Excellent suggestions -- thanks, Matthew. Regarding the risk of operator error not reflecting the capability of an OS, that is true, but probably an inevitable factor whenever someone is presenting something. I am trying to minimize that risk by choosing experienced users, giving them ample notice about possible tasks, and encouraging audience participation, which could ask questions or make comments. Jamal On Thu, 6 Mar 2008, Matthew2007 wrote: > Date: Thu, 6 Mar 2008 08:51:12 -0800 > From: Matthew2007 <matthew2007@xxxxxxxxxxx> > Reply-To: programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > To: programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > Subject: Re: Seeking possible tasks for Dueling Operating Systems at CSUN > > How about the following day to day hardware types of tasks: > > 1. Quickly attaching and moving important files using any of the following > peripherals such as CF cards, external hard drives, PDAs, cell phones, and > interacting with various assistive devices such as the Braille Note or > pacmate and so on. You would of course have to ask the participants to bring > "all" their goodies because anything can be asked of them. It would be kinda > crappy to ask them to do something they weren't prepared for such as > attaching hardware they don't have in their bags. > > 2. Regular types of maintenance on the machine such as getting rid of temp > files, running hard disk diagnostics and so on--using built-in tools of > course. Also, interacting with each computer's control panel to test ease of > use and accessibility when adding and removing software. > > 3. Quickly schedule client meetings and or phone calls using the particular > machines built in calendar/day planner. > > 4. To test speed and ease of use, using the build-in search feature of each > of these platforms to find files would be pretty interesting. I guess you > would have to ask the participants to search for a file common to these > platforms in an effort to obtain some sort of equality/fairness of the task. > > 5. test the portability of each of these products' file structures. That is, > using built-in software, which of these operating systems can produce > documents that the larger population of computer users can read. Then again, > this might be an issue of an office productivity suite rather than a > hardware issue. Nevertheless I'm interested in just how generalizable these > platforms can be. > > 6. To see just what the operating system offers, create a list of built-in > applications and utilities all computer users must have access to such as a > calculator, entertainment software to play music files or watch movies, > method of quickly jotting down notes, means of quickly accessing files using > operating system shortcuts for files and OS utilities and so on. > > 7. Asking the participants to show off their platform by stating the > benefits of their OS in comparison to the platform of others. In other > words, what does your platform have and can offer that the other guy's > doesn't. > > 8. I think a quick q/A in regards to what types of assistive technology and > adaptive software can be installed on the platform would be pretty > interesting. That is, can all 3 platforms run K1000? Can all 3 platforms run > Open book? Can all 3 platforms interact with Braille Sense, BN, that APH > player and so on. In doing so we will of course discover the usefulness and > limitations of these operating systems as it relates to blind users. > > 9. Answering how one would reinstall an operating system in case of a > digital meltdown. > > You know, the more I think about this question the more I'm driven right > back to the traits of the human participants. That is, what if the platforms > can each do any of the tasks requested of it in and effective easy to use > manner, but the human participant is not familiar with the fastest method of > interacting with the platform. Ultimately, I'm thinking that since this > presentation might end up on some public forum, the possible lack of skills > of the user interacting with their particular platform might convey to an > audience that the platform cannot efficiently do what is being requested of > it when in fact it might be user error or user lack of knowledge. This could > be very unfair to an otherwise very easy to use operating system. > > Thanks, > > Matthew > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Ken Perry" <whistler@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> > To: <programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> > Sent: Wednesday, March 05, 2008 11:42 PM > Subject: RE: Seeking possible tasks for Dueling Operating Systems at CSUN > > > > > > > > In this same vein > > > > 3. Check some kind of web mail and respond to it using a web browser for > > example a gmail account. > > > > Ken > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > > [mailto:programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of James Panes > > Sent: Wednesday, March 05, 2008 11:36 PM > > To: programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > > Subject: Re: Seeking possible tasks for Dueling Operating Systems at CSUN > > > > A couple of obvious ones: > > > > 1) Retrieve and respond to an email. > > > > 2) Use an internet browser to go on-line, fill out a form and submit it. > > > > Regards, > > Jim > > jimpanes@xxxxxxxxx > > jimpanes@xxxxxxxxxxxx > > "Everything is easy when you know how." > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Chris Meredith" <tallin32@xxxxxxxxxxx> > > To: <programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> > > Sent: Wednesday, March 05, 2008 10:32 PM > > Subject: RE: Seeking possible tasks for Dueling Operating Systems at CSUN > > > > > > Wouldn't that only be effective if the system specs were similar? > > > > -----Original Message----- > > From: programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > > [mailto:programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of John Greer > > Sent: Wednesday, March 05, 2008 6:24 PM > > To: programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > > Subject: Re: Seeking possible tasks for Dueling Operating Systems at CSUN > > > > Quickest boot times from first press of the on button to screen reader > > start. > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Jamal Mazrui" <empower@xxxxxxxxx> > > To: <programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> > > Sent: Wednesday, March 05, 2008 4:37 PM > > Subject: Seeking possible tasks for Dueling Operating Systems at CSUN > > > > > >>I am moderating an event called Dueling Operating Systems at the CSUN > >> conference next week. Three users of an operating system and screen > >> reader > >> combination will compete for a couple hours: Windows with JAWS, the > >> Mac with VoiceOver, and Gnome/Unix with Orca. > >> > >> We agreed to develop a long list of possible tasks that would each take > >> from about 3 to 5 minutes using software that comes with the operating > >> system, except for JAWS and Microsoft Office. Either I or others I > >> enlist > >> would pick a selection of tasks from the list at the actual event. > >> Each task should be described in a general enough way so that someone can > >> choose the application and screen reader techniques that achieve the same > >> result. > >> > >> If anyone has suggestions about possible tasks to include on the list, I > >> welcome such input. > >> > >> Jamal > >> > >> __________ > >> View the list's information and change your settings at > >> //www.freelists.org/list/programmingblind > >> > >> > > > > __________ > > View the list's information and change your settings at > > //www.freelists.org/list/programmingblind > > > > __________ > > View the list's information and change your settings at > > //www.freelists.org/list/programmingblind > > > > __________ > > View the list's information and change your settings at > > //www.freelists.org/list/programmingblind > > > > __________ > > View the list's information and change your settings at > > //www.freelists.org/list/programmingblind > > > > > > > > __________ NOD32 2927 (20080306) Information __________ > > > > This message was checked by NOD32 antivirus system. > > http://www.eset.com > > > > > > __________ > View the list's information and change your settings at > //www.freelists.org/list/programmingblind > __________ View the list's information and change your settings at //www.freelists.org/list/programmingblind