Hi Carol,
I don't know if any of these have been answered, but
I'll give them a shot. I will place my answers below
each question with a, JP, before the text.
>
> 1) I know how to turn VO on but what else do I
> really need to get to grips with as far as VoiceOver is
> concerned?
>
JP. Navigating the screen and getting comfortable with
knowing what interacting is and when you are supposed to
do it. Menus and dialog boxes should not be a real issue
if you are coming over from Windows.
> 2) Is a track pad or mouse going to be useful to me?
>
JP This is opinion only, but I love the Magic Trackpad.
Using the gestures that one uses on the iPhone or iPad is
a great way to use the Mac.
> 3) Will Apple Care enable me to be fully supported
> by an Apple rep from my home? (I mean, could a rep
> take control of my Mac to perform any required tasks I
> have not mastered?)
>
JP Apple care gives you all kinds of advantages for
protection and repairs of the mac. I don't know how in
depth the level of support will go, as I have never had
to do that. You can always ask a customer service rep
about this aspect.
> 4) I'd like to be made aware of any shortcomings
> (making work difficult) in VoiceOver, as it is at
> present. I would need to get to grips with spread
> sheets and convert some from Windows quite quickly. Is
> this going to be difficult for me?
>
JP Tables are not as transparent on the Mac. It is
certainly doable and I can use Numbers and the
application, Tables, to handle spreadsheets I used in
Windows. There are also some tricks and work arounds for
handling Tables in Pages documents, but this might be
something you would explore when you are more comfortable
using VoiceOver.
> 5) Finally, Am I safe to purchase any air printer
> now (as I need a new one quite urgently) and expect it
> to work with the Mac, or should I be looking for a list
> of recommended printers?
>
JP If you have an iOS device, I'd do it. There is an
Airprint application you can get for the Mac that will
make a lot of wireless printers capable of being used
with an iPhone or other iDevice. It's a free app, and is
easy to set up.
Take Care
John D. Panarese
Director
Mac for the Blind
Tel, (631) 724-4479
Email, john@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Website, http://www.macfortheblind.com
APPLE CERTIFIED SUPPORT PROFESSIONAL FOR MAC OSX LION
AUTHORIZED APPLE STORE BUSINESS AFFILIATE
MAC and iOS VOICEOVER TRAINING AND SUPPORT
On Jun 26, 2012, at 12:55 AM, "Carol Pearson"
<carol.pearson29@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> John, thanks so much for this. It's given me such an
> insight into Mac's capabilities and, to be honest, I'm
> currently rather mind boggled but greatly excited!
>
> I realise now that I need to prepare for going to the
> MAC store in order that I can fully use my time/visits
> there in the best way possible.
>
> Forgive some of the elementary questions in preparation
> for this phase:
>
> 1) I know how to turn VO on but what else do I
> really need to get to grips with as far as VoiceOver is
> concerned?
>
> 2) Is a track pad or mouse going to be useful to me?
>
> 3) Will Apple Care enable me to be fully supported
> by an Apple rep from my home? (I mean, could a rep
> take control of my Mac to perform any required tasks I
> have not mastered?)
>
> 4) I'd like to be made aware of any shortcomings
> (making work difficult) in VoiceOver, as it is at
> present. I would need to get to grips with spread
> sheets and convert some from Windows quite quickly. Is
> this going to be difficult for me?
>
> 5) Finally, Am I safe to purchase any air printer
> now (as I need a new one quite urgently) and expect it
> to work with the Mac, or should I be looking for a list
> of recommended printers?
>
> I do hope you all don't mind these questions. Please
> feel free to take them off list with me if you wish.
>
> Carol P - Thanking you all for support in my journey!
>
> ---- Original Message ----
> From: "John Panarese" <jpanarese@xxxxxxxxx>
> To: <macvoiceover@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Monday, June 25, 2012 10:28 PM
> Subject: [macvoiceover] Re: is a paid screenreader for
> the
> mac a option?
>
>> Keith posted this link a few weeks ago.
>>
>> http://www.apple.com/osx/whats-new/features.html
>>
>> The release date is not been announced, though July
>> is said to be the month. I read somewhere July 18, but
>> this is NOT confirmed and rumor only.
>>
>>
>> Take Care
>>
>> John D. Panarese
>> Director
>> Mac for the Blind
>> Tel, (631) 724-4479
>> Email, john@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> Website, http://www.macfortheblind.com
>>
>> APPLE CERTIFIED SUPPORT PROFESSIONAL FOR MAC OSX LION
>>
>> AUTHORIZED APPLE STORE BUSINESS AFFILIATE
>>
>> MAC and iOS VOICEOVER TRAINING AND SUPPORT
>>
>>
>>
>> On Jun 25, 2012, at 5:01 PM, "Carol Pearson"
>> <carol.pearson29@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>>
>> > Any ideas when Mountain Lion should arrive and does
>> > anyone have direct URLs for good reading about him!
>> > <Smiles>
>> >
>> > Carol P
>> > ---- Original Message ----
>> > From: "John Panarese" <jpanarese@xxxxxxxxx>
>> > To: <macvoiceover@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>> > Sent: Monday, June 25, 2012 8:16 PM
>> > Subject: [macvoiceover] Re: is a paid screenreader
>> > for the
>> > mac a option?
>> >
>> >> That's why I offered alternatives to iWorks. I
>> >> am not disagreeing with some of his points. I am
>> >> disagreeing with his conclusions and inferences.
>> >>
>> >> Let's not forget that Mountain Lion is coming
>> >> soon. Let's wait to see what improvements will be
>> >> found for VoiceOver. Also, as I indicated, strong
>> >> rumors point to
>> >> an update to iWorks.
>> >>
>> >> Take Care
>> >>
>> >> John Panarese
>> >> jpanarese@xxxxxxxxx
>> >>
>> >>
>> >>
>> >> On Jun 25, 2012, at 3:10 PM, Laura
>> >> <laura.mcg@xxxxxxxxx>
>> >> wrote:
>> >>
>> >> > Out of interest, what in the original message is
>> >> > preventable with training? I disagree with the
>> >> > paid alternative to VoiceOver, but aren't most of
>> >> > the points William raises valid? Tables in Pages
>> >> > are often difficult, and, at the moment, getting
>> >> > to third party status bar items is complicated.
>> >> > Pages in general seems to me to have some
>> >> > reasonably big accessibility bugs--I.E. the
>> >> > inability to read track changes or comments.
>> >> >
>> >> > I'm not picking an argument, honestly. I'm just
>> >> > curious, because the only part of the message I'd
>> >> > question is the part about not being able to
>> >> > search for form fields in tables on webpages. If
>> >> > there are straightforward methods for achieving
>> >> > some of the other things he finds difficult, I'd
>> >> > love to hear about them, too.
>> >> >
>> >> > Cheers.
>> >> >
>> >> > Laura
>> >> >
>> >> > On 25 Jun 2012, at 19:00, VaShaun Jones wrote:
>> >> >
>> >> >> I really think you need proper training because
>> >> >> the statements you are making just are not true.
>> >> >> As I've stated before there are blind people who
>> >> >> work on accessibility for the Mac day in and day
>> >> >> out and I promise you with all my heart proper
>> >> >> training prevents piss poor performance and this
>> >> >> is surely a matter of not having the proper
>> >> >> training. I will leave this alone because a
>> >> >> person convinced against their will is of the
>> >> >> same opinion still. On Jun 25, 2012, at 8:08 AM,
>> >> >> 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
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>> >> >>>>
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>> >> >>>>
>> >> >>
>> >> >>>
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