Ken, I can understand the position of not wanting to tie it to a single screen reader, but I'm confused about how you think this idea would be practical in the typical computing environment? I figured it more efficient to run a screen reader as part of the platform it's being run on, rather than being done specifically for every different kind of GUI component set or framework that comes along. Why bundle this up as another screen reader, when a user may have Window Eyes running the entire time they're in Windows and NOT using a Java application?
I can also understand why you don't like the access a user has to potential applications to be determined by which one screen reader they may or may not use. I'm sure a lot of JAWS users would be very appreciative if you wrote this into JAWS. I guess I'm a touch dim though on why Jay should do the business with creating the speech output when all he needs to do is link in with the object model that's sitting there waiting to do this kind of task for the program that tons of users already have installed and are familiar with? I've always thought that this sort of technology, screen readers and the like, are basically there to help separate the barrier between us and the things we want to use. Intuition tells me that using one core screen reader with the ability to meet all challengers with the least amount of needed effort for extension developer and end user alike is the ideal tool for anyone wanting to use a screen reader to access their technology. And it seems that creating another new tool for Java applications themselves instead of adapting the tools already established seems to go against this philosophy, for whatever it's worth.
Thought swelcome. Jared On 2/16/2009 7:01 PM, Ken Perry wrote:
Nod well If this works so well I have to ask the real good question. Why the heck are you using a screen reader at all? I mean come on if your object works so well with Java make it hook into sapi 5 and make a key set for it and you have the first Java screen reader and no screen reader need apply. Ken -----Original Message----- From: programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Macarty, Jay {PBSG} Sent: Monday, February 16, 2009 2:41 AM To: programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: RE: GW Micro Announces Support for Java Applications Ken, Multi-screen reader support is built into the design. I am simply making use of the very powerful object model of window-Eyes in order to fully develop out all the capabilities of WE4Java. With the exception of hotkey event monitoring, which I am working to externalize, all property and method calls in the WE4Java java code is handled by a proxy COM object. There is no particular reason a proxy can't be built for another screen reader. It is simply that no other screen reader currently offers such simple interfacing to so much functionality in a nice clean scripting language. I want to concentrate on getting the product working as completely as possible using the full interface of Window-Eyes before exploring adopting proxies for other screen readers. -----Original Message----- From: programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Ken Perry Sent: Sunday, February 15, 2009 8:23 AM To: programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: RE: GW Micro Announces Support for Java Applications Nod if it is really better and they wrote it to be a comm. Object why not make it for any of the screen readers that can use it? Ken -----Original Message----- From: programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:programmingblind-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Sunday Ugerdodge Sent: Sunday, February 15, 2009 6:28 PM To: programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: Re: GW Micro Announces Support for Java Applications How about for the JAWS' users? ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jamal Mazrui"<empower@xxxxxxxxx> To:<guispeak@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>;<program-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>; <programmingblind@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Wednesday, February 11, 2009 2:00 PM Subject: FW: GW Micro Announces Support for Java ApplicationsFYI -- This is an exciting breakthrough in access to Java applications on the Windows platform. The Java Access Bridge from Sun is not needed. This technology is developed by an expert Java developer who is blind. Improvements are ongoing. Jamal -----Forwarded Message----- From: gw-news@xxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:gw-news@xxxxxxxxxxx] Sent: Wednesday, February 11, 2009 4:46 PM Subject: GW Micro Announces Support for Java Applications GW Micro is excited to announce support for Java applications through the new WE4Java Window-Eyes script, developed by Jay Macarty. The WE4Java Script Central web page describes WE4Java as a script that "provides access to Java based programs using an alternate technology from the Java Access Bridge. This interface communicates directly with the Window-Eyes COM object model via a public API." WE4Java is designed to send information from Java applications to Window-Eyes via the Window-Eyes scripting COM interface. Because Window-Eyes is a COM server (meaning other applications can send information directly to Window-Eyes), the possibilities of making any application accessible are endless, regardless of the programming language an application is developed in. "The Java language is, at times, regarded as being limited in the area of accessibility and not particularly screen reader friendly, " says WE4Java developer, Jay Macarty. "However, Java actually has one of the most powerful accessibility frameworks available built right into the GUI components. WE4Java simply takes advantage of the extreme power of the Window-Eyes scripting facility to expose the Java accessibility framework in a new and different way. We're not re-inventing javaaccessibility.We're simply making it visible as an external Window-Eyes script. In other words, the java access capability was always there. Window-Eyes scripting provided a way to unlock it in a new manner." You can read more about WE4Java at Ahttp://www.gwmicro.com/scripts/WE4Java. If you're using Window-Eyes 7.0 or greater, you can download and install WE4Java for immediate access to your Java applications. Once WE4Java is installed, you can read the documentation by selecting WE4Java under the Programs section of the Start Menu. Congratulations to all Window-Eyes script developers for all your hard work and contributions. We are excited about the future that Window-Eyes scripting has to offer. The gw-news list is an announce only list used for GW Micro news and product information. __________ View the list's information and change your settings at //www.freelists.org/list/programmingblind__________ View the list's information and change your settings at //www.freelists.org/list/programmingblind __________ View the list's information and change your settings at //www.freelists.org/list/programmingblind __________ View the list's information and change your settings at //www.freelists.org/list/programmingblind __________ View the list's information and change your settings at //www.freelists.org/list/programmingblind
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