[nabs-l] New Technology and Blindness

Tue May 3 06:19:23 UTC 2011

I completely agree:) I will admit that I did not finish reading your previous message before I responded. I think I've been having too much Red Bull today...
On May 3, 2011, at 2:10 AM, Kirt Manwaring wrote:

> Ignasi,
>  I actually think you're right about touch screens-I was more talking
> about technology in general.  By the time touch screens become
> universally accessible (or pretty close, I don't think they'll ever
> totally be completely universal) something new and probably
> inaccessible will come along.  Accessibility will always be a step or
> two behind current technology, I think that's just life.
>  Warmest regards,
> Kirt
> 
> On 5/3/11, Ignasi Cambra <ignasicambra at gmail.com> wrote:
>> Kirt,
>> I disagree. I think eventually most touch screens of this kind will probably
>> be accessible. Look at elevators, for example. These days, most public
>> buildings have their elevator buttons labeled in Braille. Does every company
>> ask for their elevators to be Brailled? They don't. But elevators come with
>> braille buttons by default, and that's all there is to it. I guess at some
>> point, most of these machines which are inaccessible today will have some
>> kind of built-in accessibility from the beginning, so individual stores,
>> airports etc will never have to think about making them accessible. It will
>> take time, of course. But I don't see why this can't happen...
>> On May 3, 2011, at 12:34 AM, Kirt Manwaring wrote:
>> 
>>> To all,
>>> Here's my take...and, because I enjoy being an argumentative pain in
>>> the neck, I'm going to enjoy this.  :)  But before I start, I want to
>>> make it perfectly clear that I'm absolutely for the Technology Bill of
>>> Rights, making new technology accessible ought to be a legal right,
>>> and we are at a disadvantage when technology, like the touch screens
>>> Ashley mentioned are being put in store checkout lines, is used.
>>> But we need to remember we are a minority and the majority of the
>>> population shouldn't bend over backwards to accomodate us.  While
>>> having all new technology come to us perfectly accessible is a
>>> laudable goal, it's probably never going to totally be realized.
>>> Should we have the right?  Absolutely.  Will we ever have it totally?
>>> Probably not...even with the Technology bill of rights, this dream of
>>> Universal Design will probably never be totally realized.  That
>>> doesn't mean we don't work towards it-it just means we need to learn
>>> how to live in a world where there are inconveniences we have to deal
>>> with.  We may have to stand in lines instead of using the independent
>>> self checkout-deal with it.  We may need to get a reader if our
>>> textbooks aren't accessible-too bad.  We may need to get assistance
>>> using keosks in the airport-I'm terribly sorry, that's life.  e maybe
>>> might even have to go with a trusted family member or friend when
>>> using an ATM...what a terrible tragedy!  I can't believe we're so
>>> mistreated, abused, ignored, neglected, forgotten, and treated like
>>> crap by the rest of the evil sighted world that doesn't even give a
>>> damn about us!  Life is aweful!  This new technology isn't
>>> accessible-woe is me, we're
>>> dooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooomed!  Noone even
>>> cares about us!  This is a terrible, terrible, no-good world we live
>>> in, because we need to get people to help us use touch
>>> screens...whatever are we going to do?
>>> Now of course that was an exhageration, and I certainly want
>>> technology to be accessible.  But rather than spend so much time
>>> complaining about it, let's do our best to get around the
>>> inaccessibility and live our lives!  I'm all for pushing to make this
>>> new technology independently usable...but it's probably never going to
>>> totally happen, deal with it.  There will always be inconveniences and
>>> annoyences associated with being blind-get used to it.  The world will
>>> never perfectly cater to our every whim, get over it.
>>> Warmest regards,
>>> Kirt
>>> 
>>> On 5/2/11, humberto <humbertoa5369 at netzero.net> wrote:
>>>> Sorry, but your message came out blank: Subject: Re: [Nabs-l] New
>>>> Technology And blindness, sent on Sonday may 1, 2011 at 9:33 AM
>>>> 
>>>>> ----- Original Message -----
>>>>> From: Chris Nusbaum <dotkid.nusbaum at gmail.com
>>>>> To: National Association of Blind Students mailing
>>>> list<nabs-l at nfbnet.org
>>>>> Date sent: Sun, 01 May 2011 09:33:12 -0400
>>>>> Subject: Re: [nabs-l] New Technology and Blindness
>>>> 
>>>> 
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>>>> 
>>>> 
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>>> 
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>> 
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