[gui-talk] Voiceover

[Curtis Chong]

On July 25, 2009, Kevin Fjelsted wrote in relevant part:

"The fact that the NFB technology center chooses to publish inaccuracies and
propaganda which is so misleading must mean that the existing companies like
Freedom Scientific are running scared and trying to rally resources to quash
VoiceOver usage."

Having managed the International Braille and Technology Center for five
years, I think I can say with some credibility that the Braille Monitor
article which Kevin refers to was not intended to be deliberately
inaccurate.  Nor was it intended to (as he says) "quash VoiceOver usage."

The article that was published in the June edition of the Braille Monitor
was clearly written from the perspective of a community which, in the main,
has strong familiarity with the Windows operating system, Windows-based
screen access technology, and Windows conventions.  Having read the article
myself and reviewed some of the responses to it, I would acknowledge that
the article can be said to contain some inaccuracies and erroneous
conclusions.  However, the perspective of the author, while not that of a
VoiceOver user, is reflective of the majority of blind computer users who,
today, are familiar with Windows.  Clearly, the author of the article was
not aware that there is a very dedicated community of blind people who have
developed a high degree of understanding, competence, and sophistication
with VoiceOver and the Macintosh.  The article would have been well served
if the author had been able to talk with some of these people.

This may have been the case when the article was written, but I am confident
that the voices of the Macintosh and VoiceOver community have been heard and
are even now being consulted.

Cordially,

Curtis Chong