First, I decided to change the subject line of this thread.  Very 
well said Martin.  I decided to add my 1.5 cents.
Ever since I got my Kenwood rigs that have the option to buy the 
speech chips, I have wondered why that company in particular has 
implemented the policy so that if the consumer wants, he or she 
can add the chip and make the radio far more usable than it would 
be without the chip.  I like the Yaesu rigs but would not even 
consider buying one because Yaesu does  not offer the same 
option.  For years, deaf and hard of hearing folks have had the 
option to get Tv's with built-in captioning access available.  I 
too have often wondered why technology that can be so liberating 
when it's really designed correctly, can also be so challenging 
and frustrating when not designed with access in mind which so 
much is that way.  Back in the 90's when Apple was going through 
much agony and almost when belly up, I would have said good 
riddance, but since then, they have made a real turn around with 
voice over in their mac's and all new products.  So, it can be 
done but it's a mystery to me as to how and where to apply the 
right kind of pressure on the right kind of movers and shakers 
that will cause these changes to happen.  I agree with you that 
entertainment systems and services are among the worst when it 
comes to accessibility.  I was blown away when my wife told me 
she could push a button on the remote and see just what movie or 
program was running, how long it was, and when it would   be 
over.
Maybe with one of those Microsoft media centers that information 
is available but I doubt it.  And, have any of you had the oh so 
frustrating experience of calling your tv provider when you 
couldn't get your satellite box to work? Enough said about that.  
So, I don't know what the answer is and it's frustrating even 
writing this because I know I am preaching to the choir so where 
does this get any of us? One more thing.  I remember when those 
touch screen point of sale machines started coming out.  They 
made me so angry that I considered civil protests like getting a 
bunch of like minded blind friends together and coordinating 
checking out at a store that had those machines then hand cuffing 
ourselves to the machine so it would jam up the works for 
everyone.  I also thought of smashing one with a hammer.  Well, 
guess I was too tied into my middle class ways my family and my 
job to do any thing like that, but it sure was tempting.  
Fortunately, we have some "smart" lawyers in this area who would 
rather leverage than litigate, so far as those pesky point of 
sale machines went, the stores have kind of provided alternative 
machines due to getting "educated".  So, it's all a complicated 
issue, where to focus attention and energy to fix what? Everyone 
has their own axe to grind but it's clear that there are some 
glaring areas of deficiency that need to be addressed.  I think 
for now, I've done addressing some of it.  73, Jim WA6EKS.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Martin G.  McCormick" <[log in to unmask]
To: [log in to unmask]
Date sent: Thu, 30 May 2013 10:12:34 -0500
Subject: Re: accessible radio

	I agree totally.  The older I get the less patient I get
with technology because the only reason things aren't better
regarding accessibility is unless you are that 1 per cent caught
in the trap, it's not an issue.  You can have entertainment
devices that are all pointy-clicky monsters that you must see a
screen to use, communications gear whose primary mode of
operation is voice but there's that @%& eye candy control
system.  It does suck green trench water.

	My wife has perfect vision and she helps me when
necessary but if you need sighted assistance to run some device
on a routine basis, this is not a good thing.  It has nothing to
do with how smart one is or how much initiative you have, it is
a matter of good design versus incomplete design and a huge
amount of electronics these days has incomplete design.  It is
junk as far as I am concerned.

	The best we can hope for is that we can find the tools
we need for ham radio and daily life that are either accessible
by design or have enough remote operational capability that they
are accessible almost by accident.

	I have two Uniden scanners that would be almost
inaccessible if you had to just use them as is but they are much
more accessible if you can connect a computer to their serial
ports.  I can read the displays and program them that way but
they would be a huge pain to operate via the front pannel.  It
would be all counting silently, pushing buttons silently and
hoping for no mistakes or contact bounces which could silently
introduce more head-scratching later.

	On the BCD996, for instance, the beeps as you turn the
VFO knob don't even keep up with the clicks as you turn it
unless you turn it rather slowly.  If you make a big mistake, it
beeps higher but you don't know what you did.

	I don't feel sorry for myself at all, but I do get
annoyed that as we move on through the years, this problem
doesn't resolve itself.  It just morphs in to new ways to bite.

	There's my rant for the day.  I need to tune in 14.313
to hear some truly handicapped folks and feel smugly superior to
them.

Martin

Butch Bussen writes:
 I don't want to start a big debate here, but I think saying the 
only
 thing we give up is driving is over simplified.  I was married 
to a
 wonderful person for ten years and lived in Los Vegasand we 
depended on
 each other for a lot of things.  She had site so ccould drive as 
well as
 read mail, tell me controls on radios, play video poker and 
slots, go
 grocery shopping, and on and on and on.  Sure you can learn to 
do a lot,
 but realistically I think it is a royal pain in the ass and 
always will
 be, particularly since I'm back in a small town and depend on my 
mom for
 reading mail and so forth.  Yep, I do a lot, and even do a lot 
most
 sighted folks don't think I can do, but lets be real, blindness
 sucks!!!!
 73
 Butch
 WA0VJR