Re: [orca-list] Skype for Linux

[Al Sten-Clanton <albert e sten_clanton verizon net>]

This is the first I've heard that what I used to call Microshaft (the 
credit for the name goes elsewhere) is taking any positive interest at 
all.  I'm glad, though I admit I don't understand why it would bother.

I've heard from others that Microsoft's accessibility folks (for its own 
products, of course) are good.  They seem to be, as we had to discover 
after Windows 10 snuck onto this machine.  Sadly, though, good 
accessibility customer help did not signal giving accessibility the 
priority it deserves, as exemplified by the new and wondrous Microsoft 
Edge, which inflicted itself on my wife and me with the invasion of 
Windows 10.  We needed help to kick it out.  (Windows 10 has nonetheless 
so far proved decent, and apparently beats Windows 8.)

Al

On 2/5/2017 4:54 PM, B. Henry wrote:
> Microsoft is moving away from putting all of their prosperity eggs in to the OS basket, and while of course 
> change can take a lot of pushing to overcome
> the inertia of a huge company like MS, they are certainly not the company of 10-20 years ago that had leaders 
> saying things to the effect of Linux is
> a menace.
> They are not even the company of 5 or 6 years ago, still very bloated and out of touch in many ways according 
> to what I read and hear.
> Does this mean we are going to see microsoft donating a few million to solve Xnix accessibility problems, or 
> making sure skype is as usable for those
> running Linux as it is on windows, I doubt it, but the attitudes toward Linux at MS has changed, and is 
> continuing to change, and while I certainly
> won't be blindly trusting MS to do the right thing all the time, I am more optimistic than I was even 2 years 
> ago as to the chances of seeing a
> Microsoft that is a more responsible and less adversarial force than we have known for over two decades.
> I certainly think it is worth the while of anyone who uses skype and Linux to communicate in any and all ways 
> with Microsoft to explain our issues, ask,
> and if need be push very hard for good accessiblity, ASAP, not dribbled out over a couple or 3 years.
> Those of you who who do not use and or like skype for your political or ethical concerns, FSF purists for 
> example, are of course welcome to join in with
> Skype users in pressing MS to make a good skkype4linux real, but I totally get why you either dop not want to 
> at all or just do not have time and energy
> to fight for stuff you don't use &/or care about.
> Those of you who use Skype, especially those who use it regularly for school or work should certainly do your 
> part.
> I can go months with out using skype, but at times do need it to work for me, so please, if anyone hears of 
> any progress on the Linux skype access
> front, post to the list, or contact me privately so that we can learn from and work with one another.
> Regards,