[NFBMT] a world to dream about or to rant about- free of the graphic rabbit hunt

Fri Aug 23 13:47:37 UTC 2019

I absolutely commiserate with you.  But time marches on.  I do know people
who just don't use technology, especially computer technology.  A flip phone
is as far as they will go, and that not without kicking and screaming.

I don't know if your cell phone has speech capability, but if it does, it
might be worth turning on and learning how to use it.

Other touch screens are more tricky.  There is computer software out there
for those with low vision, but there does come a point when low vision isn't
very helpful and some other more reliable means needs to be found.  I know
there is a combination software that uses low vision access as well as JAWS
access, so you can use whichever one works best in the situation in which you
find yourself.  The thing that I think is frustrating is if you have to use
some sort of program that doesn't have a text or a speech workaround.  I
understand why the DOS days are gone, but I really enjoyed them.  Windows is
much more flexible and customizable, and of course they have to make a living
so they have to change it up every few months to come up with a newer and
more improved version.  Sometimes that works, most times it doesn't.  I
vaguely remember a joke about Microsoft that if it were a car, every time
they came up with an update, instead of improving the car, they "improve" the
road.

They say that you can use AIRA in some situations to read what is on your
computer screen when it won't talk or when it freezes up.  The first five
minutes of every call is free.  So you can call 25 times a day if you want
to, and as long as your call is under five minutes, it is free.  Maybe that
would be helpful in situations where the computer freezes up or won't talk.
Another workaround for that might be KNFB Reader.  I myself haven't figured
out how to use it very successfully, but that doesn't mean it can't be done.
Another trick is to turn on Narrator or NVDA when JAWS freezes up.  If all
else fails, seek sighted assistance, which isn't always available.  Or cuss
and punch holes in the wall and turn the computer off and back on, which is a
last resort, and hope it talks then.  And then you either have to fix the
holes in the walls or find somebody else who can.  And pay them.  Ugh, for
the good old days.  Are they like any other good old days, better in memory
than in reality?  Mama, don't take my Kodachrome away.  Joy

-----Original Message-----
From: NFBMT <nfbmt-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Rik James via NFBMT
Sent: Friday, August 23, 2019 12:51 AM
To: Nfbmt at nfbnet.org
Cc: Rik James <rixmix2009 at gmail.com>
Subject: [NFBMT] a world to dream about or to rant about- free of the graphic
rabbit hunt

I don't know but I wonder what any of you all might think.

I want to dream of a world that is free of this what I call the rabbit hunt.

The dogs are all barking. They are on the scent of a rabbit. But the rabbit
has already gone down a hole. The rabbit is laughing at me. He knows I am
still just looking for the mouse cursor.

Is this some strange joke, Rik, you ask? Well, sure. Sort of. But read on.
And then join in, to find the rabbit scent.

I have days when it seems the first half hour is just dealing with the stuff
that torments us so often, in the way of accessing information, when setting
about to use a personal computer.

Now, some days, sure, I just get right to it. But Murphy's Law just may apply
when I really just needed to get that one thing done, and whoopsie do.
Here I am dealing with some thing that won't talk, or there is a freeze up,
or a website that is so tethered with advertisement my head gets dizzy and my
idea of fun is to just walk away, and stay away.

I wonder why. Back when Windows 95 came, it was like a revolution. There had
been all of these DOS-based programs, we learned a bunch of keyboard
shortcuts, hooked our printers up with cables, got these funny sounding
modems to reach out on a phone line, to upload and download, and send the
occasional fax to congress to ask for funding for the education of blind
children. It wasn't easy. It was even slow. But doggone.

Pretty soon it was the mouse this, and the mouse that. The graphic user
interface war was on. And it has not really relented, to my mind.

And sure, the internet boomed, it became such a big cash cow, they of course
had to just populate all of the pages up with pop up advertisements.

And yes, of course malicious people got into the mess, too. And so we had to
find the right way to protect ourselves, and hopefully with something that is
also accessible to the environment in which we try and function confidently.

So many things, there used to be a few buttons and dials and switches.

Now, electronics. Touch screens, things that have no access to their display
required to use them.

I just think what if?  Is it just being nostalgic?

Why can't we design our own world, free from all of this?

Why don't we just wean ourselves from this business of chasing our tail,
trying to get access to the graphic ever changing with each new platform?

Now, I say all this, and I know it is pie in the sky.

I know that I can't just sit again with that world. Louis Braille had an
idea. Do we have something that could last as long as his ideas?

Every device I have that does not have a screen seems to make me happy. It
can be operated manually. No need to work around all of those mouse over
things.

I find I just get some peace of mind from its simple and direct function.

Plus, there are those, in truth and reality, and I bet we all know some of
them. They will never get the hang of some of all of this. And what are they
left with? Just the feeling of being behind, and with little hope to catch
up.

Catch up? Why, that would mean there was no need for each year or two to
throw out the window the technology we just got to using fairly well! It is
important to develop new products to sell, don't you know?

I have asked a few blind persons who are pretty well respected. I say, didn't
they really mess things up when they came up with this whole touch screen
idea?

Oh, no, no, they say. Those are actually quite a good thing.

I just lose my patience with them. I do okay. But I don't have to like it.

Am I just a crank?

Or is there a world of electrical engineers that we can reach out to and give
us the pie in the sky of which I dream?

Please, discuss. Dream big. Or tell me I'm just out of order.

My rant phase is over. I hope I didn't upset or bore anyone too badly.

Rik James

Celebrating the universe, as best I can, within certain obvious parameters

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