Hi, This is off-topic for this list so please respond to me directly.
I am Chris Hofstader. I am profoundly vision impaired and am the Director of Access Technology for FSF/GNU. I haven't done much lately for the project but I tend to work on communication between and among different groups doing free software accessibility. I just wanted to let you people with vision issues that I am here and that you can feel free to use me as a resource. If I don't know an answer, I do know where to find one that is usually mostly correct. So, feel free to write or call me as you see fit. Happy Hacking, cdh On Dec 10, 2011, at 4:49 PM, Robert Cole wrote: > Hello, Eric. > > I'm sorry for my delay in replying. > > I am sorry to hear about your sight loss. I barely have any vision...just > enough to use a screen magnifier when my face is an inch or less away from > the screen. I am learning to use Orca, and I want to learn to use Speakup in > the console as I do not know if my vision will last, so I am halfway > dependent on screen readers at this point. > > I am also a recipient of VR services here in California, and I am pursuing a > career in the IT industry. > > I would say that I have found Ubuntu 11.10 to be pretty accessible. I am > really excited about Ubuntu 12.04 as I am hoping for a lot of improved > accessibility features. I can say the same for GNOME, too. I fell in love > with that desktop when I first started using Ubuntu, and I am really looking > forward to seeing accessibility improvements in GNOME 3. > > I'll wrap this up. I just did not want to leave your reply without a response. > > I hope that all is well, and (although I am no expert) if I can be of any > help with anything, please feel free to write me off-list. > > On 12/08/2011 12:59 AM, Eric Oyen wrote: >> thanks for the suggestion of some input. >> >> I won't make this a testimonyl as there are still problems with gnome 3. >> >> the older gnome 2.x works well with orca and that is still used in >> vinuxproject.org. any attempt for me to use gnome 3 has resulted in >> inconsistent results (with the end result that some of the screen elements >> are invisible to me). >> >> as of this writing, I am using vinux 3.01 (based on Ubuntu 10.04 LTS) as >> that is the most reliable (stable) version. making such radical changes to >> gnome without considering that may break accessibility was a poor move on >> the part of the gnome project devs. I know that there is a new project >> called unity desktop (that is supposed to look a lot like the OS X cocoa >> interface), but it is so new that it doesn't entirely work with orca (which >> I depend on totally as I am totally blind). >> >> anyway, all that being said, I still would prefer using either OS X (apple >> with voiceover) or ORCA (in vinux) more than I would any version of windows >> (I still use that on occasion with NVDA). unfortunately, I don't have the >> income necessary to upgrade my hardware to some windows 7 compliance nor >> would I have any spare income for the $1,000+ pricetag for windows >> accessibility (first year SMA + initial cost of JAWS for $850). >> >> up until this last year, I was able to function as a system administrator >> with low vision. 15 months ago I finally lost all eyesight and have had to >> request VR services in order to get retrained to better operate in an IT >> environment. so far, I am still waiting for the state of Arizona to get on >> with it. >> >> -eric >> >> On Dec 7, 2011, at 10:34 PM, Robert Cole wrote: >> >>> Hello, Michael, all. >>> >>> As concerning this topic, it was suggested to me on the gnome-accessibility >>> mailing list that a Testimonials page would be beneficial in allowing users >>> to share their stories about how assistive technologies such as Orca as >>> well as other applications have improved their lives and have made them >>> more productive in a Linux environment as a way to promote open source >>> technologies and free desktops. >>> >>> I have begun to develop a testimonials page [1], and I would also like to >>> request the aid of other users in providing (freely) their experiences with >>> these technologies. >>> >>> I want to add that I am not a paid professional of any sort. I am simply a >>> visually impaired user who wants to see accessibility-related technologies >>> flourish in an open source environment. I was a Windows user until 2007 >>> when I completely switched to Linux. I could not afford the prices of >>> commercially available assistive technologies, nor could I afford to pay >>> for upgrades for these technologies. I was running an updated Windows >>> system with old and outdated assistive technology software, which made >>> things difficult. I, to this day, still am having difficulty with finding >>> work due to my visual disability, but I use my computer system to learn new >>> skills and to keep myself informed (as I am a Computer Information Systems >>> student, due to graduate after this semester). I can honestly say that I >>> would have not been able to come this far if not for open source >>> technologies. Though I am sure that someone could probably do a much better >>> job on the page listed in the footnote of this message, this is (as best as >>> I am able to do it) my small contribution to the big picture. >>> >>> If anyone has a brief story or testimonial which you would like added to >>> the page, please feel free to write to me off-list (or on-list if it is >>> alright to do so). It was suggested that users provide a picture of >>> themselves along with their testimonials, but this is not absolutely >>> mandatory. >>> >>> Orca and screen magnification are absolutely vital to me as a blind user. >>> Without these technologies available, I would be at a tremendous loss, and >>> I definitely would not be able to pursue a career in the field which I love >>> so much--computer science/IT. >>> >>> Thanks for any input, and thanks for posting this here, Michael. >>> >>> [1] Accessibility Testimonials: >>> http://live.gnome.org/Accessibility/Testimonials >>> >>> On 12/07/2011 04:13 PM, Michael Hall wrote: >>>> Forwarding this on to the Ubuntu accessibility team, and they might have >>>> some good real-life stories to share as well. >>>> >>>> Michael Hall >>>> mhall...@ubuntu.com >>>> >>>> >>>> On 12/06/2011 12:50 PM, Stormy Peters wrote: >>>>> On Mon, Nov 28, 2011 at 12:22 PM, Dave Neary<dne...@gnome.org >>>>> <mailto:dne...@gnome.org>> wrote: >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> Do we have some examples of GNOME users whose lives were made >>>>> measurably better because of the a11y work we've done? Show-cases >>>>> work wonders. >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> I agree with Dave that a quote or a case study would make it more real. >>>>> People are much more willing to donate to save a particular kid ("Joey") >>>>> who is sick than they are to donate to an organization that helps >>>>> vaccinate 1000s of kids. >>>>> >>>>> Also, I think we should end with a call to action. What do we want them >>>>> to do? ex: "Donate $25 now and help us reach another person." >>>>> >>>>> Stormy >>>>> >>>>> >>> >>> -- >>> Ubuntu-accessibility mailing list >>> Ubuntu-accessibility@lists.ubuntu.com >>> https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-accessibility >> > > > > -- > Ubuntu-accessibility mailing list > Ubuntu-accessibility@lists.ubuntu.com > https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-accessibility > -- Ubuntu-accessibility mailing list Ubuntu-accessibility@lists.ubuntu.com https://lists.ubuntu.com/mailman/listinfo/ubuntu-accessibility
