[nabs-l] JAWS and operating systems

[Chris Nusbaum]

Hi Ashley,

The hardest part for me with operating systems is at school, I 
have to use XP, because my school system hasn't "approved" 
Windows 7 yet.  I don't know if they ever will.  If they do, 
probably Windows 8 will be coming out soon after they approve 7, 
so it'll be useless.

 Chris Nusbaum

"The real problem of blindness is not the loss of eyesight.  The 
real problem is the misunderstanding and lack of education that 
exists.  If a blind person has the proper training and 
opportunity, blindness can be reduced to a mere physical 
nuisance." -- Kenneth Jernigan (President of the National 
Federation of the Blind, 1968-1986.)

  Visit the I C.A.N.  Foundation online at: 
www.icanfoundation.info for
information on our foundation and how it helps blind and visually
impaired children in MD say "I can!"


Sent from my BrailleNote

 ----- Original Message -----
From: "Ashley Bramlett" <bookwormahb at earthlink.net
To: "National Association of Blind Students mailing list" 
<nabs-l at nfbnet.org
Date sent: Sun, 25 Sep 2011 18:17:17 -0400
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] JAWS and operating systems

Bridgit,
I feel your frustration!
You said
If you're like
me, you hate to learn a new way just after learning to adapt to 
another
system or program.  And this says nothing about the financial 
side.  I
hear similar complaints from both blind and sighted consumers 
using
computers.  "

Yes.  My father hates the new microsoft ribons in 2007 and we 
wish they would
go back to those menus!
I have  windows 7 and the latest internet explore and microsoft 
suite.
No IE isn't much of an issue.  I just use the same commands I 
knew from prior
jaws releases in IE.
I have jaws 12 and since I have a maintenance agreement, I get 
jaws 13 when
it comes out.

I liked xp better though.  XP was more strictly menus without 
menu levels
called tree views.  When you open up a menu, you have to open up 
the
subfolders to display all the  content.  It’s a split screen 
and that is
frustrating since I cannot see both sides of the screen as a 
sighted person
would.

No I say do not upgrade! Wait til windows 8 and upgrade then when 
you have
to, like when your computer crashes.
I know what you mean about cost.  I use old technology such as my 
embosser
and duxbury because I don't have money to buy new.

And I thought we'd have windows7 for a while! Gosh! This system 
is less than
a year old and will be obsolete soon!
Ashley

-----Original Message-----
From: Bridgit Pollpeter
Sent: Sunday, September 25, 2011 5:48 PM
To: nabs-l at nfbnet.org
Subject: [nabs-l] JAWS and operating systems

I think one of the biggest issues here is the rate at which 
programs are
accelerating.  In the last few years, computers and computer 
systems have
changed and grown much quicker than in the past.  The technology 
boom has
gone into warp drive, and everyone is trying to catch up.  If 
you're like
me, you hate to learn a new way just after learning to adapt to 
another
system or program.  And this says nothing about the financial 
side.  I
hear similar complaints from both blind and sighted consumers 
using
computers.  The average person doesn't view these changes with 
excitement
and joy; all we know is that a change is occurring, and we're 
going to
have to make yet another adjustment.

When I recently upgraded to JAWS 12, I was told to not upgrade to 
I E 9
as it wasn't very compatible.  Whether running XP or W 7, I E 9 
wouldn't
work as well.  However, it sounds like those of you running W 7 
aren't
experiencing this issue.

We have four computers at home: one desktop, two laptops and one 
netbook
laptop.  The desktop, which is going on six-years-old now,  and 
my
netbook, which is two-years-old now, run on XP with JAWS 12.  One 
of the
laptops is four or five-years-old now, running on Vista and the 
other
laptop is brand new running on Windows 7.  The desktop needs to 
be
replaced, but I wonder if updating to Windows 7 on any of the 3 
not
currently running it is worth while if Windows 8 is suppose to be
releasing soon.  Other than the brand new laptop, all the other 
computers
are still using MS Office 2002, which needs to be updated as 
well.  I
guess my question is what is compatible with what? I know MS will 
soon
drop support for XP, and most computers purchased now will run W 
7
automatically, but is it worth updating anything at this point?

I am not computer savvy in any sense of the word.  In fact, I've 
learned
how to use a computer better since being blind than I ever did 
sighted,
so all these changes and new devices just make my head swirl.

One of the reasons we're still running old programs is because of 
the
cost.  Is it worth investing in anything new at this point if it 
will
just change quickly again? And how do we ensure what we upgrade 
to will
in deed be compatible with other existing 
programs/systems/software
especially JAWS? For me, it's a bit overwhelming, and honestly, 
if I
didn't need to rely on computers and technology for so much, I'd 
say F
it to most of this and live like some little, old hermit.  LOL

Sincerely,
Bridgit Kuenning-Pollpeter
Read my blog at:
http://blogs.livewellnebraska.com/author/bpollpeter/

"History is not what happened; history is what was written down."
The Expected One- Kathleen McGowan


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