I don't know whether anything I'm going to say now will be of too much help, but I have loitered on some of the Mac lists and I can state unequivocally that if there's one thing VI Mac users don't have trouble with its email, (smile). Very busy lists, some of them. They also seem to get by pretty well on the net too. Remember that since Leopard was introduced in late November there is now good Braille support on the Mac now, as well as speech and various enhancements over Tiger, including num pad navigation keys. Don't be fooled for a minute into thinking that's going to make the Mac like JAWS or any other screen reader. Anyone who knows anything about the Mac will tell you to forget your Windows screen reader and be prepared to learn anew. In the UK Gordon Smith seems to be one of the leading advocates of the Mac and he seemingly sets up his machines with the Fusion virtualisation software which allows for running Windows pretty seamlessly on an Intel based Mac. (they are of course Intel based machines now.) I believe Parallels is another virtualisation system that might even turn out better than Fusion. Upshot of this is that there will be a few Mac Adopters who won't leave Windows behind completely, and although its hard to believe, some are saying Windows actually works better under this type virtualisation than on a regular PC! Two things though seem plain to me. First, if MS Office is important to you then the Mac route, at the moment, won't appeal. that might change with the next release of Office for the Mac. Second, apart from Gordon Smith's email list - sorry don't have the sub details just now - you are likely to be on your own in learning the Mac; not just the access part either, but the very different operating system and the philosophy underlying access on the Mac. Trying hard not to use the words "screen reader" here, as strictly speaking what you've got on the Mac isn't a bolted on screen reader, but something's that's far more part of the operating system. There seems not much doubt that Apple Macs are better machines than many a PC, not least because the hardware is tightly matched or optimised to work with the Mac OS. I haven't enough knowledge to speak to the issue of an Imac vs. other Macs, but from the Access standpoint they must be the same as a Mac Mini or Power Mac or whatever. Though Macs aren't cheap, they are no more expensive than a well specked, upmarket -well built PC. (Without the cost of an additional screen reader.) That last point though is more likely to appeal to those buying for the first time, maybe someone who's lost a substantial amount of sight and particularly if they live in a Mac household. To my mind what's going to be crucial as to whether Macs get taken up much by Vi people is the issue of support and training, and we must wait and see how that develops. It is also still early days with Mac access at this level, and as the song goes, "Things can only Get Better!" People have criticised complicated keystrokes with Mac access, but I cannot see why this could not change in future, or even be addressed by the in-built scripting capabilities of the Mac OS. Only time will tell, but the next couple of years should see, in my opinion, a significant alternative if not rival, emerge to access via the PC as we have it now. Cheers, From Ray I can be contacted off-list at: mailto:ray-48@xxxxxxxx -----Original Message----- Carol Pearson Subject: [access-uk] Re: Apple IMac We're all interested in the Mac and specifically just how it compares, bringing in all aspects of speech of course. -- Carol carol.pearson@xxxxxxxxxxxx ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jackie Cairns" <cairnsplace@xxxxxxx> Subject: [access-uk] Re: Apple IMac > Please share this info if you don't mind respondents. I'm interested in > it too (smile). > > Jackie > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Ray Hazan" <raymond@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> > Subject: [access-uk] Apple IMac > > >> Hi listers, >> >> I am looking to replace my PC over the next few months and am toying >> with the idea of an Apple IMac. >> >> Is there anyone out there who has done the same, but perhaps rejected the >> idea and for what reasons? >> >> Are there any IMac users who are glad they changed and what are the >> advantages and disadvantages? >> >> Are there software compatibility problems? >> >> Please e-mail me privately, unless you think it might be of wider >> interest. Thanks. >> >> Ray >> Raymond Hazan (G0PQQ) >> London, England >> >> Skype name: raypqq >> >> raymond@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx ** To leave the list, click on the immediately-following link:- ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe] ** If this link doesn't work then send a message to: ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ** and in the Subject line type ** unsubscribe ** For other list commands such as vacation mode, click on the ** immediately-following link:- ** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=faq] ** or send a message, to ** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the Subject:- faq