I'm not an expert so maybe you're more rite than I am but I know for a fact that the core of office is still C++ and in order for it to be accessible it has to be Coco from the bottom up.
Chris Moore wrote: > Office for Mac is still 32 bit, and still carbon. They wanted to concentrate > on compatibility with the Windows sister suite before adopting the Cocoa > framework. Apparently the next release will implement Cocoa so Office can > take advantage of 64 bit. Outlook was rewritten (previously known as > Entourage) in cocoa, including the ribbon. However, this does not guarantee > accessibility, I am assuming Microsoft are using some customs APis here. > On 5 May 2011, at 18:46, Nickus de Vos wrote: > > > Hi all just want to give my 3 cents. This is a good idea and I think > > it is worth a shot you never no even with a multi bilion dollar > > company like microsoft. It is important however to consider the actual > > programming of the software. Microsoft office is written using the C++ > > language which is microsofts own language developed by them. Apples > > main programming language is Coco and the other older one is Carbon. > > The magic of voiceover lies in Coco, if any software is developed > > using Coco it's accessible using voiceover or mostly ment to be anyway > > and this is why some 3rd party developers can make applications > > accessible without even realising as long as they properly use the > > Coco code. Microsoft office as said, is written in C++. Ok so mac OS > > can read c++ applications modified a little and this is why office > > works on mac but office for mac is still a c++ application modified to > > work on mac. In order to make it accessible it has to be written from > > the ground up using Coco and this is why I don't think microsoft will > > consider making office accessible. It will cost them a lot of time and > > money and for what? For them it is firstly Apple which is the > > opposition and secondly disabled mac users is only a small drop of > > water in their ocian of office users. I think before developing office > > from scratch using Coco they would rather invest money in > > accessibility on windows in order to try draw more disabled users to > > their software. Basically they have got us by the short and curlies, > > we are mac users, we want to use office but can't, and they know it. > > But as I said it is still worth a try we'll never know before we try, > > maybe they surprise us so I say give it a go... > > > > On May 5, 1:39 am, Chris Moore <moor...@blueyonder.co.uk> wrote: > >> I totally agree, fancy dropping them a line? I have been in touch with the > >> RNIB over here and a couple of other organisations on this side of the > >> pond. Will keep you posted of any outcome. > >> On 4 May 2011, at 22:49, Laura McGlynn wrote: > >> > >> > >> > >>> I think I've said this before, but what I find annoying is the silence of > >>> blind-oriented organisations, like NFB. If it was a big deal for Apple > >>> not to have accessibility built into iTunes, I'm not sure why Microsoft > >>> gets a pass, especially when Office is so ubiquitous. The lack of Office > >>> support isn't the only reason agencies are reluctant to offer the Mac as > >>> a viable solution for blind users, but I bet it doesn't help. In that > >>> respect, Microsoft's failure is a much bigger deal than Apple's was with > >>> iTunes. > >> > >>> I know some people will say that's exactly why organisations like the NFB > >>> aren't making a big deal about it, but I'm not sure that's true. Either > >>> way, why they're not doing it at the moment isn't as important as letting > >>> them know that there's a problem, and that there's a sizeable number of > >>> blind users who want them to do something. Targeting them to take action > >>> might be as good an effort as targeting Microsoft directly. Because, as > >>> noted, our market share is tiny. It's going to take more than just us > >>> telling them they're losing money to bring change, and that's what > >>> organisations designed to advocate for the blind should be good at, IMO. > >> > >>>> "Tony Hernandez" <tonyhspe...@gmail.com> May 04 10:20AM -0400 ^ > >> > >>>> It seems to me that this effort is aimed at trying to creaet the force > >>>> of a > >>>> number of people rather than just one. Also, another problem is that the > >>>> office formats are industry standard, so as Carolyn says, "Microsoft > >>>> knows > >>>> they have the public around the neck." Gates meant serious business when > >>>> he > >>>> said, "A computer in every home, and Microsoft software on every > >>>> computer." > >>>> He's pretty much achieved this as much as anyone can, so the company is > >>>> quite complacent. Our market share is chickenfeed compared to that which > >>>> they already hold, not that I think Gates himself is to blame for the > >>>> accessibility issues, but MS as a company has no reason at present to > >>>> try to > >>>> expand their customer base. That being said, I see no reason why the > >>>> effort > >>>> should not be made to bring this issue to the attention of Microsoft, > >>>> especially since Apple is outdoing them by leaps and bounds on > >>>> accessibility > >>>> for the blind, the deaf, and those who have motor difficulties. > >> > >>>> Tony Hernandez > >> > >>> -- > >>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > >>> "MacVisionaries" group. > >>> To post to this group, send email to macvisionaries@googlegroups.com. > >>> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > >>> macvisionaries+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > >>> For more options, visit this group > >>> athttp://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en.- Hide quoted text - > >> > >> - Show quoted text - > > > > -- > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > > "MacVisionaries" group. > > To post to this group, send email to macvisionaries@googlegroups.com. > > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > > macvisionaries+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > > For more options, visit this group at > > http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en. > > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "MacVisionaries" group. 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