I have been a JAWS user for a couple of years now, and I am the last person to ever say that any screen reader, including Window-Eyes and VoiceOver are perfect. What I have found with JAWS, though, is that it has so many options and preferences that sometimes what appears to me to be a problem is actually a preference setting or something I am doing wrong. To use JAWS well, there is no getting around the fact that you have to dig into it and learn about it. For example, on some web pages, certain newer types of control work best with JAWS if you turn off the JAWS virtual cursor. You can toggle that off by pressing INSERT Z. Also, JAWS is smart enough sometimes to figure out the best way to interact with a control like some calendars by pressing ENTER on them. This is extra work, but it is also happening because JAWS has options that are not present in VoiceOver, for example. There may well be things that VoiceOver does better, but it makes sense to be sure a decision is made from a position of knowledge. There are just no simple answers. VoiceOver is free and comes with the operating system, but you will generally pay more for an Apple computer than a Windows computer. In some cases, you are getting more powerful hardware, so I'm not saying the extra expense isn't worth it, because it might be. However, you might also find that spending extra money for an equivalent Windows machine will make Windows screen readers behave better.
I do not have any trouble with JAWS coming back after my computer comes out of sleep mode. It seems to me I did a few versions back. Sometimes, though, it does seem to take a while. If Windows 10 is being used, it has introduced a lock screen even if you don't have a password that seems to take extra time for me. This isn't to say that someone else is not having trouble. My point is that this is not a universal problem through my experience. There are people who have switched to Apple and VoiceOver and are happy with it. There have also been people who switched and eventually came back to Windows. From what I have read, those who have switched and then returned to Windows are usually people who perform specific tasks that Apple did not do as well for them. If one tends to do things that Apple does well and does not perform tasks that some have found difficult with VoiceOver on an apple, they are not going to experience the same frustration. Whatever one does about choosing a screen reader or a computer, one needs to investigate and educate oneself to be sure the system is right. If one is not the type of person who digs into the differences between Windows, IOS, or Apple's operating system, then think carefully about all of the things one does and read what others have said. It is easy to say that JAWS is all bad and VoiceOver is all good, or that Apple is bad and Windows is good. People say both. Things are never quite that simple. Best regards, Steve Jacobson -----Original Message----- From: Talk <talk-bounces+steve.jacobson=visi....@lists.window-eyes.com> On Behalf Of geodom--- via Talk Sent: Monday, August 27, 2018 9:10 AM To: Window-Eyes Discussion List <talk@lists.window-eyes.com> Cc: geo...@optonline.net Subject: Re: Considering VoiceOver Oh yeah! So Microsoft can ping pong it back to them! Right! Pam. -----Original Message----- From: Tony C via Talk Sent: Sunday, August 26, 2018 7:15 PM To: Window-Eyes Discussion List Cc: Tony C Subject: Re: Considering VoiceOver Jaws still isn't that great. lol. If I set jaws to load at the log on screen, and the PC goes to sleep, when I wake it up jaws will not speak. I have to hope and cross my fingers and try logging in. then I can start window eyes because jaws still will not run. Once I start WE then I can turn it off and start jaws and it speaks. I left jaws back in 2004 because it didn't work well with a site builder I ws using and WE worked just fine. I have never had a productive encounter with FS tech support. 95 percent of the time they tell you to contact Microsoft. LIKE, WHAT? -----Original Message----- From: geodom--- via Talk Sent: Sunday, August 26, 2018 2:34 PM To: Window-Eyes Discussion List Cc: geo...@optonline.net Subject: Re: Considering VoiceOver But I could do more with window eyes with the computer right out of the box. Pam. -----Original Message----- From: Dennis Long via Talk Sent: Friday, August 24, 2018 11:31 PM To: 'Window-Eyes Discussion List' Cc: Dennis Long Subject: RE: Considering VoiceOver Jaws is a very good screen reader. People need to give it time. You didn't learn WindowEyes over night and you won't learn Jaws over night either. -----Original Message----- From: Talk [mailto:talk-bounces+dennisl1982=gmail....@lists.window-eyes.com] On Behalf Of CJ&AA MAY via Talk Sent: Friday, August 24, 2018 4:12 AM To: 'Window-Eyes Discussion List' Cc: CJ&AA MAY Subject: RE: Considering VoiceOver I did consider going down this route but I am basically lazy and it would mean learning a new operating system. I am so familiar with the Microsoft operating system and Windows that in the end I bit the bullet and went over to Jaws. Do I still miss Window-eyes? Yes, but migrating to Jaws hasn't been as challenging as I feared and it helped being so familiar with the Windows operating system. Alison -----Original Message----- From: Talk <talk-bounces+chrisalismay=gmail....@lists.window-eyes.com> On Behalf Of George Savory via Talk Sent: 23 August 2018 18:57 To: Window-Eyes Discussion List <talk@lists.window-eyes.com> Cc: George Savory <gsav...@gmail.com> Subject: Considering VoiceOver Listers, Been using Win-Eyes since Win-Eyes 3X. As Win-Eyes will not be updated, I am strongly considering going to VoiceOver on Apple. Using VoiceOver on my iPhone with Safari works perfectly. I don't know if Jaws will ever work well with websites that use calenders; besides, I won't have to be upgrading a screen reader everytime there is an upgrade _______________________________________________ Any views or opinions presented in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Ai Squared. For membership options, visit http://lists.window-eyes.com/options.cgi/talk-window-eyes.com/chrisalismay%4 0gmail.com. For subscription options, visit http://lists.window-eyes.com/listinfo.cgi/talk-window-eyes.com List archives can be found at http://lists.window-eyes.com/private.cgi/talk-window-eyes.com _______________________________________________ Any views or opinions presented in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Ai Squared. For membership options, visit http://lists.window-eyes.com/options.cgi/talk-window-eyes.com/dennisl1982%40 gmail.com. 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For subscription options, visit http://lists.window-eyes.com/listinfo.cgi/talk-window-eyes.com List archives can be found at http://lists.window-eyes.com/private.cgi/talk-window-eyes.com _______________________________________________ Any views or opinions presented in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Ai Squared. For membership options, visit http://lists.window-eyes.com/options.cgi/talk-window-eyes.com/geodom%40opton line.net. For subscription options, visit http://lists.window-eyes.com/listinfo.cgi/talk-window-eyes.com List archives can be found at http://lists.window-eyes.com/private.cgi/talk-window-eyes.com _______________________________________________ Any views or opinions presented in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Ai Squared. For membership options, visit http://lists.window-eyes.com/options.cgi/talk-window-eyes.com/steve.jacobson %40visi.com. For subscription options, visit http://lists.window-eyes.com/listinfo.cgi/talk-window-eyes.com List archives can be found at http://lists.window-eyes.com/private.cgi/talk-window-eyes.com _______________________________________________ Any views or opinions presented in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Ai Squared. For membership options, visit http://lists.window-eyes.com/options.cgi/talk-window-eyes.com/archive%40mail-archive.com. For subscription options, visit http://lists.window-eyes.com/listinfo.cgi/talk-window-eyes.com List archives can be found at http://lists.window-eyes.com/private.cgi/talk-window-eyes.com
