ACB

[Igor Gueths]

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 at tampabay.rr.com>
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
> > 
> 
> 
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> Speakup at braille.uwo.ca
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