Off-topic: Yahoo registration inaccessible to all blind users

Amanda Lee amanda at shellworld.net
Thu Jan 24 13:12:24 EST 2002 

Yes I do however, I still can think of other methods for avoiding this
sort of thing and to deny persons who are print disabled access is still
absolute stupidity and I won't back down on this.  Have these idiots ever
heard of setting up limits?  Have they heard of limiting the number of
access, number of registrations, I probably could type in pages here.
They are really being very short-sighted as to dealing with the real
problem and so their solution is to barr everyone when I'd say that only a
few created this situation in the first place.

I feel their pain but I bet you this won't stop abuse.

Amanda Lee



On Thu, 24 Jan 2002, Victor Tsaran wrote:

> 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.
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > > _______________________________________________
> > > > > > 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
> > > >
> > > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > 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
>

More information about the Speakup mailing list