[gui-talk] Fwd: Amazon press release Concerning Accessibilityof Web Site

Fri Jan 4 19:34:29 CST 2008

I've yet to fail in any attempt to locate a product on that site.  the folks
at amazon have gone so far as to create a special stripped down version of
the site for mobile phone users and us.  I have allot of sympathy for their
web department people.  If someone would give me an example of a product I
can't find or service I can't use on their site I'd be interesting in taking
a look.  As it stands, it seems the blind are blaming Amazon for a lack of
computer skill.  Target's site had problems.  combo boxes didn't work and a
few other things.

-----Original Message-----
From: gui-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:gui-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Joel Deutsch
Sent: Friday, January 04, 2008 5:17 PM
To: NFBnet GUI Talk Mailing List
Subject: Re: [gui-talk] Fwd: Amazon press release Concerning Accessibilityof
Web Site

Dave, this is not addressed to you. it's a general statement after reading
the past few messages.

In some very reasonable bulletins I've seen discussing the need for better
screen reader accessibility of Web sites, it's stressed that "accessible"
doesn't necessarily equate to "fully usable." Let us not quarrel over whose
jaws jockey skills seem better than someone else's, or whatever causes
people to disregard each others' problems with something like Amazon. And
that includes the possibility that something in the specifics of the way
their computer is set up allow them to avoid the problem, even though its
causes are not well understood outside of the amazon Web design department,
where I'll bet they know just what's going on but are not dealing with it,
for some reason.

I'm a perfectly adequate jaws user, if not necessarily a big power user who
loves to be challenged to discover and perform tricky workarounds of various
sorts. And I'm not the only one, as I know from the JFW list, who has
encountered over the past six months or more this problem of the product
pages being nearly impossible to slog through with Jaws, either using tabs,
arrow keys or single letter navigation tricks. Something is wrong on that
part of the site, for more than just one or two poorly skilled Jaws users or
whining complainers. Let's have a little mutual respect and not tell the
people who are getting drenched that it isn't raining where you're standing.

This isn't helpful, informative or supportive.

thanks for the kind consideration.

----- Original Message -----
From: "David Andrews" <dandrews at visi.com>
To: "NFBnet GUI Talk Mailing List" <gui-talk at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, January 04, 2008 1:44 PM
Subject: Re: [gui-talk] Fwd: Amazon press release Concerning Accessibility
of Web Site

No one said it was inaccessible, but it could be better or "more accessible"
for blind persons.

Dave

At 02:59 PM 1/4/2008, you wrote:
>Please excuse my ignorance on this one, but I've been successfully
>shopping on amazon.com for years.  Just exactly what's supposed to
>be not accessible?   I use the standard www.amazon.com for all my
>purchases.
>
>I do use the search function of my screen reader to bypass a lot I
>don't wish to see, but that's no big deal.
>
>Not meaning to be argumentative, just would really like to know.
>
>Don
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "David Andrews" <dandrews at visi.com>
>To: <blindtlk at nfbnet.org>; <nfb-talk at nfbnet.org>;
><nfb-announce at nfbnet.org>; <blindlaw at nfbnet.org>; <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>;
><nfb-web at nfbnet.org>; <nfb-db at nfbnet.org>; <nosb at nfbnet.org>;
><promotion-technology at nfbnet.org>;
><nfbcs at nfbnet.org>; <gui-talk at nfbnet.org>; <blparent at nfbnet.org>;
><blindkid at nfbnet.org>; <nfbwatlk at nfbnet.org>; <nfb-science at nfbnet.org>
>Sent: Friday, January 04, 2008 11:16 AM
>Subject: [gui-talk] Fwd: Amazon press release Concerning Accessibility
>ofWeb Site
>
>
> >
> >>
> >>----------
> >>Amazon.com Accessibility to be Completed June 30, 2008
> >>
> >>The National Federation of the Blind and online retailer Amazon,
> >>Inc., have announced that work to make Amazon.com fully accessible
> >>to blind computer users is to be completed by June 30, 2008.  In
> >>March of 2007, Amazon entered into a technology development
> >>agreement with the National Federation of the Blind pursuant to
> >>which Amazon was to attempt to make Amazon.com fully accessible by
> >>December 31, 2007.  Because of the complexity of the task, it was
> >>recognized that this was an ambitious goal and that problems might
> >>be encountered; accordingly, the agreement provided that Amazon
> >>could have a six-month extension, if necessary, to complete work on
> >>making its Web site fully accessible to blind computer users.
> >>Amazon's Web site has improved; nonetheless, Amazon recognizes that
> >>it is not yet fully accessible.  Amazon has indicated that it will
> >>complete the task within the extended period.
> >>
> >>Marc Maurer, President of the National Federation of the Blind,
> >>said: "Full and equal access to the Internet is critical in order
> >>for the blind to participate fully in today's society.  While
> >>Amazon.com is not yet fully accessible, we are pleased with the
> >>progress that has been made and we believe that the company remains
> >>committed to making the site fully accessible.  We will continue to
> >>work with Amazon.com to ensure that the blind can shop for books,
> >>music, movies, and the myriad other products available at this
> >>leading online retailer with the same ease and convenience as all
> >>other shoppers."
> >>
> >>
> >># # #
> >>
> >>
> >
> > David Andrews and white cane Harry.
> >
> >
> > _______________________________________________
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> >
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David Andrews and white cane Harry.

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