[stylist] accessability

Thu Mar 13 16:17:41 UTC 2014

Hi, so I phoned Kinkos last year and asked them if they were accessible. 
They said yes, we have a ramp.

I said but do you have a computer blind people can use?

They said oh no, just a ramp.

I said well, have you considered getting some software so one of your 
computers can be used by blind people? It would just need a screen reader.

No, he says, I don't think we can do that. I can help you if you come in 
though....

I thanked him and did not go in.

If I knew more aqbout the free screen readers I could have told them about 
them, but alas, I don't.

Prosperity and health to you and yours,
Atty

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Bridgit Pollpeter" <bpollpeter at hotmail.com>
To: "'Writer's Division Mailing List'" <stylist at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Wednesday, March 12, 2014 11:15 PM
Subject: Re: [stylist] Thea, New Kid

> Donna,
>
> I never thought of this but you're absolutely correct. Buildings legally
> must have so many accessible entrances and bathrooms, but when it comes
> to blind accessibility, it's often lacking. Why are legal standards
> expected for one disability but not another? Websites and technology
> should have to adhere to certain standards, and yes, actual blind users
> should be the testers. I get so tired of non-disabled people doing the
> work, not thinking they need people with a given disability to test,
> comment and assist.
>
> Bridgit
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: stylist [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of
> Applebutter Hill
> Sent: Wednesday, March 12, 2014 4:19 PM
> To: 'Writer's Division Mailing List'
> Subject: Re: [stylist] Thea, New Kid
>
>
> Jim,
> I know what you mean. Getting the most out of our screen readers is a
> lot of hard work, because every site is different. It can be
> exceptionally frustrating to spend hours trying to get something done
> that we know a sighted person can do in ten minutes. Nevertheless, it is
> what it is, and it's possible to get a lot further than many screen
> reader users get. I get aggravated when blind people ask me to provide
> them with a web address, when they can Google it in the same amount of
> time as I can. It feels sometimes like they don't realize that I had to
> go through the same grueling and aggravating process they are trying to
> avoid to get the knowledge I have and that I have to continue struggling
> every day despite the stress of it, because it's the only way I can get
> anywhere.
>
> On the other hand, people who want to build a hospital want their
> building to be accessible to everyone too, and they don't know how to do
> it either. The difference is that the architects of brick and mortor
> facilities have to meet standards which are scrutinized by licensing
> officials prior to one brick being laid. Website designers, whose jobs
> involve putting 1s and0s in the right places, are on their own. They
> either don't consider accessibility or they hire someone to test the
> accessibility who is not a user of the adaptive software on a regular
> basis. It's difficult to force yourself to not notice things if you can
> see them, and difficult to be conscious of when your sight has
> influenced something you do with the screen reader. IMO, websites should
> be tested for accessibility by blind people and some of them should have
> average screen reader skills.
>
> Also, there are other accessibility issues in addition to screen
> readers. Sites need to work for people using magnification and voice
> recognition as well. Donna
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: stylist [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Homme,
> James
> Sent: Wednesday, March 12, 2014 8:16 AM
> To: Writer's Division Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [stylist] Thea, New Kid
>
> Hi,
> I do accessibility work a lot. In my experience, most people want to
> make their stuff accessible. They just don't know what accessibility is,
> or how it affects people with disabilities. Most people assume,
> naturally enough, that whoever wants to can simply just use their stuff.
> And one of my pet peeves is when someone who should know how to use
> their screen reader better complains that something is inaccessible,
> because they don't want to take the time to use the help available to
> them. We make ourselves look bad when this happens.
>
> Sorry. I'm a little cranky today. I need to do my journaling.
>
> Jim
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: stylist [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Miss Thea
> Sent: Tuesday, March 11, 2014 2:43 PM
> To: Writer's Division Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [stylist] Thea, New Kid
>
> Think I'll document my experiences with Triond on my new blog, then
> spread it on Social Media like butter on bread. Hahahaha. Thea
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Atty Rose
> Sent: Monday, March 10, 2014 11:33 AM
> To: Writer's Division Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [stylist] Thea, New Kid
>
> Hi Thea,
>
> Welcome. I get so frustrated when this happens. If writing letters isn't
> working and there is no phone, all you can do really put a claim against
> them, or have all your blind friends write them too. I always write a
> letter if I run into issues. Even if nothing happens I stand up for our
> comunity. Sometimes it works great! Sometimes I get nothing back.
>
> All you can do is your best!
>
> Well met,
> Atty
>
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Miss Thea" <thearamsay at rogers.com>
> To: "Writer's Division Mailing List" <stylist at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Monday, March 10, 2014 3:45 AM
> Subject: Re: [stylist] Thea, New Kid
>
>
>> Hi, Donna.
>> There is a place where you can upload photos, but it is still
>> inaccessible, as you have to drag and drop images.
>>
>> All I want is my name in print--a hardcover or paperback with my John
>> Hancock and a great story inside, that people can get lost in. I don't
>
>> mind doing the work; I don't mind doing hard work. But I DO mind
>> wasting my time, and there's not even a way for me to express my
>> displeasure by cancelling my account. I guess I could just let it go,
>> and concentrate on the things I can do, which is why I'm here.
>> Nice to meet you, too.
>> Thea
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Applebutter Hill
>> Sent: Sunday, March 09, 2014 8:11 PM
>> To: 'Writer's Division Mailing List'
>> Subject: Re: [stylist] Thea, New Kid
>>
>> Hi Thea,
>> Welcome to Stylist. I wrote for a bunch of online magazines for years,
>
>> but not this one. I'm thinking of a couple of things.
>>
>> First, what would a person do if they had their own photos? Is there
>> an uploader? It seems bogus that they would force people to pick and
>> choose from stock photos and not have an option to upload photos of
>> their
> own.
>>
>> I'm saying this, because, if there is an uploader that you can use,
>> there are sites where you can get free, high quality photos that you
>> could download and then upload to this site. The captions are usually
>> clear enough to get the idea what the photo is, and as long as you
>> credit the photographer or the group, you can use them without fear.
>>
>> As far as your efforts to bring this to the attention of the site go,
>> it is something we need to do, but it rarely results in positive
>> changes. I used to write for Suite 101, which had revenue sharing and
>> required a photo with each article. It was accessible until they re
>> designed their site. I wrote to them many times, and I was assured
>> that accessibility was a priority for them. They even asked me to do
>> beta testing on the new site, which I did. Nothing ever changed.
>> Ultimately they dropped their journalistic standards, such as they
>> were, and at that point, I really wasn't interested in writing for
>> them anyway.
>>
>> Suite 101 is a Canadian company, so they don't fall under our laws.
>> But, the laws we have in the US are not being enforced even on
>> government websites. The irony to me was that when Suite 101 started
>> becoming less accessible, I was in the midst of writing a series of
>> articles on web accessibility.
>>
>> Anyway, it's nice to meet you, and I look forward to getting to know
>> you. Donna
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: stylist [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Miss
>> Thea
>> Sent: Sunday, March 09, 2014 5:36 PM
>> To: stylist at nfbnet.org
>> Subject: [stylist] Thea, New Kid
>>
>> Hi, everyone.
>> I'm Thea, I just joined the list, and I write all kinds of stuff:
>> fiction, nonfiction, and fan fiction. I guess that about covers it,
>> eh? I used to publish articles and short stories on www.triond.com but
>
>> they require an image with each submission. I had sighted help for a
>> while, but once the sighted help disappeared, I found I could not use
>> this site because of its image requirement. It's not a Captcha I have
>> to fill in. This site requires, along with the article, your selection
>
>> of a category, which you can choose from a combo
>> box: health, news, politics, women ... Then after the body of your
>> article, you add tags. Let's say you've chosen "women". Your tags
>> could be birth control, birth control devices, IUD, etc.
>> Then there's a question mark where a chosen image should go. You hit
>> the "get image suggestions" button, and images are supposed to present
>> themselves.
>> At this time, you have to be able to see the image and drag it to the
>> question mark.
>> Last but not least, you have to check the box that says you are the
>> original creator of this work, and click submit.
>> Piece o' cake ... if you can see.
>> Has anyone ever tried or found some way around this difficulty?
>> The site is www.triond.com
>> My emails to them about this barrier have netted me no response.
>> The site is free, and supposedly, you can create a following, if
>> you're prolific enough, and you can earn money, be it ever so small.
>> I don't mind that. I DO mind this inaccessibility, and the company's
>> apparent lack of interest.
>> Anyone ever tried this www.triond.com
>> While I had sighted help, I published articles and stories, so I have
>> a small portfolio if you like.
>> Now the sighted help is gone, and I'm stuck.
>> Any help appreciated,
>> Thea
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