[gui-talk] [nfbcs] a search engine for the blind

[Laura Eaves]

Hi all --
I just read this thread and had my usual gut resistance toward someone 
telling me what they think I'd be interested in viewing...
But then it might be a nice feature at that for other reasons, Dougs 
suggestion that it would motivate web developers to design for 
accessibility -- but then really, would it?  I'm thinking of some site 
owners that would do the opposite...*smile*
My thought after reading all this is that perhaps there should be a score 
provided, kind of like a rating not for accessibility but for the match in 
general.  If the user wants accessibility included in the equation, then 
he/she could specify.  Also, if a site was pushed down the list due to 
inaccessibility, but had a higher score otherwise, perhaps attention could 
be called to the other site, although I'm not clear as to how.
Also, perhaps a score could be printed for each site in the list indicating 
what position it would hold in a non-access-friendly search.

Just some musings.
Now on to lunch...*smile*
--le

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "W. Nick Dotson" <nickdotson at bellsouth.net>
To: "NFBnet GUI Talk Mailing List" <gui-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Wednesday, July 26, 2006 12:53 PM
Subject: Re: [gui-talk] [nfbcs] a search engine for the blind


I disagree with those who believe it shouldn't be just because it doesn't 
appeal to them.  That's a form of the type of ideological fascism which 
revolts me
against so-called advocates of the blind who say, it's my way, or you're not 
a "real blind person" because you don't live your life according to our 
doctrinaire
definitions....  I don't know that I'd use it either, having gotten used to 
the current state of affairs, but I wouldn't take an easier perhaps more 
comfortable
experience away from the casual user either.

Nick

On Wed, 26 Jul 2006 12:24:11 -0400 (EDT), Mike Freeman wrote:

 I agree with Steve on this one. However, there are many
 less-than-computer-savvy persons who might use the www if they were
 more-or-less guaranteed a pleasant surfing experience.

 Mike

 On Wed, 26 Jul 2006, Doug Lee wrote:

 > I personally see no reason I should use this Google feature, but I do
 > think its presence might motivate a number of web designers to pay
 > more heed to accessibility guidelines when designing their web
 > pages--and that, of course, should not hurt us at all.
 >
 > On Wed, Jul 26, 2006 at 10:08:54AM -0500, Steve Jacobson wrote:
 > What do others think about this special Google search engine for the 
blind?  I really don't want someone deciding for me what I am capable of 
reading or
navigating
 > when I am looking for something on a search site.  I will even go a step 
further and say that I don't understand Google spending time on this at the
expense of
 > working to solve other accessibility problems on their site.Can someone 
tell me what I'm missing here?  I understand that nothing is stopping me 
from using
the
 > regular search engine, but I just don't understand what is so neat about 
this.
 >
 > On Wed, 26 Jul 2006 09:58:03 -0400, Sherri wrote:
 >
 >> I ran across this article in a weekly newsletter I receive. I haven't 
tried
 >> this site yet, but thought this might be of interest. The link to get to 
the
 >> entire article is at the bottom of this e-mail.
 >
 >> Sherri
 >>> A Search Engine For The Blind: Google Unveils Accessible Web ...
 >
 >> ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 >
 >> by Chris Sabga
 >> Infopackets Gazette
 >> Infopackets Contributor
 >
 >> Google has just unveiled Accessible Web Search, a search engine for the
 >> visually-challenged. Here's how it works: Regular Google sorts search
 >> results primarily by how relevancy, but Accessible Search takes it a 
step
 >> further by also listing pages will that will be easy for the blind to
 >> navigate. To meet Google's Accessible Web Search criteria, a web Site 
has
 >> to be "visually simple." That means it ...
 >> ... Click to read the rest of the article (and our most recent articles)
 >> online:
 >
 >> http://www.infopackets.com/channels/en/windows/gazette/2006/20060726
_a_search_engine_for_the_blind_google_unveils_accessible_web_search.htm
 >
 >>    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
 >
 >> _______________________________________________
 >> gui-talk mailing list
 >> gui-talk at nfbnet.org
 >> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gui-talk
 >
 >
 >
 > _______________________________________________
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 > gui-talk at nfbnet.org
 > http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gui-talk
 >
 > -- 
 > Doug Lee                 dgl at dlee.org
 > SSB + BART Group         doug.lee at ssbbartgroup.com 
http://www.ssbbartgroup.com
 > "Is your cucumber bitter? Throw it away. Are there briars in your
 > path? Turn aside. That is enough. Do not go on to say, `Why were
 > things of this sort ever brought into the world?'"
 > --Marcus Aurelius
 > _______________________________________________
 > nfbcs mailing list
 > nfbcs at nfbnet.org
 > http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfbcs
 >
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