Hi guys. I love audio description as much as any blind person could. Before you couldn't get them, I bought several movies on those tapes, movies I wanted to watch again. However, and maybe I'm showing my age here, but I consider audio description to be a luxury for us. I watched movies and TV just fine before we got it.
Computer accessibility, however, including the Internet's accessibility, has become an increasingly frustrating necessity. I don't have statistics to back up my opinion, but I think we delude ourselves if we think we are a money-making proposition. Poor Apple has been braver than everybody else by jumping into the quicksand of accessibility. If the good folks in Cupertino are sorry they they made the plunge, they are being smart enough to be quiet about it. I think they will be better off than everyone else in that regard eventually, especially when the feds get involved in evaluating accessibility the education arena. At least Apple will have no trouble, unlike others, proving that the iPad, etc. is accessible to blind and other disabled students. A blind friend of mine was asking me about these new vending machines that touch screens. He was asking if there was an iPhone app to control those things because he's concerned that he won't even able to get a cold drink without extra help otherwise. As it is, at least at his work, he can count the buttons. I have another blind friend whose electric oven went out, and she a terrible time finding an accessible one. My microwave is still partially inaccessible since my husband has yet to put labels onto that mostly flat screen. When I go to Louisville this summer, I can just about guarantee that I can't independently watch TV, unless you guys can tell me of an iPhone app that will for sure work with the hotel's TV. I could go on and on giving examples. Without getting political, both blindness organizations have written resolutions for positive and/or negative motivators for some of these folks that are busy making our lives more and ore inaccessible. We lost the battle of the accessibility of curbing in our U.S. cities for blind folks, making our mobility more difficult. We can't afford to lose the computer accessibility thing. Regards, Gigi Eugenia Firth gigifi...@sbcglobal.net On Apr 28, 2012, at 11:44 AM, Lewis Alexander wrote: > not getting it just yet, figuring out finances, etc so should have it end of > may. snowed under at the mo with a machine restoration. a vintage industrial > machine I'm completely rebuilding ready for use. so today's been spray work > and drying. tomorow's the same. > > then after that it's assembly work. > > lew > > On 28 Apr 2012, at 13:50, Donna Goodin wrote: > >> Hi Lew, >> >> congrats on your iPad. they really are cool devices. My husband has one, >> and I thought long and hard about getting one too. But eventually I decided >> that since I didn't need the larger screen, that the iPhone could do >> everything I needed, so it didn't make sense to duplicate devices. I >> confess, though, I'm envious. Every once in a while I look at my husband's >> iPad and get a sudden craving for coolaide. lol >> Cheers, >> Donna >> On Apr 28, 2012, at 8:44 AM, Lewis Alexander wrote: >> >>> nice one donna, I fully agree. >>> >>> the iPad is a product which can truly change the lives of blind users >>> throughout the world. I'm in the process of buying an iPad as it's needed >>> for work both in the workshop and on site as a rep for a company, so the >>> online catalogue needs to be available and accessible to me all the time, >>> the iPad for me feels absolutely amazing, after road testing the new model, >>> I've fallen in love with it. I don't need a wife, just an iPad lol >>> >>> lew >>> >>> On 28 Apr 2012, at 13:39, Donna Goodin wrote: >>> >>>> Hi Christine, >>>> >>>> I'm perplexed. How do you see the push to have iPads in classrooms as >>>> something that leaves the blind/VI student out? If anything, I see that >>>> as something that better enables us to participate, thanks to the fact >>>> that Apple has made the iPad a fully accessible device. >>>> Best, >>>> Donna >>>> On Apr 28, 2012, at 8:36 AM, Christine Grassman wrote: >>>> >>>>> With all due respect, Scott, laws which disparately impact certain groups >>>>> or classes of people have been flouted through civil disobedience since >>>>> the introduction of legal systems, e.g., civil rights, disability rights, >>>>> employment rights, etc. The United States might not exist were it not for >>>>> disobeying laws. >>>>> I am an attorney, and it continues to amaze me how slowly the U.S. is >>>>> moving to accommodate disability, and how snail-paced the societal shift >>>>> in attitudes toward us has been. and it seems that whenever a company >>>>> like Apple makes great strides in accommodating blindness off the shelf, >>>>> plenty of other technologies come along and do not bother to incorporate >>>>> us into their equation. So many educational apps, for example, are not >>>>> accessible, though they could be, and given the push now to have iPads in >>>>> classrooms, once again blind, visually impaired, and otherwise >>>>> print-disabled students will be left out. Apple moves us two steps >>>>> forward, and "progress" (for others) moves us three steps back. I should >>>>> be able to turn on a television, flip a switch, or turn on a transmitter, >>>>> and get descriptions. I should be able to access books on the Nook or the >>>>> Kindle, not just iBooks. I cannot express, and I am sure others here >>>>> agree, the happiness I feel when a new release or best-selling >>>>> publication is available on iBooks. >>>>> (Incidentally, if a book is available on iBooks and on bookshare.org, I >>>>> purchase the book. Yet, I have lost quite a lot of money as a published >>>>> author -- as soon as my book was published, I sent a copy to >>>>> bookshare.org; it was more important to me to have it available at the >>>>> same time to the blind and print-disabled. The Authors Guild apparently >>>>> does not care about such access, despite the fact that they would >>>>> actually get money from us.) >>>>> >>>>> I would happily go to the movies more and happily purchase >>>>> audio-described movies through iTunes if they were available. Even movies >>>>> which are released with audio description are not always sold through >>>>> movie resellers -- goodness knows I have tried. To date, I have only >>>>> located The Incredible Hulk, from 2008, which I purchased for my son. >>>>> Even Apple could do more. It could strengthen its requirements for apps. >>>>> It has provided developers with the means to make their apps VoiceOver >>>>> accessible, and there are plenty of apps out there which could be so. >>>>> Only apps that are visual by their very nature should be exempted. But, >>>>> as usual, profit trumps people, despite the fact that the disabled >>>>> community rewards those who remember us with our business. >>>>> Frankly, I would prefer to purchase the audio-described movies and shows >>>>> I download from the vault, so that I could watch them with sighted >>>>> friends and family. I wish I could show a film to a class and not have to >>>>> ask my para or a student to tell me what is going on. The entertainment >>>>> industry gets plenty of my money. If they want more, they should remember >>>>> that I deserve to be able to access their material independently. OK. >>>>> Topic over. Those of you who wish to continue this off-list are welcome; >>>>> I've appreciated your correspondence thus far. >>>>> Christine >>>>> On Apr 28, 2012, at 6:13 AM, Scott Howell wrote: >>>>> >>>>>> I am sure commenting on this only adds fuel to the fire, but I did want >>>>>> to point out that as I recall the person that is responsible for this >>>>>> movie vault thing also runs a legit company. I would find it difficult >>>>>> to believe that he has not checked into this because no one would want >>>>>> to put their business assets at risk. If there truly is an investigation >>>>>> then prove it. I get pretty annoyed when people claim something, but >>>>>> cannot or do not provide any reference to back those claims. And for the >>>>>> record I do not condone pirating of any kind and believe that regardless >>>>>> of accessibility issues even blind people must follow the laws. >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> On Apr 27, 2012, at 10:51 PM, Christine Grassman wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>>> Naturally, if the moderator deems this discussion verboten, I will >>>>>>> refrain further, but I would feel remiss not to point out the following >>>>>>> for consideration: >>>>>>> 1. As of several hours ago, there was nothing on the FBI's official web >>>>>>> site regarding an investigation, nor were there any press releases or >>>>>>> other comparable references to an investigation of the movie vault. A >>>>>>> reference would be appreciated; mere speculation or rumor could be >>>>>>> deemed libelous. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> 2. The problem industries have with illegal file-sharing is loss of >>>>>>> revenue. Since, at least in the United States, there is virtually no >>>>>>> way to purchase audio-described movies or television shows, the >>>>>>> industry is not being cheated of revenue. >>>>>>> 3. The files are straight audio, with no ability, for example, to >>>>>>> "watch" with sighted peers while having the benefit of the audio >>>>>>> description. This is not at all remotely similar to downloading a film >>>>>>> for the family to watch. That being said, the vast majority of the >>>>>>> sighted community does this with impunity, even though many of the >>>>>>> shows and movies they download can be seen for free when they are are >>>>>>> shown on television. We, on the other hand, cannot even enjoy full >>>>>>> access to these shows when they *are* on television. Either they are >>>>>>> not audio-described at all, or it is not easy to turn on the secondary >>>>>>> audio channel, or a particular station only carries foreign language >>>>>>> broadcasts on the SAC rather than audio description. Comparing access >>>>>>> to audio-described movies and shows in mp3 format to the type of >>>>>>> file-sharing which goes on 24/7 on hundreds and thousands of sites is a >>>>>>> stretch. >>>>>>> 4. If the government and/or the involved industries wish to do >>>>>>> something about the existence of resources like the movie vault, the >>>>>>> former should mandate, and the latter should provide a market from >>>>>>> which we can obtain these items. I have been able to watch a >>>>>>> non-described movie with others after listening to an mp3 file and tell >>>>>>> another blind person what is going on thanks to that previous >>>>>>> experience. My two blind children have been able to enjoy fare which >>>>>>> their peers enjoyed months or years ago. Until the entertainment >>>>>>> industry levels the playing field, I will utilize resources like the >>>>>>> movie vault with the same guiltless pleasure I take in bookshare.org >>>>>>> (and, by the way, it is possible to download books from bookshare.org >>>>>>> which are available commercially.) We cannot use the Kindle as others >>>>>>> do. WE cannot use the Nook. We are severely limited in what we can >>>>>>> access independently when it comes to entertainment, and we must even >>>>>>> still fight for access to education at every level, despite >>>>>>> technological advances. Holding us to the same standards as the vast >>>>>>> majority of illegal file-sharers is legally, morally, and economically >>>>>>> inequitable. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Christine >>>>>>> >>>>>>> -- >>>>>>> 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. >>>>>> 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. >>>>> 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. >>>> 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. >>> 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. >> 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. > 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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