[macvoiceover] Re: is a paid screenreader for the mac a option?
- From: Laura <laura.mcg@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: "macvoiceover@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <macvoiceover@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Mon, 25 Jun 2012 14:41:21 +0100
Hi there
I don't think this is likely to happen, but, in any case, I'd far rather the
effort to get this off the ground went instead towards encouraging mainstream
developers to make their products accessible. Office and Flash, for example,
don't work with VoiceOver because Microsoft and adobe don't take advantage of
the accessibility tools apple provides. Paying for another screenreader to
overcome that seems, to me, like letting developers off the hook as well as
increasing our own costs. I also think there would be less incentive for
developers who would otherwise be willing to code their apps accessibly if we
start down the path of doing the work for them.
Which isn't to say VO doesn't need improvement, or that there aren't problems
in Apple's own software that prevent full accessibility, but it's not like
using JAWS was ever a bug free experience. And in Apple, I do think we've got a
company that is interested in our feedback and in implementing it. Freedom
Scientific, in my experience, were never so approachable or responsive as
Apple's accessibility department.
On 25 Jun 2012, at 13:08, William Windels <william.windels@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Hello,
> After working for more than 3 years with the mac , it's my personal
> opinionthat more basic programs are accessible on windows then on the mac
> platform.
>
> I find it more stable to work on the mac because of the integration of the
> screenreader voiceover with the osx.
> The fact that the hardware is also adapted for us by the trackpad and the
> function-keys with the spoken values.
> And of course the flexible way we can install , manage the system with
> voiceover support everywhere.
>
> However, we can't e.g. configure dropbox with voiceover while this is
> possible on windows, office programs like microsoft office and also iWork's
> aren't fully accessible with lay-out tasks, in my opinion there are several
> usability issues with the browsers on the mac, some ellements of the os ,
> like
> Tables, on websites and on numbers and pages, are very difficult to navigate
> e.g. you can't search for edit-fields on websites while they are in a table
> and in pages, you can't work with tables on a comfortable way.
> the icon's on the status bar, can't be reached on a normal way with
> voiceover...
>
> My conclusion: a paid screenreader for the mac that makes program's
> accessible with scripts (like screen readers on windows do), should be very
> welcome I think.
> With this kind of optional screenreader, blind users should be able to use
> all the equivalents on the mac of their windows favorites. Perhaps it should
> push apple to make their screenreader better on a faster speed.
>
> Why such screenreader doesn't exist yet?
> I see 2 reasons for this:
> 1. Apple should not be happy with this and the screenreader of apple should
> have more possibilities to integrate with the os then the external
> screenreader.
> 2. Other communities don't see a reason to make a screenreader for the mac
> while there is one built in.
> If it should be the second reason, any people with accessibility frustrations
> on the mac , should communicate this to other companies like gw micro,
> freedom scientific, baum...
>
> Any opinions about this meanings should be very welcome.
> kind regards,
> William Windels>
>> Click on the link below to go to our homepage.
>> http://www.icanworkthisthing.com
>>
>> Manage your subscription by using the web interface on the link below.
>> //www.freelists.org/list/macvoiceover
>>
>> Users can subscribe to this list by sending email to
>> macvoiceover-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> with 'subscribe' in the Subject field OR by logging into the Web
>> interface at //www.freelists.org/list/macvoiceover
>>
>
> Click on the link below to go to our homepage.
> http://www.icanworkthisthing.com
>
> Manage your subscription by using the web interface on the link below.
> //www.freelists.org/list/macvoiceover
>
> Users can subscribe to this list by sending email to
> macvoiceover-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> with 'subscribe' in the Subject field OR by logging into the Web
> interface at //www.freelists.org/list/macvoiceover
>
Other related posts:
