Hi,

It seems to me, that some of you do not understand the impact of the
article I wrote.
The upgrades of MAGic, Lunar and ZoomText, that support Windows XP do not
support Office XP and the latest versions of PowerPoint and Visio. This
because of new Microsoft Technology writing graphics direct to the screen.
Microsoft has launched a new technology without making this new technology
accessible to screen magnifiers. In practice this means, that users of
screen magnifiers should not install the latest versions of PowerPoint,
Visio and Office XP on Windows XP. That Microsoft has no solution for this
at this moment. Also some dialogs in Windows XP are inaccessible to screen
readers and screen magnifiers.

The article is also a call to blind organizations to communicate this with
Microsoft. If they don't do this it seems to me, that it takes a long time
before Microsoft comes with a solution. This problem can not be solved by
makers of screen magnifiers and screen readrs. It is a problem caused by
Microsoft and they did not what they promised in the past to those blind
organizations. First checking with the assistive technology industry before
releasing new products, that are not accessible.

It is also a shame, that some companies in the assistive industry does not
warn their custommers for the problem.

Regards Peter Verhoeven
Internet : http://www.magnifiers.org (The Screen Magnifiers Homepage)

Regards Peter Verhoeven

At 10:33 08-01-2002 -0500, ckann wrote:
>Amy,
>I don't understand why he would write this article.  In the past when
>operating systems were upgraded it seemed that applications were also
>upgraded.  I think he jumped the gun. Below is ZoomText upgrade info and I
>spoke with Henter Joyce Sales and they are coming out with a version for
>Magic
>for XP and JAWS for XP.  If you go to the different websites for odering
>there
>is a version for each operating system.
>
>ZoomText 7.1 to begin shipping January 15th
>
>  The new ZoomText 7.1 - featuring support for Windows XP - is right on
>schedule for its mid-January release.  With 7.1, users can access and enjoy
>all of the benefits of Windows XP using ZoomText's magnification and screen
>reading.  ZoomText 7.1 also includes IBM's ViaVoice speech synthesizer, a
>command interface for Dragon NaturallySpeaking Professional, and support for
>Java applications.
>For more information on the new 7.1 features, check out the release notes and
>user's guide addendum (addendum in PDF format).
>
>Try ZoomText 7.1 today!
>In need of XP support or another of the new 7.1 features? Download the 7.1
>trial software now and enjoy 30 days of free use.
>
>Carol
>
>
>===== Original Message From Amy Goldman <[log in to unmask]> =====
> >>From: "Senk, Mark J." <[log in to unmask]>
> >>To: "[log in to unmask]" <[log in to unmask]>
> >>
> >>-----Original Message-----
> >>From: Peter Verhoeven [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> >>Sent: Tuesday, January 08, 2002 3:56 AM
> >>To: [log in to unmask]
> >>Subject: New Microsoft GDI+ technology causes problems for users of
> >>commercial screen magnifiers
> >>
> >>
> >>NOTE:
> >>
> >>Please feel free to forward this article to as many listings, forums and
> >>people. This is the only way to let Microsoft give more priority to
> >>accessibility issues as they do now.
> >>
> >>This article is also send to the National Federation of the Blind , the
> >>American Foundation for the Blind and the American Council for the Blind. I
> >>hope, that these organizations will use their contacts with Microsoft to:
> >>- Ask for higher priority of accessibility issues in Microsoft products;
> >>- Ask for a schedule to solve the GDI+ problem.
> >>
> >>Venlo, January 8, 2002.
> >>New Microsoft GDI+ Technology causes inaccessibility for users of
> >>Commercial Screen Magnifiers
> >>By Peter Verhoeven
> >>Editor of The Screen Magnifiers Homepage at http:/www.magnifiers.org
> >>E-Mail [log in to unmask]
> >>
> >>GDI+ is a new version of GDI, that allows applications to have direct
> >>access to the screen. When they do so, commercial screen magnifiers like
> >>Lunar, MAGic and ZoomText will not be able to intercept and magnify screen
> >>output and GDI+ output will end up corrupting the magnified screen.
> >>
> >>GDI+ is used extensively in the latest versions of PowerPoint and Visio,
> >>making these products totally inaccessible. GDI+ is also used by all Office
> >>XP applications, when performing many graphical operations, such as
> >>including images in a document.
> >>
> >>One of the primary missions of Microsoft's ADG group is to make sure that
> >>other divisions at Microsoft are aware of accessibility issues, while they
> >>are designing and coding new products. The ADG group made a huge mistake by
> >>not addressing the GDI+ issue. Other divisions at Microsoft had no idea
> >>that their use of GDI+ would make their applications inaccessessible.
> >>
> >>Do other divisions at Microsoft know that their exists an ADG group? How
> >>does the ADG Group communicate with other divisions? Is Microsoft realy
> >>giving priority to accessibility issues as Bill Gates promised in the past?
> >>Why can we not read a statement at microsoft.com, that users of commercial
> >>screen magnifiers are be advised to not purchase Office XP? Why can
> >>Microsoft not give a schedule for solving this problem? It seems, that we
> >>as users of accessibility features have to go two steps back in accessing
> >>Microsoft products, after one step forward! We as users of accessibility
> >>programs are highly dependent of Microsoft products in our daily living and
> >>to do our job! Nearly all accessibility programs like screen magnifiers and
> >>screen readers are designed to work best with Microsoft products.
> >>
> >>A member of the Microsoft's ADG group says, that they plan to release
> >>modifications in future version of Office.
> >>But how long we have to wait before this problem is solved?
> >>
> >>In my opinion blind organizations now must do why they exist. Speak with
> >>Microsoft and demand for solving this problem as soon as possible. Giving
> >>it the highest priority within Microsoft. Let Microsoft promise not making
> >>such mistakes in the future. Let them promise to first check with companies
> >>in the accessibility industry before releasing products, that are
> >>inaccessible to thousands of people.
> >>If section 508 of the American with Disability Act (ADA) realy works, USA
> >>government now stops purchasing Office XP, because it is inaccessible for
> >>their disabled employees!!!
> >>
> >>Peter Verhoeven
> >>Internet : http://www.magnifiers.org (The Screen Magnifiers Homepage)
> >>
> >>
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