Spoken interface for Mac OS X

[Sean Murphy]

Hi Janina

It will be interesting in the final outcome.  The approach that you have
mention below is simular to MSAA.  Therefore, this would mean that
applications would be restricted to the Development environments that uses
the Apple accessible modules and developers would have to ensure that they
set the correct properties to make the product work.  I do see problems with
this approach and major bonous's.

Sean
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Janina Sajka" <janina at rednote.net>
To: "Speakup is a screen review system for Linux." <speakup at braille.uwo.ca>
Sent: Monday, March 22, 2004 11:16 AM
Subject: Re: Spoken interface for Mac OS X


> Well, Apple is fairly confident that many applications will talk out of
the box. As I recall the demo I had, they're saying something along the
lines of 90% of the apps written with their new developer tools where
accessibility support has been included since the tools where released two
years ago. We'll see, of course, when we get a closer look.
>
> Also, I suspect that "screen reader" may not be the right term. In fact,
Apple isn't using this term, and I think they're correct. There's no
"reading of the screen" going on. Rather the objects which make up the
application all have accessible properties which are queried to support the
spoken interface. So, while there's an on screen interface, the spoken
interface is actually a synchronized parallel interface.
>
> At least, this is how I understand what I heard during my half hour or so
with Apple last Thursday.
>
> Sean Murphy writes:
> > Hi All.
> >
> > As the saying goes, don't count your chickens until they all have hatch.
I
> > be very surprised if version 1 of the product works with many commercial
> > applications other than the OS itself.  Think about the number of years
that
> > the windows screen readers have taken to get to their current point.
There
> > is a lot of issues that has to be taken into concideration when
designing a
> > screen reader.  How flexiable will the product be, will it be like
Microsoft
> > Narritor or the old Berkly Outspoken.
> >
> > Time will see.
> >
> > Also, the market share that Apple has is very small and it will be
> > interesting how much of an impack it will have to the mark for
disabilities.
> >
> > Sean
> >
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > Speakup mailing list
> > Speakup at braille.uwo.ca
> > http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup
>
> -- 
>
> Janina Sajka, Director
> Technology Research and Development
> Governmental Relations Group
> American Foundation for the Blind (AFB)
>
> Email: janina at afb.net Phone: (202) 408-8175
>
> _______________________________________________
> Speakup mailing list
> Speakup at braille.uwo.ca
> http://speech.braille.uwo.ca/mailman/listinfo/speakup
>
>
>