My sincere thanks to everyone who participated in this thread. When I tried PRAM reinitialization, I ended up with no speech and a dialogue asking me if I wanted to wipe my MacBook Pro clean. I used FaceTime on my iPhone to show a sighted person the dialogue and was thus able to extricate myself from what could have potentially been a disastrous situation.
I will enable the chimes for the future, if they indeed still do exist on a new MacBook with SSD. To answer the question about changing keyboards, Command-Space does the trick, provided you have indicated in the preferences that you want to use more than one language. In another place in the preferences, you can indicate that you want the dictionary that corresponds to the keyboard you are using to be automatically loaded. Initially, this was not happening on my machine and VO seemed to be skipping over this option. I will be contacting the Accessibility Group to mention this. Thanks once again to everyone who gave me input; it really helped. Best to all, Mike > On 12 Apr 2017, at 10:18, Simon Fogarty <si...@blinky-net.com> wrote: > > Hi Mike, > > Just wondering if you have tried as Anne said resetting the pRam? > > What you need to do there is hold the keys down until you hear the chimes > twice > > The chimes can be muted in the system preferences I forget where but it's an > alert tone. > > Resetting the pRam will or should reset that tone also. > > But the beeps after you input your password makes me think you might have > file volt enabled on your machine? > > Does voiceover sound odd before you enter your password details? > -----Original Message----- > From: macvisionaries@googlegroups.com > [mailto:macvisionaries@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Michael Busboom > Sent: Wednesday, 12 April 2017 1:49 AM > To: 'Adrian Leong' via MacVisionaries <macvisionaries@googlegroups.com> > Subject: Re: Multilingual woes on MacBook from someone who should know better > > With this new Mac, Anne, I have never heard the start-up chimes. The first > thing I hear is VoiceOver prompting me to login. After successfully logging > in, it very loudly beeps three times, then there is a five second or so > pause, and then I’m good to go. On my old 2009 MacBook, I’d hear that > four-tone sequence after turning it on and before it started to boot up. > > One of the interesting things I’ve needed to get used to is the total silence > of this new machine. As I gain familiarity with it and get used to a > slightly different way of doing things, I think I’m going to like it a lot. > For one thing, the battery life is very impressive, and I often find myself > in situations where I am away from outlets for extended periods of time. > > Best, > > Mike > >> On 11 Apr 2017, at 14:48, Anne Robertson <a...@anarchie.org.uk> wrote: >> >> Hello Mike, >> >> To reinitialise the PRAM, first shut down your computer, then hold down the >> following four keys: Command, Option, letter p and letter r. With these four >> held down, press the Power key as normal. Keep the four keys held down until >> you’ve heard the start up chime four times, then release them and your >> computer will boot normally. >> >> Cheers, >> >> Anne >> >> >> >>> On 11 Apr 2017, at 14:13, Michael Busboom <mbusb...@gmail.com> wrote: >>> >>> Hi Anne, >>> >>> I purchased this Mac about two months ago, and I am running Sierra. >>> >>> I am rather nervous about reinitializing the PRAM on such a new unit. >>> However, if I decide to do so, how is this accomplished? >>> >>> Best as always, >>> >>> Mike >>> >>> >>>> On 11 Apr 2017, at 14:07, Anne Robertson <a...@anarchie.org.uk> wrote: >>>> >>>> Hello Mike, >>>> >>>> Thank you for your kind words. >>>> Have you reinitialised the PRAM lately? I find it often fixes anomalies. >>>> Also, which level of Mac OS are you on? I recently installed Sierra and >>>> I’m not having your problem. >>>> >>>> Cheers, >>>> >>>> Anne >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>>> On 11 Apr 2017, at 14:01, Michael Busboom <mbusb...@gmail.com> wrote: >>>>> >>>>> Hello Anne, >>>>> >>>>> Unfortunately, it is not detecting those changes. You know, this is the >>>>> first time in all the years I’ve used the Mac where you didn’t have a >>>>> solution for me. You’re incredible, and I thank you for all the years of >>>>> fantastic advice. Perhaps someone else might have a solution. >>>>> >>>>> My best as always, Anne, >>>>> >>>>> Mike >>>>>> On 11 Apr 2017, at 13:58, Anne Robertson <a...@anarchie.org.uk> wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>> Hello Mike, >>>>>> >>>>>> Your Mac should automatically detect the language and use the >>>>>> appropriate dictionary. I haven’t noticed any such problems switching >>>>>> between British English and French. >>>>>> >>>>>> Cheers, >>>>>> >>>>>> Anne >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>>> On 11 Apr 2017, at 13:38, Michael Busboom <mbusb...@gmail.com> wrote: >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Hello everyone, >>>>>>> >>>>>>> I’m embarrassed to ask this question since I’ve been using a Mac for >>>>>>> over eight years and love it. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Here’s the problem: >>>>>>> I daily communicate in both German and English. I have the German and >>>>>>> US keyboards installed on my new MacBook Pro. When writing in English, >>>>>>> things work great. I’m notified whenever I misspell words, just the >>>>>>> way it should be. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> When I switch to the German keyboard, however, things start going >>>>>>> south. I can write German with no problem and obviously, when writing >>>>>>> in German, I switch my output speech language to German. However, >>>>>>> whenever typing, I get a Word misspelled” notification after every word >>>>>>> I type. Where can I find the proper dictionary to download so that >>>>>>> when writing in German, my MacBook Pro isn’t using a US dictionary? >>>>>>> Furthermore, is there a way to have my MacBook Pro automatically switch >>>>>>> to the appropriate language when I select a typing input language? >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Thanks so much! >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Mike >>>>>>> >>>>>>> -- >>>>>>> The following information is important for all members of the Mac >>>>>>> Visionaries list. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> If you have any questions or concerns about the running of this list, >>>>>>> or if you feel that a member's post is inappropriate, please contact >>>>>>> the owners or moderators directly rather than posting on the list >>>>>>> itself. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Your Mac Visionaries list moderator is Mark Taylor. You can reach mark >>>>>>> at: macvisionaries+modera...@googlegroups.com and your owner is Cara >>>>>>> Quinn - you can reach Cara at caraqu...@caraquinn.com >>>>>>> >>>>>>> The archives for this list can be searched at: >>>>>>> http://www.mail-archive.com/macvisionaries@googlegroups.com/ >>>>>>> --- >>>>>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>>>>>> Groups "MacVisionaries" group. >>>>>>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send >>>>>>> an email to macvisionaries+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. >>>>>>> To post to this group, send email to macvisionaries@googlegroups.com. >>>>>>> Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries. >>>>>>> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. >>>>>> >>>>>> -- >>>>>> The following information is important for all members of the Mac >>>>>> Visionaries list. >>>>>> >>>>>> If you have any questions or concerns about the running of this list, or >>>>>> if you feel that a member's post is inappropriate, please contact the >>>>>> owners or moderators directly rather than posting on the list itself. >>>>>> >>>>>> Your Mac Visionaries list moderator is Mark Taylor. You can reach mark >>>>>> at: macvisionaries+modera...@googlegroups.com and your owner is Cara >>>>>> Quinn - you can reach Cara at caraqu...@caraquinn.com >>>>>> >>>>>> The archives for this list can be searched at: >>>>>> http://www.mail-archive.com/macvisionaries@googlegroups.com/ >>>>>> --- >>>>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>>>>> Groups "MacVisionaries" group. >>>>>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send >>>>>> an email to macvisionaries+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. >>>>>> To post to this group, send email to macvisionaries@googlegroups.com. >>>>>> Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries. >>>>>> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. >>>>> >>>>> -- >>>>> The following information is important for all members of the Mac >>>>> Visionaries list. >>>>> >>>>> If you have any questions or concerns about the running of this list, or >>>>> if you feel that a member's post is inappropriate, please contact the >>>>> owners or moderators directly rather than posting on the list itself. >>>>> >>>>> Your Mac Visionaries list moderator is Mark Taylor. You can reach mark >>>>> at: macvisionaries+modera...@googlegroups.com and your owner is Cara >>>>> Quinn - you can reach Cara at caraqu...@caraquinn.com >>>>> >>>>> The archives for this list can be searched at: >>>>> http://www.mail-archive.com/macvisionaries@googlegroups.com/ >>>>> --- >>>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >>>>> "MacVisionaries" group. >>>>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >>>>> email to macvisionaries+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. >>>>> To post to this group, send email to macvisionaries@googlegroups.com. >>>>> Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries. >>>>> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. >>>> >>>> -- >>>> The following information is important for all members of the Mac >>>> Visionaries list. >>>> >>>> If you have any questions or concerns about the running of this list, or >>>> if you feel that a member's post is inappropriate, please contact the >>>> owners or moderators directly rather than posting on the list itself. >>>> >>>> Your Mac Visionaries list moderator is Mark Taylor. You can reach mark >>>> at: macvisionaries+modera...@googlegroups.com and your owner is Cara >>>> Quinn - you can reach Cara at caraqu...@caraquinn.com >>>> >>>> The archives for this list can be searched at: >>>> http://www.mail-archive.com/macvisionaries@googlegroups.com/ >>>> --- >>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >>>> "MacVisionaries" group. >>>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >>>> email to macvisionaries+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. >>>> To post to this group, send email to macvisionaries@googlegroups.com. >>>> Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries. >>>> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. >>> >>> -- >>> The following information is important for all members of the Mac >>> Visionaries list. >>> >>> If you have any questions or concerns about the running of this list, or if >>> you feel that a member's post is inappropriate, please contact the owners >>> or moderators directly rather than posting on the list itself. >>> >>> Your Mac Visionaries list moderator is Mark Taylor. You can reach mark at: >>> macvisionaries+modera...@googlegroups.com and your owner is Cara Quinn - >>> you can reach Cara at caraqu...@caraquinn.com >>> >>> The archives for this list can be searched at: >>> http://www.mail-archive.com/macvisionaries@googlegroups.com/ >>> --- >>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >>> "MacVisionaries" group. >>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >>> email to macvisionaries+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. >>> To post to this group, send email to macvisionaries@googlegroups.com. >>> Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries. >>> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. >> >> -- >> The following information is important for all members of the Mac >> Visionaries list. >> >> If you have any questions or concerns about the running of this list, or if >> you feel that a member's post is inappropriate, please contact the owners or >> moderators directly rather than posting on the list itself. >> >> Your Mac Visionaries list moderator is Mark Taylor. You can reach mark at: >> macvisionaries+modera...@googlegroups.com and your owner is Cara Quinn - you >> can reach Cara at caraqu...@caraquinn.com >> >> The archives for this list can be searched at: >> http://www.mail-archive.com/macvisionaries@googlegroups.com/ >> --- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "MacVisionaries" group. >> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an >> email to macvisionaries+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. >> To post to this group, send email to macvisionaries@googlegroups.com. >> Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries. >> For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. > > -- > The following information is important for all members of the Mac Visionaries > list. > > If you have any questions or concerns about the running of this list, or if > you feel that a member's post is inappropriate, please contact the owners or > moderators directly rather than posting on the list itself. > > Your Mac Visionaries list moderator is Mark Taylor. You can reach mark at: > macvisionaries+modera...@googlegroups.com and your owner is Cara Quinn - you > can reach Cara at caraqu...@caraquinn.com > > The archives for this list can be searched at: > http://www.mail-archive.com/macvisionaries@googlegroups.com/ > --- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "MacVisionaries" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to macvisionaries+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > To post to this group, send email to macvisionaries@googlegroups.com. > Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. > > -- > The following information is important for all members of the Mac Visionaries > list. > > If you have any questions or concerns about the running of this list, or if > you feel that a member's post is inappropriate, please contact the owners or > moderators directly rather than posting on the list itself. > > Your Mac Visionaries list moderator is Mark Taylor. You can reach mark at: > macvisionaries+modera...@googlegroups.com and your owner is Cara Quinn - you > can reach Cara at caraqu...@caraquinn.com > > The archives for this list can be searched at: > http://www.mail-archive.com/macvisionaries@googlegroups.com/ > --- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "MacVisionaries" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to macvisionaries+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > To post to this group, send email to macvisionaries@googlegroups.com. > Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries. > For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout. -- The following information is important for all members of the Mac Visionaries list. If you have any questions or concerns about the running of this list, or if you feel that a member's post is inappropriate, please contact the owners or moderators directly rather than posting on the list itself. Your Mac Visionaries list moderator is Mark Taylor. You can reach mark at: macvisionaries+modera...@googlegroups.com and your owner is Cara Quinn - you can reach Cara at caraqu...@caraquinn.com The archives for this list can be searched at: http://www.mail-archive.com/macvisionaries@googlegroups.com/ --- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "MacVisionaries" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to macvisionaries+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To post to this group, send email to macvisionaries@googlegroups.com. Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
