[gui-talk] Screenreaders

Wed Aug 3 15:01:55 UTC 2011

On new computers there are a lot of programs competing for your attention.  I don't know how JAWS handles the system tray with Insert-F11, but you may need to learn about the chevron symbol which indicates that there are more systray applications not currently visible.  In Window-Eyes, I hit Windows-B to go to the systray rather than the W-E hotkey.  I find the chevron symbol in the list, hit Enter on it, then continue to up-arrow into the list of running programs.  You can change how many programs appear on the systray, and would potentially be accessible from Insert-F11; the number is minimized to make mouse users happier.

In all versions of Windows, I have found it helpful to go into the themes or sound scheme and assign sounds to the "program open" and "program close" events, or whatever they are called.  By default, these events don't create a sound.  You need to find some short sounds like clicks to assign to these events.  You will then know, even before JAWS says anything, that a process has just started or stopped.  There is a shocking amount of stuff going on in modern Windows systems.  

I didn't notice which mail program you are using, but Windows Live Mail and Thunderbird both have issues, including some view configurations that work better than others.  Don't give up quite yet.

Lloyd Rasmussen, Senior Project Engineer
National Library Service for the Blind and Physically Handicapped
Library of Congress   202-707-0535
http://www.loc.gov/nls
The preceding opinions are my own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Library of Congress, NLS.

-----Original Message-----
From: gui-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:gui-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Kris Hickerson
Sent: Wednesday, August 03, 2011 10:36 AM
To: 'Discussion of the Graphical User Interface, GUI Talk Mailing List'
Subject: Re: [gui-talk] Screenreaders

Hi Guys,  

Well, there are several problems here. 

First of all I'm using a relatively new HP computer running Windows 7.  This is my first introduction to 7, and I hate it, sofar. 

Something is not set right in Windows because when I'm typing an email all of a sudden it will take me out of the message I'm typing and put me somewhere else.  I don't realize it's happened until I get some strange message from JAWS indicating that I'm no longer in the message I was attempting to write.  Then I have to alt tab until I bring up the message I was writing in the first place.  This has happened four times just while I'm
trying to compose this message.    

Secondly, is it possible to change the touch on these new computers.  This keyboard is so sensative you can almost breathe on it and type a character.
My getting used to this  computer is also part of the problem.  The keys are not as sloped as most keyboards are, it is practically perfectly level and that is giving me a problem. 

 dthirdly,  as I mentioned before, I think there are settings in Windows I could change to make it perform more to my liking, but I don't know what to change.  

And exactly where or if JAWS fits into this picture I'm not sure.  There are probably settings in JAWS I could choose to make it better as well.  Here again, I really don't know where to start and what to change.  I don't like the way it displays some of my emails.  It has everything in coluns and most of the time all I get are numbers and rows of the columns and not the text .
I feel certain this is a JAWS problem. 

Anyway, after starting this email over four times I hope it's cleaned up enough to send. 

Kris

-----Original Message-----
From: gui-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:gui-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Steve Jacobson
Sent: Tuesday, August 02, 2011 9:16 AM
To: Discussion of the Graphical User Interface, GUI Talk Mailing List
Subject: Re: [gui-talk] Screenreaders

Mike,

We don't know at this point whether her gripe is really with JFW or if there might be some things with Windows 7 that are throwing her for a loop.  I hate to see her make a switch and spend money only to find that she has the same frustrations.  <smile>  I find Windows 7 to work pretty well using
Window- Eyes, for example, but there are things I had to learn and to get used to.

Best regards,

Steve Jacobson

On Mon, 1 Aug 2011 19:17:44 -0500, Mike Arrigo wrote:
>I use system access every day at work with windows 7, it does 
>everything I
need, give it a try, I think you will be pleased.
>On Aug 1, 2011, at 10:31 AM, Kris Hickerson wrote:

>> Hi All,
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> Is anyone using System Access  successfully with Windows 7?
>> 
>> 
>> 
>> I'm getting very frustrated with JAWS and all it's conflicts.  It 
>> seems like everytime I sit down at the computer, all I get 
>> accomplished is problem solving.  If it isn't JAWS, it's Windows 7 
>> itself.  XP was so easy!!  So, if SA works, I think I'll try it.
>> 
>> 