[stylist] Thea, New Kid

Fri Mar 14 11:33:49 UTC 2014

Hi Miss Thea,
You would be a great candidate for the process I'm playing with. I think you could do all of the formatting before you ever get the document into Word, except for the little used things like foot notes and end notes. I'll have to check to see if there is a way to do that, also. 

Off the top of my head, though, when you write your documents, you can feel them in computer braille, format heading levels from 1 through 5, and that includes numbered headings, like 1, 1.1, 1.1.1, and all that, bulleted lists, numbered lists, block quotes, bold, italic, hyperlinks within the same document, Hyperlinks to other documents, e-mail addresses, and tables with top row headers, plus more. So you could totally ditch Word and use something very simple, like Notepad to make your documents, run this little program, view the document in your web browser to make sure the formatting works, open it in Word, spell check, correct in the original if you don't like it, and you are done. This also includes a table of contents at the top. I would have to play with pictures to see how that part works. It just happens that the stuff I have been doing with it has to do with teaching people how to do accessibility testing with the free NVDA screen reader, so I haven't tried pictures.

I have to figure out how to make the script into an executable program that I can just give to people, so they don't have to go through a lot of crazy setup hair pulling. I run out of energy by the time I get home these days.

So if you think you are interested, I will make sure that the process works even better than it does, and see if I can get it to where it works for people who just want to learn it and do it with little or no fuss.

Thanks.

Jim

-----Original Message-----
From: stylist [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Miss Thea
Sent: Thursday, March 13, 2014 8:56 PM
To: Writer's Division Mailing List
Subject: Re: [stylist] Thea, New Kid

Hi, Jim.
I've read your other messages, and understand why you may not be feeling 
your best.
My condolences for the havoc in your house. I know of no better vehicle for 
such havoc than the family. LOL
Yes, I would like to take Jackie's course. I appreciate anything that paves 
the way for me, as I have limited energy due to other things not related to 
blindness.
I'm also interested in a Word tutorial. Jaws has a Word help file, but a lot 
of it seems to be about objects and tables--the harder stuff, if you like.
I'm just a writer who wants to be able to read her stuff on the Braille Edge 
40 while in a Word document.
The Braille Edge is a new device, courtesy of the Canadian government.
I love it.
I can turn Jaws volume way down, the better to hear the characters' voices 
in my head, feel the tactile sensations, the emotions, walk in the 
characters' shoes, etc.
However, when in the normal view in Word, you come across things having to 
do with the application. In essence, you're reading the screen. I only want 
to read the document--relax and revise.
Since I am somewhat sickly, I don't have the energy and time to look all 
over hell's half acre, though I do Google a fair bit.
When I feel well enough, I want to spend much of the time writing and 
re-writing.
Sick or not, I realize this does not preclude the necessity of learning the 
ropes, learning how to use the tools, etc.
Like for instance, tonight I spent time doing that. As my energy is now 
ebbing, I will not get any writing done tonight.
When I was younger and healthier, this was not the case. It is now.
Anyway, it's hard to read the straight Word document with my Braille Edge so 
Jaws's voice doesn't come between me and the characters that live in me.
Quiet brings them out, while noise, even that of a screenreader, focusses me 
on the devices, the tools, rather than on the inner lives that need to be 
printed on the page.
If I can learn how to use the Braille display to read the document, and not 
bits of words from the status bar or whatever, I would be one happy camper.
Thea

-----Original Message----- 
From: Homme, James
Sent: Thursday, March 13, 2014 9:22 AM
To: Writer's Division Mailing List
Subject: Re: [stylist] Thea, New Kid

Hi,
Someone named Jackie has a WordPress tutorial. She is blind. Jackie hangs 
out on another list or two that I frequent. I also know it to some degree. 
There are some things you can do when you first set it up that I will have 
to review because you never do them after that. One is to go into screen 
options or something like that and turn on an accessibility option that 
suddenly makes it a lot easier to work with. Another is that you can use it 
better if you remember a few pieces of text that always come up on the 
screen and then use your screen reader find function to get to them, instead 
of trying to read and find them.

If you want to think about specific things you have trouble with and shoot 
me notes, or if you feel comfortable enough to have me pass Jackie your 
info, so you can take her course, I can do that.

Thanks.

Jim

-----Original Message-----
From: stylist [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Miss Thea
Sent: Thursday, March 13, 2014 3:43 AM
To: Writer's Division Mailing List
Subject: Re: [stylist] Thea, New Kid

Well, I tried that, too.
You won't believe how many hours and how hard I tried to do the image thing
independently.
Whenever I found the Browse button, and pressed "open" I ended up somewhere
else, like in the place where you rotate images and so forth.
Anyhoo, since the praise for the site said "please remove my profile", I
thought I'd spent more than enough time.
The new wordpress blog I have now is something I need to learn.
I used to have a site called "Harry Potter 4-ever", but couldn't keep it up.
It was a WordPress site, and I used all the accessibility functions
available, even if it meant buying non-captcha plug-ins that ask a simple
math question, so that anyone could use the site.
Now I need to learn WordPress again, so I can at least put my blog in my
signature, for goodness snakes.
I hope there's a tutorial for blind persons on how to use WordPress.
One of my pet peeves is that the tutorials are full of videos that say such
helpful things as "click here" and "point there".
Even the texts are written for sighties.
I'd like to find a WordPress tutorial that I can relax and learn.
I don't do very well with large amounts of aggravation, yalls.
Thea

-----Original Message----- 
From: Applebutter Hill
Sent: Wednesday, March 12, 2014 4:56 PM
To: 'Writer's Division Mailing List'
Subject: Re: [stylist] Thea, New Kid

Jim,
Yes, that's what I thought Thea should have been able to find on her site.
BTW, those uploaders are getting flinkier as the days go by. Sometimes, Jaws
jumps out of forms mode on me right in the middle of it. I have better luck
if I never tab and only shift+tab once I'm in the Browse/open dialog.
Donna

-----Original Message-----
From: stylist [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Homme, James
Sent: Wednesday, March 12, 2014 8:11 AM
To: Writer's Division Mailing List
Subject: Re: [stylist] Thea, New Kid

Hi Donna,
I wasn't paying attention to this thread. Sometimes, with JAWS, and I think
other screen readers, you have to go below where you upload the photo and
then arrow up carefully. You may land on a Browse button. If that happens,
hit ENTER. That will open up a dialog box on your computer that you can use
to find the picture that you want to upload. Once you find the picture and
press the button--I think it is labeled "Open"--to get the picture to
upload, you should see above the Browse button a piece of text that has the
name of the file you uploaded on the right end.

Thanks.

Jim

-----Original Message-----
From: stylist [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Miss Thea
Sent: Tuesday, March 11, 2014 2:41 PM
To: Writer's Division Mailing List
Subject: Re: [stylist] Thea, New Kid

I've never had any success with Jaws drag and drop, not with words, and
certainly not with pictures.
I think they should go back to the drawing board.
Thea

-----Original Message-----
From: Applebutter Hill
Sent: Monday, March 10, 2014 12:46 PM
To: 'Writer's Division Mailing List'
Subject: Re: [stylist] Thea, New Kid

Thea,
I really have to check this one out. I never heard of such a thing; all of
the online photo uploaders I've worked with have other options to insert
photos. I know that Jaws has a drag and drop feature, but I've never had any
success using it. And, of course, this site might not be properly labeled
for Jaws anyway.

Also, do you have the option to use a text or html editor instead of the
visual or WYSIWYG editor? If so, it might have an option to insert photos
via a hotkey. I learned to use html years ago on Suite 101, because it is
ultimately easier than trying to use toolbars to format. My website that I
use to promote my novel is hosted by wordpress.com, and they have a text
editor with an insert photo hotkey option. I still like getting someone
sighted to look at it, because Jaws doesn't recognize the difference between
a real photo and a graphic with an 'x in it to indicate that something went
wrong with the upload.

I hear your frustration, girl, and I deal with it every day. The trick is to
realize what your up against, do what you can to bring attention to the
issue and keep moving forward. The sighted world seems to think the worst
thing about being blind is stuff like not seeing the faces of your loved
ones, but I say it's dealing with this kind of crap.

Have you checked out any of the other online  magazines? Here's a link where
they rate the top 50. Many of them don't pay, but it still can be an outlet
for your writing.
http://www.vretoolbar.com/articles/directories.php

If you want to stay on the site you've been using, you could consider trying
to get a volunteer or even paying someone like a reader; get everything done
that you can do by yourself and then have them put the picture in. Maybe you
could get a bunch of articles ready, get someone to put the picture in all
of them and save them as drafts, so you can publish on your own schedule.
HTH,
Donna
-----Original Message-----
From: stylist [mailto:stylist-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Miss Thea
Sent: Monday, March 10, 2014 4:45 AM
To: Writer's Division Mailing List
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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