Re: "Accessibility in Fedora Workstation" (fwd)

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I used JAWS before I used Orca.  I had to learn some new things, but not many, so I had no reason to think we needed the makers of JAWS (whatever name they now use) to port it to Linux.  It also seems to me a strange combination, Linux distributions containing solely or primarily free software (almost always free of charge as well as the "four freedoms" and JAWS, which was and remains proprietary.  I have no idea what it would cost that company to create a JAWS that works seamlessly with the Linux kernel and the software running under it, but I so far have no reason for wanting to pay for that.


The one thing I like about JAWS when I need to use our Windows machine is Eloquence.  It's the main reason my wife gives me for not wanting to move to Linux.  I've always assumed that somebody with the time, tools, and knowledge, or some group, could create free software voices as good as Eloquence.  Maybe I should even try to be such a programmer, but that will not be soon.  In the meantime, I guess, there is Voxin, which I think is not free software, in terms of freedom, but is cheaper than JAWS.


Al


On 8/13/22 16:01, Linux for blind general discussion wrote:
there was an interesting discussion a month or so back on the blinux list about how long it took completing tasks in the gui as apposed to say command line,  the comments were quite informative. Still, fs has never marketed largely to the end user. Instead they market to the American rehab community. how much market research has  the rehab community done to support the need for choices?
How many rehab counselors support  training in Linux?
one comment made by the subject of this thread about poor quality speech is a fine one...out of the box Linux has few speech choices.  everyone brings their needs to the table there.

if you want to get fs to care about Linux, you  need to prove there is money for  them there, from their main source of income.



On Sat, 13 Aug 2022, K0LNY_Glenn wrote:

Well since Orca seems to work on so many distros, I don't know why FS would
not be able to do the same.
If Jaws users could switch into Linux, it would be a real game changer, and
I think with lots more Blind Linux users, we would start seeing
accessibility in Linux not being a second thought.
Glenn
----- Original Message -----
From: "Karen Lewellen" <klewellen@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "K0LNY_Glenn" <glenn@ervin.email>
Cc: <speakup@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>; "Milan Zamazal" <pdm@xxxxxxxxxxx>;
<Blinux-list@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Saturday, August 13, 2022 1:47 PM
Subject: Re: "Accessibility in Fedora Workstation" (fwd)


Well technically freedom scientific does not exist any longer, being bought
by another company.
Still, I can respect why they, or nvda have not created their tools for
Linux.
That is because as I understand it, Linux is  quite like clay. You can
mold a distribution into almost anything. there are various
personifications of the system, all sorts of ways and changes and options
for creativity.
however adaptive tools are often extensions of physical characteristics,
hands, eyes, ears, brains, combinations of these.
To build solid assistive tools one must have a solid  foundation as it
were.  that is part of why there have needed to be so few Apple efforts at
inclusion, they  created  with, and then created in-house adaptive tools
for various  populations that were built into the system.
Although Microsoft did not bother until much later, in theory at least, the consistency of windows is what makes it possible for freedom or the former
gw  micro or nvda to create something that can in theory  work.
Floor for the furniture is somewhat solid.
Just my thoughts,



On Sat, 13 Aug 2022, K0LNY_Glenn wrote:

I would like to see Freedom Scientific make a Jaws For Linux.
JFL
I'd certainly pay the yearly rental fee for it, and it would bring many
more
users into Linux.
FS could, with its resources, possibly make it more robust than Orca.

Glenn
----- Original Message -----
From: "Milan Zamazal" <pdm@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <speakup@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Cc: <Blinux-list@xxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Saturday, August 13, 2022 12:08 PM
Subject: Re: "Accessibility in Fedora Workstation" (fwd)


"KL" == Karen Lewellen <klewellen@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> writes:

   KL> What bothers me most are his lack of actual qualifications, and
   KL> absolute dismissal of what he has not experienced..as if he
   KL> defines Linux usage for everyone.  That attitude is dangerous,
   KL> because he is educating those outside of the accessibility
   KL> experiences, who will believe his ignorance is factual.  he has
   KL> to be expert, it is his job.

Hi Karen,

I know Lukas personally and I admire his skills and qualifications.  I
also know first hand that he is open to constructive feedback and I
believe he’d be happy to be corrected about possible technical
inaccuracies in the interview.  It may be also a good opportunity to
find out what’s possibly missing in making anybody better informed.

As for “absolute dismissal of what he has not experienced”, what
reasonable free software alternatives to a less or more standard desktop with Orca and a software synthesizer can you see for a common blind user
who needs to use a fully working web browser, to read and process text
documents, to be compatible with other computer users, etc.?

And let’s be realistic.  We celebrate every single developer hired to
improve accessibility.  This tells something about the state of the
matters.  We cannot expect that a single person will fix all the kinds
of accessibility problems in all the environments.  Lukas works at his
job focusing on certain areas currently seen there as urgent ones and I
appreciate this opportunity.  Anybody else seeing a need to work on
other areas is welcome to contribute to whatever sees fit, as I do.

Regards,
Milan






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