I would like to apologize for giving out a piece of incorrect information
about JAWS and display settings.  Gosh I hate to  be wrong. I am also
grateful that one of the list members sent me a note correcting me because,
it enabled me to fix a couple of nagging problems I've been having myself.

I wrote that JAWS prefers 256 color depth to function properly.  That was
true for the version I use on one of my older computers version 4.5.
However, versions 5 and 6 recommend 32 bit color depth and 1024 x765
resolution.

This does bring up one gripe though.  I have installed many versions of JAWS
over the years starting with JFW 2.0 up to JAWS 6.1.  Though the recommended
display settings are found in the section called system requirements, the
change in display capability is nowhere in the "what's new" section.  When I
installed the new versions, I was not prompted to alter my display settings,
nor did JAWS just do it.  Though perhaps, it should have occurred to me to
check system requirements, it didn't because I had a brand new computer.  I
had installed v4.5 initially because that is what I had available and could
afford at the time.  It forced me to cut back the color depth and resolution
to work properly.  Then I got hold of v5.1 and installed it.  It acted more
poorly than I would have hoped.  The reason?  It wanted to see 32 bit color,
but didn't bother to tell me!

This brings me to one of my major issues with adaptive software in general.
Much of it requires that the blind user be more of a techie than the typical
person in the general community has to be.  Actually, I am a bit of a techie
thank goodness.  Even so, I missed this one and it has caused me a lot of
trouble.  The advent of personal computers has meant a great deal to me and
many other blind people.  However, until the expense becomes reasonable, and
the adaptive technology becomes more truly integrated, it will continue to
frustrate, and unduly limit the access blind people might have.

Thanks all, this list is probably the most useful general tech resource I
know of.

Bill


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