[access-uk] iPad accessibility
- From: "Damon Rose" <damon.rose@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 31 Jan 2010 00:25:17 -0000
As well as this Ipad accessibility first impressions article
http://atmac.org/accessibility-and-the-ipad-first-impressions/
take a listen to The Mac-cessibility Round Table Podcast - iPad,
Therefore, I Want.
http://bit.ly/aje7CA
... where a group of blind computer users discuss what they know so far,
what they want and how it might all work.
...Damon
Follow me on Twitter:
http://twitter.com/DamonRose
________________________________
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf
Of James & Nash
Sent: 30 January 2010 19:38
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] Re: Accessibilty and the iPad: First Impressions |
ATMac
Applause, applause, applause! Exactly, this is the benefit of having
mainstream products being made accessible to us. We can use the same
products as our sighted friends and co-workers etc, without the need to
buy over priced (and generally unworthy) Blindness products. That last
comment is a personal one aimed squarely at Freedom Scientific as I
don't feel that anything they've introduced since JAWS 7.0 has been
worth paying for. Also, using mainstream products means that we don't
have to deal with the questionable business practices of such companies.
Yes, I know that Apple too have some less than ethical practices - at
least in my opinion, and that the choice to use a proprietary operating
system has drawbacks, but Windows too is locked down. But the keyword
there is "choice". All of you Windows AT venders listen up - it seems
the reason you guys are taking shots at Apple is because you can see
that if you were to become Apple re-sellers, you wouldn't be making so
much money from the very expensive products foisted upon the Blind.
Also, let's take an example from here in Europe. JAWS 11 came out at the
end of last year, however in Central Europe in ooh let's say France for
example, JAWS 11 is still not available in French. This is disgraceful
and FS should be ashamed of themselves. Having fought with them for
years over issues like this as a foreign language user, I have come to
the conclusion that they really are not interested in providing the same
level of accessibility to all of their customers at the same time. And
before anyone says anything, I know that Apple do not provide French
voices etc by default in Mac OS X which is equally disgraceful on their
part and again I've told them so - especially when they are available on
the IPhone. However, the fact that they are there on the IPhone suggests
that they might put them into Mac OS X if they can get the licensing
sorted out. There are voices though - and although they are around 300
Euros, they are still more reasonably priced than JFW which costs
between 1300-1600 Euros. Whichever way you look at it, the ability for
us to use mainstream products opens up so many new avenues for the
Blind. Remember too, that all you are purchasing are the voices - VO
comes with the operating system. That said, Mac OS X does provide Grade
1 Braille (all be it English) allowing a Blind person to install the
operating system independently. Quite a few foreign language codes are
available though after installation, including French Grade 1. Grade 2
is proving a bit more difficult to implement, but hopefully in time, the
person doing this should get it done.
Anyone interested in getting foreign language Braille codes for their
mac on this list can go to:
http://www.cecimac.org
This site is in French, but I think there is an English translation too.
I don't like ranting like this - and I'm sorry if this upsets the
moderators, but as i said in a previous message, Blind people have been
dreadfully misinformed and people should be given the opportunity to
hear "the truth" if they want to. I fully accept that there are those
who are happy with what they use and that is absolutely fine. i also
know that there are those people who just don't want to hear about
alternatives and put their heads' in the sand - that's ok too. This is
just a personal view and it is not meant to antagonise anyone.
TC
James, Lyn, Nash & Twinny
On 30 Jan 2010, at 18:09, Tony wrote:
Blind person visits apple shop.
Buys Mac, iPhone, iPod touch, in the future an iPad maybe, who
knows what's next?
Takes it home, switches it on, and begins using it.
No need for specialist software, or any further outlay of cash.
So, the assistive software may have its limitations, but hasn't
the assistive software used to access the Widnows operating system got
its limitations too?
Hats off to Steve Jobs, main stream products, accessibility
built in, that can't be bad surely.
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
On Behalf Of Gordon Keen
Sent: 30 January 2010 15:53
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] Re: Accessibilty and the iPad: First
Impressions | ATMac
It's being so cheerful that keeps him going.
Cheers
G
From glorious Devon, England.
On 30 Jan 2010, at 12:20, James & Nash wrote:
Your distain disguised as sarcasm is really telling on your
position Steve. But I must agree with you, it's a little strange
considering that Mac OS X is built upon UNIX which is a true multi-user
operating system. Unless of course the IPhone doesn't run on top of
UNIX. As I don't have an IPhone and I've not intention of getting one, I
am not really that interested in it.
TC
James Lyn, Nash & Twinny
On 29 Jan 2010, at 23:59, Steve Nutt wrote:
Hi Gordon,
I think the only real telling thing in that article is that you
can only do one thing at once. This means no multitasking. Just like
the Touch or the iPhone, you can't even turn Zoom and speech on at the
same time. Turn one on, and the other goes off. You can't leave Email
being collected in the background. You can't have a Twitter client
running in the background or an Instant Messenger.
A reall leap forward I must say.
All the best
Steve
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx]
On Behalf Of Gordon Keen
Sent: Friday 29 January 2010 14:18
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] Accessibilty and the iPad: First
Impressions | ATMac
Steve Nutt, look away now :-)
.
Thought this might be of interest.
Cheers
G
From glorious Devon, England
http://atmac.org/accessibilty-and-the-ipad-first-impressions/
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