Hi Debra. You're right about that, but everything that is complicated in Linux is so for a reason. Winblows on the other hand! Just too much crap that doesn't even need to be there for us blind folks. ----- Original Message ----- From: Deedra Waters <curi0315@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> To: <speakup at braille.uwo.ca> Sent: Monday, May 20, 2002 10:42 AM Subject: Re: ACB > Honestly, in my opinion, linux appears to be a lot mor complicated then > dos was, I haven't used dos in probably seven years or mor, but that's my > observation. > > On Mon, 20 May 2002, cwhitley wrote: > Hi, > Might I inquire as to how Linux is any worse today than DOS was? Both are > text mode, command line oriented OS's. There were very successfull DOS > users that happened to be blind. Of course, at the time GUI had not > caught > on with the sighted world, but it did exist. I am not saying that > progress > doesn't need to be made, just that you seem to be stating the problem > worse > than it actually is. There are actually some DOS users still out there. > Regards, > Cecil > > > >On Mon, 20 May 2002 08:44:03 -0400 Charles Crawford <ccrawford at acb.org> > > wrote. > > > OK, now I need to speak from the view of the American council of > > >the blind with respect to this thread. > > > > > > We want to see alternatives to the dominant Ms-Windows operating > > >system and applications that are accessible and user friendly. We realize > > >there is a culture around Linux that we do not wish to displace or > > >otherwise change, yet the culture demands a level of personal involvement > > >and knowledge that is neither easy to obtain from the available resources > > >nor easy to learn once those resources are found. Hence, the participation > > > > >of the wider blindness community is not likely unless there are new ways of > > > > >learning and using Linux that maintain the accessibility and lack of > > >expense that are so attractive. > > > > > > It is not a matter of telling folks to read the manual when the > > >manual is prefaced upon an expectation of understanding that is greater > > >than the average person starting out. Neither is it helpful to assume that > > > > >everyone is going to be able to prioritize their time to dedicate to Linux > > >in the same way as others have. > > > > > > This is not a hobby. It is an operating system for use by those > > >who need the access and affordability of it. So let's admit that we need > > >to accommodate those interests and find a way to do it that is not > > >threatening to the current community of users. > > > > > > For the reasons above, ACBH is attempting to find the resources to > > > > >get the internal speech engine we need to put speakup inside the box with > > >internal quality speech. That will expand the user base because we won't > > >be hunting around for hardware that is slowly disappearing. > > > > > > Next we need to look at the usability issue. This does not mean > > >we try and change the nature of Linux and it's syntax, but we do need to > > >look at any avenues to either make it more easy for folks to learn the > > >context through tutorials for example or possible other ways. > > > > > > In the end, Linux is a robust product that need not be seen as > > >having only one road to access. So let's stop making assumptions about the > > > > >people who are only trying to use this cool operating system and start > > >making an environment that supports all who want to use it. > > > > > >-- Charlie Crawford. > > >At 04:34 PM 5/19/02 -0400, you wrote: > > >>I think that most people know how to search for things on the internet. I > > >> think you need to stop and think about the fact that not all people are > > >>good at finding things and that's why we ask for help. If I could find all > > >>of the answers to my problems, I wouldn't be asking.:p Before you start > > >>treating new people like their idiots, try to remember that we're all > > >>different, we all learn in different ways, and sometimes we miss stuff. > > >> > > >> > > >> > > >>On Sun, 19 May 2002, Janina Sajka wrote: > > >> > > >> > All right, Newbies, Listen Up! > > >> > > > >> > There's something called Google. It's your friend. You use it > > >> > with your favorite web browser. It's real easy and it's lynx > > >> > friendly. And, it finds the answers to almost all of the "where > > >> > do I find" questions I've seen on this list in the last 6 months, > > >> > and puts them on the first screen of results. > > >> > > > >> > Learn to use Google. Keep it open in a second console. > > >> > > > >> > The field where you type in your search string is the fourth > > >> > field on the main Google screen. The submit button is the next > > >> > field. > > >> > > > >> > This is not rocket science. It isn't even hard. > > >> > > > >> > > > >> > _______________________________________________ > > >> > Speakup mailing list > > >> > Speakup at braille.uwo.ca > > >> > http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup > > >> > > > >> > > >> > > >>_______________________________________________ > > >>Speakup mailing list > > >>Speakup at braille.uwo.ca > > >>http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup > > > > > > > > >_______________________________________________ > > >Speakup mailing list > > >Speakup at braille.uwo.ca > > >http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup > > Hi, > > Might I inquire as to how Linux is any worse today than DOS was? Both are > > text mode, command line oriented OS's. There were very successfull DOS > > users that happened to be blind. Of course, at the time GUI had not caught > > on with the sighted world, but it did exist. I am not saying that progress > > doesn't need to be made, just that you seem to be stating the problem worse > > than it actually is. There are actually some DOS users still out there. > > Regards, > > Cecil > > > > _______________________________________________ > > Speakup mailing list > > Speakup at braille.uwo.ca > > http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup > > > > > _______________________________________________ > Speakup mailing list > Speakup at braille.uwo.ca > http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup
