I haven't ever used a Mac, although I seriously did consider getting one
a few years ago. I've used either Windows or Linux, and as Albert points
out, this has been driven by my employers more than my own preference.
I can't say I've never had lock ups on Windows, but I haven't
experienced nearly as many problems as Harry has. I think Harry is
pretty good about routine system maintenance, but that's the only thing
I can think of that might explain my relative lack of issues with
Windows and lock ups.
I'd also suggest installing NVDA along side JAWS and setting up both
NVDA and Narrator to start with some hot keys. This way you'll have some
potentially different speech options to get you out of trouble when you
have any issues with JAWS. This is one of the great things with Linux;
if I have trouble with Orca, I can resort to Speakup or Emacspeak to get
me out of trouble.
I'm not sure I agree that OSX and Linux have always been more stable
than Windows. I've used various versions of Unix and distributions of
Linix, and I've seen my share of issues with the Linux kernel. This is
only anecdotal, and I haven't researched any studies on which OS is more
stable based on any impartial metrics. As a blind user, it's also hard
to separate instabilities in the kernel from instabilities in the
desktop interface and screen reader. BTW, OSX is not based on Linux.
It's kernel is based on BSD and Unix.
I think the problem with MS Office access on Apple platforms is more
complicated than just Microsoft's unwillingness to write to Apple's
accessibility guidelines. I'm sure Microsoft wants to add some value to
it's offering on Apple and not limit it's interface look and feel, which
might make it look more like Apple's office suite products. I'm sure
they also want to have as much common code between the versions they
offer on different platforms as possible, as well as make it as easy as
possible for Office users to move from platform to platform.
Furthermore, Microsoft and Apple are direct competitors when it comes to
operating systems, office suites and more, so it isn't surprising that
Apple isn't going to enhance it's screen reader or accessibility
infrastructure to support competitor's products or that Microsoft will
make accessibility of it's products on competitors platforms a priority,
just as Apple products on Windows have their accessibility issues. I
think this is one of the issues that creeps in when an operating system
or application maker also gets into the screen reader business. It's
great for blind people who want everything from one vendor, but it puts
us on an island when we want to work in a heterogeneous environment.
I think the issue here isn't how well you can use MS Office on the Mac
but rather what are your other office options on the Mac and how
accessible are they compared to MS Office? In other words, how do Pages,
Numbers and Keynote compare to MS Office, in functionality, portability
and accessibility?
I hope none of this is considered flaming. I tried hard to make it
balanced and be honest about my biases and experience. It's hard to
weigh into these discussions since users of any system can feel
challenged by any perceived criticism of the platform they've spent so
much time deciding to use and then becoming proficient with it.
On 5/24/2014 9:49 AM, Albert Ruel wrote:
> I use a PC because my employer does, and I purchased my own computer in 2006.
>
> Thx, Albert
>
> Sent from my iPhone
>
>> On May 24, 2014, at 12:07 AM, David Chittenden <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>>
>> OSX is based on Linux. Linux is, and has always been much more stable than Windows.
>>
>> VoiceOver is built-in to OSX. It almost always remains on. On the rare occasions when it dies, pressing command f5 will toggle it off and on. Also, because VO is built-in, blind Mac users are able to install OSX from scratch.
>>
>> Don't get me wrong, OSX has access difficulties, especially with Office because Microsoft refuses to follow Apple's well-published accessibility guidelines, and Apple does not create special exceptions.
>>
>> It has been argued that VO is not scriptable like Jaws. This is, in point of fact, incorrect. VO is part of the Mac operating system. Therefore, it can be manipulated using Apple Scripts. However, for stability, Apple has set up in VO controls the ability to block scripts from effecting VO. This way, it is possible to protect VO from being negatively impacted by Apple Scripts.
>>
>> All that said, the fact is, learning VoiceOver on the Mac takes significant time because many of the concepts are different. The fact also is, it took just as much time to initially learn Windows. I know because I have taught blind people how to use Windows, and it takes weeks.
>>
>> In my case, it took two weeks, and considerable extreme frustration, to learn the basics.
>>
>> I purchased my MacBook Air 11" in September, 2011. I retired my Windows machine a week later, thereby forcing myself to learn Mac, and only Mac. Given Apple's commitment to accessibility, and Microsoft's not-so-strong commitment to accessibility, I am now firmly and proudly an Apple fanboy. I drunk the Apple Coolaide, and feel sorry for those poor, deluded blind people who still believe Microsoft is the best option. Let the flames commence.
>>
>> David Chittenden, MSc, MRCAA
>> Email: [log in to unmask]
>> Mobile: +64 21 2288 288
>> Sent from my iPhone
>>
>>> On 24 May 2014, at 18:29, harry brown <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>>>
>>> Hi all,
>>> Well folks, I'm using a Gateway windows 7 laptop, running windows 7, and jaws 12.
>>> Well, here's the latest.
>>> I have read all the comments, and I was going to stay with windows.
>>> I did, get a new hard drive installed on the laptop, and that helps, not nearly as many lockups and freeze ups.
>>> However, about 20 minutes ago, I was on the internet, and looking up ham radios of different kinds, and reading reviews on eham.net.
>>> I clicked on a review for a radio, and, you guessed it, a lockup and freeze up and no speech.
>>> So, I had to do what many windows users have to do, and that was? You guessed it, a hard shut down, which is not healthy for computers, but as you all know, we have to do this once in a while.
>>> Anyway, I did the hard shut down, and then turned the laptop back on, and it took minutes to start up, and I'm finally back on.
>>> My question is for you Mac users. Do you have this kind of problem, with lockups and freeze ups with no speech?
>>> This is just wasting my time, fighting with this computer.
>>> If Macs don't have these problems, I'm switching over.
>>> One Mac user here in town told me, "Harry, I don't have that many lockups and freeze ups, and if it does lock up, at least I still have my speech.
>>> So, Mac users, let me hear from you, ok?
>>> All I know is, after using windows for all these years, 15 years, since 1998), the lockup freeze up, lose speech stuff is getting old.
>>> take care,
>>> Harry
>>>
>>>
>>> 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]
>
> 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]
--
--
Christopher (CJ)
Chaltain at Gmail
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]
|
