Off-topic: Yahoo registration inaccessible to all blind users

[Victor Tsaran]

What if you use Lynx or don't have a sound card in your computer? But it's
already some suggestion, not just an empty complaint. thanks a lot!
Vic

----- Original Message -----
From: "Rich Caloggero" <rjc at MIT.EDU>
To: <speakup at braille.uwo.ca>
Sent: Wednesday, January 23, 2002 7:38 PM
Subject: Re: Off-topic: Yahoo registration inaccessible to all blind users


> If they want to be sure that a human is sitting at the console, have the
> "word" be spoken as well as appear on the screen as an image. Seems simple
> enough.
>                     Rich
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "David Poehlman" <poehlman1 at home.com>
> To: <speakup at braille.uwo.ca>
> Sent: Wednesday, January 23, 2002 7:05 AM
> Subject: Re: Off-topic: Yahoo registration inaccessible to all blind users
>
>
> > we've been discussing this elsewhere and with yahoo who are working on
> > the issue.
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Geoff Shang" <gshang at uq.net.au>
> > To: <blindcast at yahoogroups.com>; <speakup at braille.uwo.ca>;
> > <acbri-forum at acbradio.org>
> > Sent: Wednesday, January 23, 2002 6:23 AM
> > Subject: Off-topic: Yahoo registration inaccessible to all blind users
> >
> >
> > Hi:
> >
> > This is blatently off-topic.  If you're not interested, hit delete.  I'd
> > suggest not discussing it on list unless the moderator deems it
> > on-topic,
> > but that's obviously not for me to say.  If you care at all, please feel
> > free to spread this around.
> >
> > It is apparently now impossible for a blind or low vision person to
> > independantly register with yahoogroups, no matter what browser they are
> > using.  Yahoogroups has implemented a security feature to stop automated
> > programs from spuriously registering yahoo accounts.  Unfortunately,
> > it's
> >  preventing blind people from registering also ... and they know it.
> >
> > What they've done is to implement a system where a word is printed on
> > the
> > screen as a graphic.  You have to correctly enter this word into the
> > sign-up form before you can register.  This is meant to prove that it's
> > a
> > human doing the registration, but all it does prove is that it's a
> > sighted
> > person able to read print that's doing the registration.  They have a
> > link
> > to click if you can't see the word, and this is what that page says:
> >
> >    What is Word Verification?
> >    Visually impaired or blind users: We can help you register. So that a
> >    customer care representative can contact you, please provide your
> >    phone number in addition to your required email address when you
> >    contact us by pasting this URL into your browser:
> >    http://add.yahoo.com/fast/help/us/edit/cgi_access
> >    By entering the word you see in the box, you help Yahoo! prevent
> >    automated registrations. Doing this reduces system loads and ensures
> >    better performance of Yahoo! services.
> >
> >    If no image appears, please make sure your browser is set to display
> >    images and try again. If you are not sure what the word is, make your
> >    best guess. If you guess incorrectly, you will have an opportunity to
> >    enter a different word on the next screen.
> >
> > This is pretty damning.  They are conceeding that they know it's
> > inaccessibal to blind people and expect me as a blind person to hand
> > over
> > my phone number so that they can walk me through the registration
> > process.
> > Quite aside from the fact that I do not want to give out my phone
> > number,
> > I'm highly doubtful that someone's going to spare the international
> > expence
> > to call me in Australia.  And even if someone from Yahoo Australia calls
> > me, what if I live somewhere where there is no local yahoo branch?
> > someone
> > will still have to call me, and I wonder how bothered they'll be to do
> > that?
> >
> > So what to do?  Firstly, give yahoo a hard time about it, both the main
> > yahoo in the USA and any local affiliates (e.g. yahoo UK, yahoo Japan,
> > yahoo Australia, etc).  I'd suggest boycotting them altogether, but I
> > realise that's not always possible.  I'd also urge any group moderators
> > to
> > stop using any of the features requiring a yahoo ID until this is
> > resolved.
> > If you're a member of a yahoo group, ask your list moderator not to use
> > any
> > of these features, as you as a blind person won't be able to access
> > them.
> >
> > The yahoo signup page also says that the word verification technology
> > was
> > developed in conjunction with the Captcha project (note the spelling) at
> > Carnegie Mellon University.  So I think we should give these people a
> > hard
> > time too.
> >
> > Geoff.
> >
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
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> > Speakup at braille.uwo.ca
> > http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
>
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