This probably won't make it to the list because of the limit, but Having 
explored and tought a lot of assistive technology products, I am concerned 
that windows users have to jump through so many hoops to barely achieve 
access.  I know, it looks like you are achieving access and I happily purred 
along with that to for a while, but when someone tries to help me with 
something I can't do with jaws, they often have to turn it off so they can 
use the computer, (even experienced computer users), and that frightens me. 
On the Mac, VoiceOver does not have to be turned off by someone who is 
trying to help me and I have noticed that a lot of what I do with the Mac 
mirrors what people who can see the screen do so that may have something to 
do with it.

Apple have shown that not only can a leading computer company make an out of 
the box accessible experience, but that it can also be done in such a way 
such that the accessibility does not interfere with normal use.  I know folk 
who have macs and when they call me for help even though they don't use
VoiceOver, they turn it on so I can hear what they are doing and help them.

Microsoft and at least freedomscientific are emmulating apple or trying to 
with new technologies.  Look at freedom, the new voices in JAWS, I don't 
like them as much as I like the acapella voices I bought for my Mac, but 
they are a huge improvement over eloquence.  Microsoft has implemented a lot 
of apple features in vista and even to some extent in xp.

I don't believe for a minute that if Microsoft made the business decision to 
migrate the accessibility apis to open source and put them into the os and 
build a spoken interface that it would be inferior.  I would hope that they 
would emmulate apple again here and provide a common shareable interface.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mike Pietruk" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Thursday, December 04, 2008 4:19 PM
Subject: Re: [VICUG-L] time for a rant, is anyone with me here?


Harry

I believe you really don't understand the screen reader concept.  A screen
reader, first of all, in the hands of a skilled user, does far more than
just read the screen and allow you to use programs.
It facilitates things; allows customization, tricks at getting at things
faster, more easily, more conveniently -- whatever.
Do you truly believe that a monopolistic company, building a screen reader
into its software, will achieve the complexity and creativity of jFW and
Window-Eyes, update things as times and environments change, do the
handholding that they do, and all the rest.
What is full access out of the box anyway?
You pretty much have it these days with the products on the market
assuming you know how to use your favorite screen reader.
In the hands of a neophyte user, even with a system built-in, that person
won't have full access until they learn how to use that screen reader.
You have the cadillacs with WE and JFW; an intermediate priced product in
the offering from Serotek, and you have free screen readers out there.
MSFT understands that these companies understand their customers' needs
and
openly works with them.  What you are complaining about, Harry, is the
cost of the Cadillacs, not that you must use a 3rd party product.
To a large degree, you get what you pay for.
Have simple needs, then go with one of the free screen readers.
Want more bells and whistles, then you end up paying.
That is how life works, and MSFT isn't a charity.
You have greater access today than you ever had; and if you have minimal
needs, you can even get away using the Cadillacs as they offer timed demo
versions which can be restarted over and over and over.





It is a glorious thing to know that your Father God makes no mistakes in 
directing
or permitting that which crosses the path of your life. It is our glory to 
trust
Him, no matter what.
Joni Erickson Tada


    VICUG-L is the Visually Impaired Computer User Group List.
Archived on the World Wide Web at
    http://listserv.icors.org/archives/vicug-l.html
    Signoff: [log in to unmask]
    Subscribe: [log in to unmask]


    VICUG-L is the Visually Impaired Computer User Group List.
Archived on the World Wide Web at
    http://listserv.icors.org/archives/vicug-l.html
    Signoff: [log in to unmask]
    Subscribe: [log in to unmask]