Hello,
Sometimes telling a person you are blind doesn't even do it.
I actually had someone ask me if I could enlarge the picture of a Special Bed I was considering for my daughter.
I ultimately told this person that since I would be the person deciding on whether or not we were going to get the bed I would appreciate it if he would look at the bow and pretend there was no picture. Describe the bed to me as if you really wanted me to know everything about it because the sale depends on how well you verbally describe it and answer my questions.
I had sretty specific questions and special considerations before I could decide on this very expensive bed.
Ultimately, he did a good job with input from the Engeneers and I ended up choosing the bed.
Of course he wanted me to have someone else make the decision but that wasn't going to happen since I was her mom and her main caregiver.
Colleen Roth



----- Original Message -----
From: Aimee Lewis <[log in to unmask]>
,to3 [log in to unmask]
Date: Friday, May 31, 2013 1:10 am
Subject: Re: issues with technology

>
>
> Hi Jim and everybody.
> 
> Most stores have the little keypads that are connected to the touch screens
> now.  My grocery store across the street has one, and I'm fortunate enough
> to have very helpful people working there.  They helped me get oriented to
> the keys on the side, so I know which one is debit, which is what I usually
> use, and I know which keys are which when I want to get cash back.  I wasn't
> going to contribute to this thread, since like you said we're preaching to
> the choir, but I've been very frustrated when I've called Comcast with a
> problem with my cable box.  I had to tell one dumb chick who kept asking me
> if I could see the blue square at the right bottom corner of my screen that
> I was blind at least three times within the first five minutes of our
> conversation.  I think they finally put a note on my account that I am
> blind, so they know not to ask me those questions.  Anyway, everyone take
> care.
> 
> 73
> Aimee Lewis
> KK4JHF
> "Be well, do good work and keep in touch." (Garrison Keillor)
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: For blind ham radio operators [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> On Behalf Of Jim Gammon
> Sent: Thursday, May 30, 2013 1:24 PM
@> ,to3 [log in to unmask]
> Subject: issues with technology
> 
> 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]
@> ,to3 [log in to unmask]
> Date sent: Thu, 30 May 2013 10:12:34 com0500
> 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 ccd 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