Re: [orca-list] Accessibility of apps

[Krishnakant <krmane openmailbox org>]

+1.
And let me tell you the reason in many cases for nonacceptance Of free 
software and accessibility in FOSS is to understate it's importance as 
well as it's current capability.
i don't hack every second and I have not programmed Orca in it's current 
stage.
I Do know Python development and can do a lot for Orca if there is a 
well made scripting guide.
But I Use GNU/Linux exclusively for my personal, professional and social 
work every minit.
I don't feel I am seriously missing any thing by not using a proprietary 
OS or screen reader.
Yes PDF is a bit of truble and so is presentation.
Some sites may not be that accessible,but again in that context we can't 
clap with one hand.
But Your's  Truely has in the past taken modest eferts to see to it that 
Orca and Gnome are promoted.
You can search for the words "true Vision ELCOT" on youtube and there is 
also the insight project.
My Organization, Digital Freedom Foundation is soon to start a project 
called Digital Drishti (Drishti in Hindi means vision ), where we are 
setting up a huge dedicated center for giving employment based education 
to blind using free software exclusively.
YOu will be pleasantly SURPRISED To know that Indian Government is 
funding it and we are almost done with formalities.
I have a plan to have both blind and sighted programmers who can work on 
further improving accessibility and also do Orca scripting.
This will all be well funded and I took 3 years to convince the government.
But this is just a modest work and one must take inspiration from 
programmers like Joanie and the rest who have dedicated all the time in 
the world for Orca.
And as I said this is a circle where people don't feel Linux is good so 
no investment of time and money, and no investment of tiem and money 
means no improvement.
Lot of money goes in procuring proprietary screen readers and I know 
there is also the commission business of the bureaucrats at least in My 
country so bringing Free software accessibility is a kind of unofficial 
loss to them.
A development leading to promotion and promotion sponning the need for 
more development is the way to go.
Happy hacking.
Krishnakant.


On Monday 22 February 2016 11:35 PM, B. Henry wrote:
> In general India has been one of the leaders in promoting FOS, and this will bare more fruit Internationally, 
> and you are correct about NFB also.
> That being said there is a lot of room for groups like the NFB to partialy change their stance, i.e. many 
> blind people do not need access to the
> proprietary software that too often only JFW and perhaps other commercial windows screenreaders can access.
> These people need to know that they have choices, and even if the powers that be at NFB and in many gov 
> "services" don't understand the fundamental
> importance and current viability not to mention future potential of FOS software they should care about blind 
> people having as many choices as possible.
> We need to encourage change with in these groups where possible, but with out legislation it is unlikely that 
> we will see enough change and serious
> mainstream promotion of accessible FOS.
> Sadly in the U.S., and in many other countries pollitics isnot promoting pragmatic government. The only place 
> where pragmatism rules is in saying and
> doing what politicians feel will get them elected.
> We need a break, i.e. some one or some organization with moneydeciding to invest in FOS accessability in a 
> sustainable way. The investment would be
> tiny compared with that needed to show significant longterm results dealing with most other issues that come 
> to my mind.
> Without getting such a break the way forward will have to include much more individual effort if we are going 
> to see improvement accelerate. Lots of
> small eforts with some luck and adhoc organization
> could be enough, but I think we are talking a magnitude increase in participation in development, 
> documentation and promotion to get things done that
> way.
> A ten foldgrowth in participation is not going to happen you say?, OK, probably not, but lets try doubling 
> our involvement. I'mtalking new people
> stepping up. If you are already working to improve Linux accessibility then thank you. If you can comfortably 
> do more then go for it, but this is not a
> sprint so do not burn yourself out. AIf you have friends who can code, ask them for help.  I know some people 
> have partners or family members who don't
> know much about the tech side of things but have helped clean up documentation. The pont is a lot of rain 
> drops will fill up a bucket as wil a a few
> seconds with a firehose.
>   
>     
>
>