Re: Off topic Longhorn preview!

  • From: "Gene" <guystevens@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: <jfw@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Fri, 13 May 2005 01:15:48 -0400

Hmmm... a lot in there to comment on. But I'll just make two observations. 
First of all, it's the average computer user that doesn't know DOS... 
sighted as well as blind. And it's the average computer users own fault that 
MS doesn't include more DOS. For years all we in the business heard was how 
hard DOS was to learn and that is why this mish mash of utilities and half 
written programs called Windows is now the dominate "OS" on the market. 
Secondly, there is a set of instructions for making a XP boot disk that will 
allow a reinstall of XP with JFW. It's on the jfwlite site. I haven't tried 
it but they swear it works.



Thanks; Gene

On MSN and Yahoo - guystevens@xxxxxxxxxxxxx


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Keith Gillard" <kgillard@xxxxxxx>
To: <jfw@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Friday, May 13, 2005 1:02 AM
Subject: Re: Off topic Longhorn preview!


> Hi Bill you wrote:
>
> by the  way  as stable as x p is its know where near as stable as dos was.
>
> But a lot more entertaining...Keith
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Bill" <bill.cam@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> To: <jfw@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Thursday, May 12, 2005 5:46 PM
> Subject: RE: Off topic Longhorn preview!
>
>
>> jim first you confuse operating system with applications.
>>
>>
>> secondly    you confuse stability with access to blind users.
>>
>> by the  way  as stable as x p is its know where near as stable as dos 
>> was.
>>
>> i assume from your comments you do not think backing up is importan.
>>
>>
>> most of the backup programs blind folks can use require some form of dos
>> to
>> do a complete reinstall.
>>
>> a complete reinstall is required when windows gets trashed.
>>
>>
>> ghost 2003 for instance installs a virtual dos partition.
>>
>> regular ghost uses a dos floppy.
>>
>> because x p backup software requires one to first have to reinstall
>> windows
>> first prior to reinstalling the backup.,
>>
>> where no speech exist.
>>
>> so the windows software still does not allow a rsingle step
>> reinstallation,
>> even though old dos could easily do this task.
>>
>>
>> other x p quirks also exist, like the fact it removed the registry backup
>> tool for some unknown reason.
>>
>>
>> in addition system restore in x p is no where near as good as system
>> restore in windows me was.
>>
>> to make it faster, system restore, in x p they also maid it back up less
>> files.
>>
>> so seen it screw up several times doing reinstalls where  previous 
>> version
>> would not.
>>
>> it also will not back up farther than 90 days where system restore in me
>> would back up as far back as you had hard drive space for.
>>
>>
>> this point of complaining about system restore is more of an issue when
>> one
>> considers they no longer have an automatic  backup of the registry.
>>
>> one thing i do agree with you on is that most blind folks do not know 
>> dos,
>> and its also true most blind folks think they probably have good access
>> even though their are not able to do 2 of the most importan things in the
>> o
>> s, one trouble shooting  in safe mode and the second backing up and
>> reinstalling the o s.
>>
>> most of the same folks are probably not aware how easy it would be for
>> micro soft to design a version of safe mode that also loaded the sound
>> card
>> driver.
>>
>> so blind folks could also enjoy speech in safe mode with a software 
>> synth.
>>
>> it would also be easy to load a com port driver in safe mode for hard 
>> ware
>> speech.
>>
>> or load u s b  support in safe mode for a u s b synth.
>>
>> their already exist 2 versions of safe mode, one that also loads the
>> network driver so making the suggestions  above would be fairly simple.
>>
>>
>> by the way its also true some programs that used to be accessable, like
>> money 98, newer versions are no longer accessable.
>>
>> so the support for m s a a, is some what questionable, because its a m s
>> thing that micro soft  hardly supports them selves.
>>
>> obviously if micro soft did support m s a a in office and money then
>> other
>> screen readers would be able to read them just fine.
>>
>> j f w uses the dom to intercept the information in office to give it
>> superior access over other screen readers.
>>
>> dom  being the way that office applications communicate with each other.
>>
>> not m s a a.
>>
>> in fact g w had to add m s a a components to word to make it more
>> accessable in their latest release.
>>
>> one might think that was micro softs job.
>>
>> the one place where m s a a has been added is in the browser, but
>> browsers
>> that have m s a a do run on earlier operating systems.
>>
>> one last point i really was surprised you pointed out, was the fact that
>> you talked about its security and how you could drive a truck through it.
>>
>>
>> not that i don't agree, but have no idea where you been when m s was
>> patching x p the last couple of years.
>>
>> think one could drive a convoy through it.
>> grc.com clearly talks about how easy it is to take zombie remote control
>> of
>> x p over and how security center is not  very secure.
>>
>> look at how some anti virus over ride security center  virus checking
>> feature.
>>
>> so security center reports their update when their not, well if anti 
>> virus
>> can do it then its pretty certain that a worm can also duplicate this 
>> act.
>>
>> making you think your up dated when your not.
>>
>> another reason i just turn it off.
>>
>>
>> another thing you say that some what confuses me, is that we work
>> differantly, very true indeed.
>>
>> so when i maid points about lack of speech access in dos, you acted as
>> though thats not importan.
>>
>>
>> even though its the only method of reinstalling backups for the blind.
>> i did not pick this method, i was given this single option so hence i use
>> it, though differant than my sighted collegues use.
>>
>>
>> oh by the way this is also microsofts fault, it would be very easy with 
>> cd
>> rom disk to make a boot cd rom that contained jfw and a version of 
>> windows
>> that would allow reinstallation of the backup via windows.
>>
>> why does it not exist, because m s will not premit it or charges to hi a
>> fee to make a windows boot cd rom that one can add drivers to it.
>>
>> at least that is what stomp backup told me.
>>
>> in win me stomp did have a windows boot disk, but not in  xp.
>>
>> granted that boot disk did us little good because it lacked a sound card
>> driver.
>>
>> though it was a start in the right direction.
>>
>> why m s it self does not provide a windows boot cd rom capability with 
>> the
>> ability to back up drivers  to make reinstallation much easier is beyond
>> me.
>>
>> like they used to do with floppies.
>>
>> actually the reason is some what clear, pure and simple, greed.
>> that and lack of competition.
>>
>> so i also believe in giving micro soft their due, or lack of credit when 
>> i
>> see how easy it would be for them to add certain features.
>>
>>
>>
>> bill
>>
>>
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