[nfbwatlk] Fw: Are We Ready for Vista

[Lauren Merryfield]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "James W Merryfield" <jmerry2000 at juno.com>
To: <lauren1 at catliness.com>
Sent: Saturday, February 10, 2007 11:57 PM
Subject: Are We Ready for Vista


> Access Issues
> Are We Ready for Vista?
> Jay Leventhal
>
> With all the hoopla about Microsoft's release of Vista, its new Windows
> operating system, on January 30, 2007, AccessWorld readers may have been
> wondering how long they would have to wait to be able to have access to
> this long-promised product. The good news for most screen reader users
> is, you don't have to wait at all.
>
> Vista Versions
> According to PC World magazine, Dell and Gateway began selling
> Vista-based PCs on January 30. Other companies will offer Windows XP as
> long as supplies last. There are five versions of Vista. According to
> Microsoft's web site, these are:
>
> Vista Ultimate: The most complete edition; provides the power, security,
> and mobility features needed for work and all the entertainment features
> that you want for fun.
> Home Premium: An edition for home desktop and mobile PCs.
> Home Basic: Designed for homes with basic computing needs, such as
> e-mail, browsing the Internet, and viewing photos.
> Business: Designed specifically to meet the needs of small businesses.
> Enterprise: Designed to meet the needs of large, global organizations
> with complex information technology infrastructures.
> After Microsoft released Windows XP in October, 2001, it took a few
> months for screen readers and screen magnifiers that worked with XP to be
> released. This time, some companies are ready with public beta versions
> of their products at the same time that Microsoft releases Vista. Here is
> a rundown of when you can expect screen readers and screen magnifiers
> that work with Vista to be available.
>
> FreedomBox
> On January 11, Serotek Corporation announced that FreedomBox and Key to
> Freedom with System Access software, were now integrated with Microsoft
> Windows Vista and available for download. Any current FreedomBox user or
> anyone with Vista can download the software from the company's web site
> <www.freedombox.info>.
>
> Window-Eyes
> GW Micro released a public beta of Window-Eyes 6.1 on January 30. The
> beta works with Vista, and can be used as demonstration software by any
> Vista user, regardless of whether they currently own Window-Eyes. The
> release date for a final version depends on how the beta-test goes.
> According to Doug Geoffray of GW Micro, "The biggest problem we have so
> far is the lack of Vista users to test Window-Eyes." Other companies
> mentioned a problem with finding testers as well.
>
> Window-Eyes 6.0 users can get the 6.1 upgrade for free. GW Micro will
> provide a downloadable upgrade file on their web site. This can be used
> for Windows 2000 and XP. However, if you want to use Vista, you will need
> a full Installation, requiring the company to send a Window-Eyes 6.1 CD.
> The only charge for the upgrade will be a small fee, probably $5.
>
> Doug Geoffray says: "Vista has been a challenge, but, I believe in the
> end it will offer many benefits over XP. Vista has allowed us better
> access to information. The new Ease-of-Access features in Vista allow us
> to better support loading on secure web pages and reading information
> displayed on secure desktops, such as the Consent dialog.
>
> "Microsoft is continuing to add more MSAA [Microsoft Active
> Accessibility] support to applications that ship with Vista. Perhaps the
> largest benefit of Vista is its new level of security. We'll continue to
> work with Microsoft to enhance Vista even more on the accessibility
> level."
>
> JAWS for Windows
> Freedom Scientific is planning to release a version of JAWS that will
> work with Vista by mid-February. This update will work for everyone using
> JAWS 8.0 and windows XP or Windows 2000. It will be a free update for all
> JAWS 8 customers that intend to use it on Windows XP and 2000. For JAWS
> 8.0 users who intend to buy Vista, Freedom Scientific will ask that they
> all participate in the JAWS software maintenance agreement (SMA) program
> to ensure that their JAWS 8 license will authorize in Vista. Those users
> will still receive the next SMA upgrades as expected, so this does not
> mean that installing in Vista will result in losing an SMA.
>
> ZoomText
> Ai Squared plans to release a public beta of ZoomText 9.1 during the
> second week of February. The final release is planned for late March or
> early April. ZoomText 9.1 will be a minor upgrade for owners of ZoomText
> 9.0. For this group, the upgrade price for ZoomText Magnifier will be
> $75. The upgrade for ZoomText Magnifier/Reader will be $99. Users of
> ZoomText 8.1 and earlier can upgrade their ZoomText Magnifier product for
> $149, or their ZoomText Magnifier/Reader product for $199.
>
> Hal and Supernova
> Dolphin Computer Access currently plans to release a version of Hal and
> Supernova that is compatible with Vista sometime in the second quarter of
> 2007. This version 8.0 will be a free upgrade for anyone who buys 7.03
> after January 31, 2007. Hal users can expect access to Vista that is very
> similar to access provided to Windows XP.
>
> Assistive technology companies have put a lot of hard work into their
> development of products that work with Vista. It is extremely encouraging
> to be able to inform you about products that are ready just as Vista is
> released. This is a welcome change from the delays when Windows XP was
> released, not to mention the battles that many of you remember following
> the release of Windows 95. AccessWorld will feature much more coverage of
> access to Vista in future issues.
>
>
>
>
> Copyright © 2007 American Foundation for the Blind. All rights reserved.
> AccessWorld is a trademark of the American Foundation for the Blind.
>
>
>
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