Off-topic: Yahoo registration inaccessible to all blind users

[Victor Tsaran]

Amanda, it is not only about mailing lists. It also has to do with the fact
that several "bad people" decided to perform, say, 1000 automatic
registrations at a time. They would like to register 1000 Email accounts on
Yahoo. Do you see any implications?
Victor

----- Original Message -----
From: "Amanda Lee" <amanda at shellworld.net>
To: <speakup at braille.uwo.ca>
Sent: Wednesday, January 23, 2002 9:25 PM
Subject: Re: Off-topic: Yahoo registration inaccessible to all blind users


> A text only interface of course!  Wonder how they are serving Wireless
> Phone and PDA users?  These devices typically can't handle a lot of high
> resolution graphics and junk!  Bessides, what the hell! is so damn! secure
> about a stupid email list?  If the FBI wants an Email list I daresay
> they're not going to go to Yahoo dot bomb to get one.  This is just a
> stupid excuse for not wanting to think in any different direction than
> stupidity.  Many sites have secure and not secured options for doing
> anything from ordering merchandise to signing up for newsletters.
>
> Amanda Lee
>
>
>
> On Wed, 23 Jan 2002, Victor Tsaran wrote:
>
> > What would you suggest instead of just complaining?
> > Best,
> > Vic
> >
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: "Steve Holmes" <steve at holmesgrown.com>
> > To: <speakup at braille.uwo.ca>
> > Sent: Wednesday, January 23, 2002 7:01 PM
> > Subject: Re: Off-topic: Yahoo registration inaccessible to all blind
users
> >
> >
> > > That's our whole point! If this kind of shit is used with Yahoo,
what's to
> > > stop other services from using that garbage in the name of tighter
> > > security? It reminds me of some products introduced some years back
that
> > > would play some kind of hand-eye cordination game with the user to
prove
> > > it is who he says he is to connect to the local dial-up network at
work.
> > > thank God, this stuff was never implemented at my work but they did
talk
> > > about it briefly til I talked them out of it.
> > >
> > > A web site or application should *NEVER* *NEVER* use bit mapped text
that
> > > cannot be read by any adaptive screen reader products!  The only good
> > > thing about that crap was those banner ads we could never read. We
didn't
> > > see them nor hear them so they didn't bother us and we never clicked
> > > them:).
> > >
> > > On Wed, 23 Jan 2002, Victor Tsaran wrote:
> > >
> > > > Hi,
> > > > There is really nothing Yahoo can do for you in this case. Unless
you
> > have
> > > > some ideas on how the subscription process can be changed, send your
> > > > suggestion to them. From the programming point of view, there is
nothing
> > > > they can do to better the situation. I know it sounds harsh, but
there
> > is
> > > > not much else to say. No kind of alt tag or picture description can
be
> > > > employed to make the "word" accessible.
> > > > Vic
> > > >
> > > > ----- 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 12:23 PM
> > > > 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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> > > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
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> > >
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> > >
> >
> >
> >
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