[gui-talk] Switching To Windows EyesSwitching To Window Eyes IThink?

[denise avant]

hello,
you might want to ask around on some of the lists including this one or the jfw list about your problem before yu switch. there is going to be a learning curve, though with dwindoweyes its not very steep i don't think. but it still will take you some time.
one other thing you may want to consider is under what circumstances you are using your screen reader. Is it for work or at home. I was and still do use Windoweyes. However, i really needed my screen reader for work, and some years back i had to switch from windoweyes to jfw because there initially was no braille display support, but that has long been remedied by gw micro. but my agency uses wordperfect and not word, and once in a while, the agency would upgrade to a newer version of wordperfect. it was jfw that worked with the newer version of wordperfect several months before windoweyes. you have to assess what your needs are.
i miss the great tech support at gw as the support team is knowledgeable about its product and what it will do and will not do with the different operating systems and programs. 
i find the jfw interface easier to use - as it can take some time to go into windoweyes control panel and change stuff to your liking.


--- On Mon, 3/9/09, Steve Jacobson <steve.jacobson at visi.com> wrote:

From: Steve Jacobson <steve.jacobson at visi.com>
Subject: Re: [gui-talk] Switching To Windows EyesSwitching To Window Eyes IThink?
To: "NFBnet GUI Talk Mailing List" <gui-talk at nfbnet.org>
Date: Monday, March 9, 2009, 9:21 AM

Jess and Others,

I've been using Window-Eyes for a long time and have found it to be a good
program.  While my experience is not the same as that of Chris in his note
below, I think 
there is an important point to be made.  Switching screen readers takes some
work and there is a learning curve.  What is most intuitive is going to be what
you are 
used to.  For example, one of the most apparent differences between Window-Eyes
and JFW is the keyboard.  With JFW, you toggle all arrow and navigation keys 
such as HOME, END, PGUP and PGDN between PC Cursor and the JAWS cursor.  It
doesn't matter which of the two sets of keys you use, they always behave the

same.  More than once, I've heard people say that is one of the things they
really like about JFW.  With Window-Eyes, the keys on the Numeric Pad are always

used to control the mouse pointer, which is similar to the JAWS cursor, and the
cursor keys in the middle always control the navigation associated with the
software 
you are running.  There is no toggling between cursors, you simply choose what
you want by which keys you press.  When I use a computer with JFW on it, I have 
a terrible time because I am always forgetting to pay attention to which cursor
is active.  Window-eyes users generally fine the two separate cursors assigned
to 
different keys to be intuitive.  Yet, I know JFW users who love the fact that
they can use the same set of arrows for everything if they want to and knowing
which 
cursor is active is automatic to them.  I suspect that each program will seem
most intuitive to those who have used it for some time.  If you switch, you have
to 
assume that the new screen reader will seem less intuitive for a while, but you
will get used to it.  

For many years, Window-Eyes emphasized the fact that it did not need scripts,
that the powerful "set" file structure along with many menu options
placed more 
power into the hands of customers.  You could do a lot without writing scripts,
but Window-Eyes has now added scripting capability.  It still has all of the
menus it had 
before, though.  I know that JFW has added some menu items, too, so I am no
longer certain whether Window-Eyes has as clear an edge there as it used to or
not, 
but I would find it difficult to believe that JFW is really more configurable
or easier to configure.  

Responsiveness is a harder one to figure.  I've heard other people say that
JFW is much more responsive than Window-Eyes, but I just have not seen that.  It
could 
be that certain applications or certain systems exhibit different behavior,
though.  Also, I've seen instances where a quick response can also be
incorrect, for 
example.  It makes a lot of sense to try the demos of programs that one might
want to buy realizing that at first they are going to seem hard to use, but one
can judge 
such things as responsiveness for them selves and decide whether there is a
difference and if it is important.

the lack of copy protection on Window-eyes in the United States is a big plus
for me.  It is just one less thing to worry about when doing system maintenance,
even 
though it seems as though JFW's copy protection is less of an issue than it
once was.  

GW Micro is very good at support and customer service, but no screen reader
company can provide in depth training or system configuring through their
technical 
support staff.  One has to try to think about what they expect from technical
support and whether one's own expectations are reasonable.  For example, how
you 
print mailing labels in Word is not a screen reader problem.

I think Window-Eyes is a good product, but I recognize that JFW is as well. 
They have different strengths and weaknesses and each is made better by the
pressure 
placed upon them by the other.  If you are considering switching from one
screen reader to another, assume that the new screen reader will be more
difficult to use 
for a while and that those who have used either screen reader for a while will
feel that their favorite is more intuitive.  Figure out which software you use
most often, 
and take the time to try the appropriate demo with that software.  Understand
what it is you really want in a new screen reader so that the learning curve
will be 
worth it.  

Best regards,

Steve Jacobson

On Mon, 9 Mar 2009 07:45:08 -0000, Chris Hallsworth wrote:

>In my experience, Window-Eyes is less responsive than JAWS. The interface 
>isn't as intuitive compared to JAWS. For example it's not as easy
to 
>configure Window-Eyes as it is with JAWS. Hope this helps in your decision 
>making.

>--
>Chris Hallsworth
>e-mail: christopherh40 at googlemail.com
>MSN: ch9675 at hotmail.com
>Skype: chrishallsworth7266
>----- Original Message ----- 
>From: "Jess From Orlando" <jsears1986 at gmail.com>
>To: <gui-talk at nfbnet.org>
>Sent: Monday, March 09, 2009 2:12 AM
>Subject: [gui-talk] Switching To Windows EyesSwitching To Window Eyes 
>IThink?


>Hello
>I have been using JFW for 10 years but after this past week and them just 
>not being able to assist me I am switching to Window Eyes. I need to know 
>though if anyone can give me sort of the pros and cons between that and
JFW? 
>Thanks a lot.
>Jess
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