[vicsireland] Re: FW: Ubuntu and Visually impaired users
- From: "Declan Meenagh" <dmeenagh@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: vicsireland@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Mon, 28 Apr 2008 21:50:36 +0100
I tired Ubuntu and it wasn't good, to put it mildly.
The magnification is worse than the default on windows, and I couldn't get
the screen reader working. The interface for the magnification is
completely unusable. You have to specify how many pixels you want the
magnified image to take up. There is no drag and drop, and when you mess
up, the magnifier covers the entire screen, magnifying its self, and you
have to kill the desktop.
In theory, Linux based computers are the only option for exporting, but with
the current state of technology there is no point. I'm going to experiment
with Ubuntu over the next few months, and I'll email any progress.
On Mon, Apr 28, 2008 at 7:25 PM, Cearbhall O Meadhra <
cearbhall.omeadhra@xxxxxx> wrote:
> Dear VICS members,
>
> I was very concerned when I saw the discussion last week about helping
> Nigerian people to use computers. I was also alarmed when Gerry Ellis
> asserted that hardware needed to be licensed and that this presented an
> obstacle to assisting people who are excluded from purchasing computers on
> grounds of costs.
>
> I did some research and was referred to this group Camara who specialise
> in resolving this very issue. They find that the hardware is not a problem
> and can be distributed without incurring any licensing issues. The software
> is, of course, subject to licence. For that reason they install Linux-based
> systems on computers and, as we know, this means that screen readers such as
> Kopernicus come into focus.
>
> I have started a dialog with Camara whose leaders are very interested in
> having the input of VICS into this issue.
>
> Would anyone like to help with this initiative?
>
>
>
> All the best,
>
>
> Cearbhall
>
> "Good design enables - Bad design disables"
>
> Tel: 01-2864623 Mob: 087 9922227 Em: cearbhall.omeadhra@xxxxxxxxxx
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
> *From:* Kirsty Palfreyman [mailto:kirsty@xxxxxxxxx]
> *Sent:* 28 April 2008 18:03
> *To:* cearbhall.omeadhra@xxxxxx
> *Subject:* Fwd: Ubuntu and Visually impaired users
>
> Good afternoon,
>
> First response from the Linux group below.
>
> I shall also bring the topic up at our next Camara team meeting (one week
> tomorrow).
>
> I'll be in touch,
> Kind regards,
> Kirsty
>
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
> From: Rory McCann <rory@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Date: 28 April 2008 14:19
> Subject: Ubuntu and Visually impaired users
> To: camaradublin@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Cc: Eoghan Crosby - Camara <eoghan@xxxxxxxxx>, Kirsty Palfreyman <
> kirsty@xxxxxxxxx>
>
>
> Hi all,
>
> I've just had a quick look, and there seems to be a few built in
> technologies for helping visually impaired users.
>
> There's some info on the ubuntu website:
>
> http://www.ubuntu.com/products/whatisubuntu/accessibility and
> http://www.ubuntu.com/products/whatisubuntu/804features/accessibility/
>
> I don't know how good they are and how they'd compare to the windows
> world. It might be interesting to get some visually impaired people to try
> it out. Maybe someone has done that sort of thing before.
>
> Rory (who is swamped in work ATM)
>
> Eoghan wrote:
>
> > Hi all, is there any Linux thigy to aid the visually impaired, see
> > below for request:
> >
> >
> > Note to Visually Impaired Computer Society (VICS) Ireland
> >
> > "I have spent eight loving years and I have acquired a lot of skills
> > in
> > computer technology through many blind and sighted friends in Ireland.
> > My
> > dreams are to be able to impact these knowledge to needy blind persons
> > in
> > Africa because they're still using type writers."
> >
> >
> > Dear Kirsty,
> >
> > Thank you for taking my phone call this morning. I am a member of the
> > visually Impaired Computer Society (VICS) and rang to see if Camara
> > had any
> > answer to a discussion which has recently arisen amongst prominent
> > VICS
> > members. This is about sending second hand computers to Nigeria. I
> > think the
> > members are correct to be concerned about licensing issues in relation
> > to
> > software but not correct to say that VICS should not get involved in
> > any
> > way.
> >
> > My enquiries pointed me to Camara and the work that you and your
> > volunteers
> > are doing. I would be very interested in discussing this issue more
> > closely
> > with you and your technical team to see if VICS should get involved.
> > If you
> > feel that it would help to device a project dealing with this issue, I
> > would
> > be happy to introduce you to our chairman and would hope that your
> > representative might address the forthcoming AGM of VICS in May.
> >
> > I have attached some of the discussion for your information.
> >
> > My contact information is shown below:
> >
> > Yours sincerely,
> >
> >
> > Cearbhall E. O'Meadhra
> >
> > Colibri Consultant Group
> > "Passion for Excellence"
> > From: Cearbhall O Meadhra <cearbhall.omeadhra@xxxxxx>
> >
> >
> >
> > On Apr 21, 6:13 pm, Eoghan <eog...@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> >
> > > How many are signed up to the Ubuntu Party night Rory? We may be able
> > > to get a few drinks organised by the CS dept in UCD?
> > >
> > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~
> >
> > http://groups.google.ie/group/camaradublin?hl=en
> > -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
> >
>
>
>
>
> --
> Kirsty Palfreyman
> Volunteer Coordinator
>
> Camara
> The Digital Hub
> 10-13 Thomas Street
> Dublin 8
>
> w.www.camara.ie
> e. kirsty@xxxxxxxxx
> t. +353 (0) 87 326 0730
>
--
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DMeenagh@xxxxxxxxx || Declan.P.Meenagh@xxxxxxx
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