Accessible Computing (Was "Re: Display-less computing")

[Chuck Guzis]

On 12/13/2015 12:10 PM, Christian Gauger-Cosgrove wrote:

> CCTV readers. They're still a thing. The tests and exams centre at
> my university has a bunch of them (one each per exam room, and a
> bunch of old analogue ones still sitting about). I find the older
> analogue ones are better than the newer digital ones. If only because
> the text zoom is more "fluid" (my preferred size of "embiggened"
> (what, it's a perfectly cromulent word) text is right between two of
> the settings on the machines we have which is mildly annoying); they
> also have less artefacts when using non-standard video modes (reverse
> video, or high contrast modes).

Okay, Ned. ;)

My sister-in-law was born legally blind (she can see shadows) and has 
made her living teaching the visually-impaired.  She has often remarked 
that computers have gotten much more challenging to use, due to the 
iconic (graphic) displays and the slapdash organization of information 
on a modern display.  It used to be that she was on pretty much at no 
particular disadvantage when text-mode displays were the norm.

I've tried reading my email using text-to-speech software and felt like 
I wanted to throw the damned machine out the window.

In the same vein, she's remarked that trying to find a modern electric 
appliance with real knobs and buttons instead of "touch" displays 
presents even more of a problem.

Technology, it seems, hasn't served us well in some respects.

--Chuck