>>> right to things being super easy for us. Well, we don't and it's a
>> privilege
>>> rather than a right if companies go to the expense of trying to make
>>> their
>>> stuf more accessible. They have little or next to nothing to gain from
>>> spending money on accessibility, yet they still do it, and try to do it
>> well
>>> even.
>>>
>>>   If you look at the "Help on Help" section in the MS document explorer
>> for
>>> example, you'll see that there are many accessibility features of that
>>> program, like configurable keystrokes for example and everythin can be
>> done
>>> with a keystroke. This does not necessarily mean that the particular
>> program
>>> is easy to use if you can't click everywhere like fully sighted people
>> does,
>>> but it does mean that MS tried to make it workable if you can't see the
>>> screen properly.
>>>
>>>   Wouldn't it be great if the blind programmer community could get known
>> for
>>> being super cooperative with companies in their drive to make their
>> software
>>> accessible by being nice, giving constructive critisism and each member
>>> of
>>> the community going the extra mile themselves before opening their
>>> mounths
>>> to complain? Wouldn't such a character prompt vendors to try harder and
>>> harder to make their products inclusive?
>>>
>>>   And if company X produce very inaccessible software and efforts to make
>>> them try a bit fails it should be seen as an opportunity for company Y to
>>> create competing software that are in fact better and more accessible--
>>> company Y could add value.
>>>
>>>   I'm really impressed with many folks on this list that generously offer
>>> their opinions and advice for free to even the silly questions. Let's all
>>> try ask smarter questions and do our homework first. And if one happen to
>>> ask a silly question, be ready to accept a silly response, and let's not
>>> moan and complain -- life's too short.
>>>
>>>   OK, enough complaining about complaining!
>>>
>>>   Enjoy the adventure of programming!
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>   On Fri, Aug 6, 2010 at 8:58 PM, Katherine Moss
>>> <plymouthroamer285@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>>
>>>     I'm on 11.0.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>     From: programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>> [mailto:programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Littlefield,
>>> Tyler
>>>     Sent: Friday, August 06, 2010 1:19 PM
>>>     To: programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>>     Subject: Re: .Net Framework Documentation
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>     They seem to work fine for me, what jaws are you both running? Rather
>>> than blame microsoft right off, lets look a bit closer to home first.
>>>
>>>       ----- Original Message -----
>>>
>>>       From: Katherine Moss
>>>
>>>       To: programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>>
>>>       Sent: Friday, August 06, 2010 11:14 AM
>>>
>>>       Subject: RE: .Net Framework Documentation
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>       I'll tell you,
>>>
>>>       I have had the exact same issue with all of the .net rreferences
>>> stuff.  Even the new SDK docs aren't even accessible via document
>> explorer.
>>> I don't understand why Microsoft doesn't implement their own classes they
>>> have provided for accessibility in their own software!
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>       From: programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>>> [mailto:programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Kerneels Roos
>>>       Sent: Friday, August 06, 2010 3:51 AM
>>>       To: programmingblind
>>>       Subject: .Net Framework Documentation
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>       Hi List,
>>>
>>>       Don't know about you guys, but I don't find the Microsoft .Net
>>> Framework documentation browser, or the Microsoft Document Explorer that
>>> ships with Visual Studio 2008 very accessible via JAWS. Yes, one can get
>> at
>>> the information, but it's not a smooth and simple  process like with the
>>> older style CHM files that works great with JAWS.
>>>
>>>       Does anyone know if all of that documentation, or at least just the
>>> .Net Class Library reference is available in the old style CHM format?
>> I've
>>> searched a bit but could not get a conclusive, authoritive download as of
>>> yet.
>>>
>>>       Maybe I'm missing something, but the current means by which I
>>> manage
>>> to navigate it is not eficient at all. Much tabbing, moving around with
>> the
>>> JAWS cursor and so on...
>>>
>>>
>>>       If anyone is using the default help system any tips would be most
>>> welcome!
>>>
>>>       Regards
>>>
>>>
>>>       --
>>>       Kerneels Roos
>>>       Cell/SMS: +27 (0)82 309 1998
>>>       Skype: cornelis.roos
>>>
>>>       The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the
>> cheese!
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>       __________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus
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>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>       The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus.
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>>>
>>>       http://www.eset.com
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>>>
>>>   --
>>>   Kerneels Roos
>>>   Cell/SMS: +27 (0)82 309 1998
>>>   Skype: cornelis.roos
>>>
>>>   The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese!
>>>
>>>
>>>
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