[NFBCS] Accessibility for programmers

Tue Feb 25 22:06:53 UTC 2020

Hi,

I offered the suggestion that it would be nice if the cs division could
address/fix the problem of Microsoft exams through certiport and a cisco
networking program called packet tracer not being accessible and there was
NO interest!
So yes, I agree the group isn't much more than an email list!
Bryan

-----Original Message-----
From: NFBCS <nfbcs-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Rasmussen, Lloyd via
NFBCS
Sent: Tuesday, February 25, 2020 2:54 PM
To: NFB in Computer Science Mailing List <nfbcs at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Rasmussen, Lloyd <lras at loc.gov>
Subject: Re: [NFBCS] Accessibility for programmers

Speaking as a former board member:
The NFB in Computer Science is a division of the national organization. When
it was formed, probably in 1976, its primary emphasis and membership was for
programmers of all types. As the years went by, more and more
non-programmers needed to use computers, and the focus drifted somewhat away
from programming and toward user interface problems. 
The NFBCS has one meeting per year, as part of the NFB national convention.
About a hundred people show up. 
Curtis Willoughby was president of NFBCS for many years. In more recent
years, Curtis Chong was the president. The president now is Jim Barbour, who
sometimes posts to this listserv.
The NFBCS listserv is a primary communication vehicle between conventions.
Programming and access to programming tools continues to be a major emphasis
at NFBCS meetings, and the officers are always looking for suggestions. 
I hope this clarifies things even a little.

Lloyd Rasmussen, Senior Staff Engineer
National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled Library of
Congress, Washington, DC 20542
202-707-0535     https://nls.loc.gov
The preceding opinions are my own and not necessarily those of the Library
of Congress, NLS.

-----Original Message-----
From: NFBCS <nfbcs-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Jack Heim via NFBCS
Sent: Tuesday, February 25, 2020 3:35 PM
To: NFB in Computer Science Mailing List <nfbcs at nfbnet.org>
Cc: Jack Heim <john at johnheim.com>
Subject: Re: [NFBCS] Accessibility for programmers

I don't know what the NFBCS is other than an email list.

On 2/25/20 12:16 PM, Peter Donahue via NFBCS wrote:
> Hello everyone,
> 
> 	Isn't this supposed to be something the NFB in Computer Science is 
> addressing?
> 
> Peter Donahue
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: NFBCS <nfbcs-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Tracy Carcione via 
> NFBCS
> Sent: Tuesday, February 25, 2020 10:08 AM
> To: NFB in Computer Science Mailing List <nfbcs at nfbnet.org>
> Cc: Tracy Carcione <carcione at access.net>
> Subject: Re: [NFBCS] Accessibility for programmers
> 
> Jack, I agree with everything you said.  I'm willing to help as best I
can.
> I should have more time soon, as I get backwatered.
> Tracy
> 
>> Yeah, I think if the NFB got behind a group for blind IT 
>> professionals, we might be able to do some good. As I said, I tried 
>> to get something like that started independently but it fizzled out.
>> Here is a list of the goals of that organization.
>>
>> 1. Communicate with hardware & software manufacturers about 
>> accessibility problems. If their new router software has 
>> accessibility issues, does Cisco even know it? Lets make sure they do.
>>
>> 2. Help current IT professionals avoid being "backwatered". (I 
>> personally coined that phrase). Getting backwatered is my term for 
>> being stuck in a job dealing with obsolete technology because its 
>> what has always been accessible -- until its not. Your skills get 
>> narrower and narrower. You don't get to play with the new stuff 
>> because its not accessible.  These are huge problems in a very
competitive job market.
>>
>> 3. Provide a place for IT professionals to exchange knowledge of how 
>> to deal with accessibility issues. All of us know tricks to get 
>> around accessibility problems. I am sure that by now, many blind IT 
>> professionals have missed out on an opportunity when there was a 
>> workaround they didn't even know about.
>>
>> 4. Encourage young people to consider information technology and comp 
>> sci as a career. With the right education and tools, a person can 
>> earn a place in one of the most sought after and highly paid 
>> professions available to a blind person. Not to diss musician or 
>> massage therapist but IT pays better and there are more jobs.
>>
>> On 2/25/20 9:10 AM, Tracy Carcione via NFBCS wrote:
>>> When I was complaining about 32	70 accessibility a couple weeks ago,
>>> some
>>> people seemed to say that it was because 3270 emulation is old and 
>>> not used so much anymore.  I see that.  I know I'm a bit of a dinosaur.
>>> But this morning, I thought I saw an opportunity to start moving out 
>>> of the old legacy system and into another system supported by my 
>>> group.  I asked my boss about the possibilities, and he said that 
>>> that would be fine, except that system has a lot of Citrix-hosted 
>>> applications, and we know making Jaws and Citrix play together is a 
>>> real
> pain.
>>> Citrix is common as dirt.  I think my whole IT department uses it a 
>>> lot, but not me.  I know how to get Jaws to work with it, but it 
>>> takes quite a bit of coordination, and, if that coordination is with 
>>> outside vendors, it's even more complicated.
>>>
>>> I think Jack is right.  We of NFBCS should be working on 
>>> accessibility for programmers.  I don't know what that would entail, 
>>> but I think we need to do it, or we'll have more and more problems.
>>> The things we need access to are a lot more complicated than Granny 
>>> getting her email.
>>> Now, please, tell me I'm all wet, and there are simple solutions to 
>>> my problems.
>>> Tracy
>>>
>>>
>>>
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>>> o
>>> m
>>>
>>
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>> et
>>
> 
> 
> 
> 
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