Sean, in answer to your question about using AOL, my wife does use it, though
primarily as a TCP/IP link for other applications. (Contrary to what has
been stated elsewhere about AOL, it does establish a TCP/IP link for you,
which means you can use applications like IE4 or IE5, Outlook Express, and
even the standalone AOL Instant Messenger, if that's easier for you than the
built-in AOL Buddy system).
My wife uses AOL to establish the TCP/IP link, then she browses the web using
IE4 (we currently only have JFW 3.2) and accesses her work mail from home
using Outlook Express. Since our daughter will be spending the next school
semester abroad (in Australia), my wife is particularly interested in being
able to operate the AOL buddy instant messenger system, which can be done
with a little practice.
As for AOL mail, some graphics labeling needs to be done, and some script
assistance is helpful, but it is possible. Another JFW forum user has been
helping us on this, and she can speak for herself on her experience, if she
chooses to. I agree that the rest of AOL is difficult for a JFW user to use,
though if, as in our case, the rest of the family is using it, a blind user
can easily use AOL just as a TCP/IP link, using IE4 and one of the many free
web-based e-mail services, rather than pay a fee to a different ISP.
Fred Brack, Raleigh
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Visit the jfw ml web page: http://jfw.cjb.net
