Thanks for the suggestion, Sean. The schedule of events is, indeed, hard to find because conference management is outsourced to a company called LetsGoExpo rather than the Center on Disabilities at California State University, Northridge (CSUN). After much searching, I found a page that lists blind/low vision related events at http://letsgoexpo.com/expo/index.cfm?EID=80000093&p=3&page=schedule&CT=1&ECTID=0&trk=BLV That page also includes links to other session categories. Jamal On Thu, 6 Mar 2008, Sean Farrow wrote: > Date: Thu, 6 Mar 2008 17:06:09 -0000 > From: Sean Farrow <sean.farrow@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> > Reply-To: programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > To: programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > Subject: RE: Seeking possible tasks for Dueling Operating Systems at CSUN > > Hi: > Sonehow I feel the people performing the tasksduring the presentation > should be aquainted with there o/s. > Whilst I think of it does anyone know where the agenda of sessions is fo > this years conference, I carn't seem to find it anywhere. > As a note, how about having the user format a removable media as one of > the comparisons > Sean. > > -----Original Message----- > From: programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > [mailto:programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Matthew2007 > Sent: 06 March 2008 16:51 > 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 > __________ View the list's information and change your settings at //www.freelists.org/list/programmingblind