[nabs-l] [nfbcs] Mac Accessibility

[alena roberts]

Joe,

I don't have much to add to what other people have said, but I agree
with Olivia that I enjoy using my mac more than I did with windows.
Voiceover is accessible with a lot of programs and I think you will
like the Alex voice better than any of the JAWS voices. Also you can
always use boot camp and put windows on your mac and then switch to
that platform if you need to. Good luck and I hope you like the switch
because I don't think I'll ever go back unless I have to.

Alena

On 5/28/09, Steve Jacobson <steve.jacobson at visi.com> wrote:
> Joe,
>
> Dean Martineau's advice is sound, get in touch with some MAC users via the
> list he mentions.  If there are MAC users on these lists, though, by all
> means share your
> experiences.
>
> >From a technical standpoint, VoiceOver is not JFW or Window-Eyes.  That
> does not mean that it may not perform as well in some circumstances and it
> should not be
> disregarded by any means.  However, the environment is different and the
> approach is different.  VoiceOver depends more exclusively on applications
> following the
> rules, so to speak.  Apple believes that this will work on the MAC because
> they have more control over the applications that run on the MAC.  Whether
> that is true
> only time will tell.  Therefore, it is important that you find out what
> applications are being used on the MAC.  If applications are being used that
> won't work with
> VoiceOver, then it probably is not worth making the switch.  It is my
> understanding that Microsoft for the MAC does not work with VoiceOver, for
> example.
>
> You do not have to install anything for VoiceOver to work providing the MAC
> is running a version of the operating system that is not too old.  Pretty
> much any MAC
> purchased or updated during the past couple of years will have VoiceOver on
> it.  You can toggle it on and off by pressing COMAND F5.  The "Command" key
> is
> simply another sort of shift key available on the MAC.  Pressing that same
> key combination will turn VoiceOver off.
>
> In addition, there are ways to run Windows programs on a MAC.  I have
> definitely heard of people running Window-Eyes with Windows apps on the MAC.
>  However,
> this does not let you use JFW or Window-Eyes with MAC applications.  If you
> can't use the MAC software that your co-workers are using with VoiceOver,
> then I
> question the advantage of using a MAC to run Windows applications.
>
> Now, I have a challenge for you.  Since you are going to do some research,
> how about coming back and sharing what you learned with these lists.  This
> is a subject
> that is interesting to many people, and with VoiceOver out there, there will
> be more people considering making this move.  While I know there are gaps,
> there seems
> to be a lot of satisfied users,.  It would be helpful to know what the gaps
> are and where the MAC works well for us.
>
> Best regards,
>
> Steve Jacobson
>
> On Thu, 28 May 2009 00:35:09 -0400, Joe Orozco wrote:
>
>>Hello all,
>
>>Forgive the cross post.  I need information from former PC users who are
>> now
>>using the Mac environment as their primary operating system.  My questions:
>
>>1. How steep is the learning curve moving from Mac to PC?
>
>>2. Is Firefox available to the Mac environment, and are there any
>>limitations to the browser in this environment?
>
>>3. What general limitations have you discovered using Mac moving from the
>>PC?
>
>>4. Is Voice Over built into the Mac system.  If not, how much is it, and
>>where is it found?
>
>>5. How often is the screen reader for the Mac OS updated?  How comparable
>> is
>>Voice Over to JAWS?  What kind of speech does Voice Over use?
>
>>6. How easy is it to exchange documents between PC and Mac machines?
>
>>I hope someone can help me address some or all of these points.  I've
>> picked
>>up an organization who insists on using Mac computers.  I would rather
>> stick
>>to the PC.  I'm not impressed with JAWS a lot of times, but it's what I
>>know.  That said, I have a Mac laptop headed to me, and I suppose I had
>>better learn how to adopt to the new environment real quick-like.  I would
>>appreciate any and all advice you can provide.
>
>>Many thanks in advance.
>
>>Regards,
>
>>Joe Orozco
>>
>
>>__________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus
>> signature
>>database 4109 (20090527) __________
>
>>The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus.
>
>>http://www.eset.com
>>
>
>
>>_______________________________________________
>>nfbcs mailing list
>>nfbcs at nfbnet.org
>>http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfbcs_nfbnet.org
>>To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>> nfbcs:
>>http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nfbcs_nfbnet.org/steve.jacobson%40visi.com
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> nabs-l mailing list
> nabs-l at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nabs-l_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> nabs-l:
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nabs-l_nfbnet.org/alena.roberts2282%40gmail.com
>


-- 
Alena Roberts
Blog: http://www.blindgal.com/