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
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