Re: suggested changes to 1.4.1

Re: suggested changes to 1.4.1

[Charles Hallenbeck]

<smile> I personally do not have a problem with the name, but do not be
surprised if some do. The Linux Gazette has a link for downloading an
entire issue which is called "twdt" for "the whole damn thing" and they
get flak for that!

I am nervous about a special version for the blind though. My nervousness
is related to the fallacy that separate is equal. In the past there have
been special versions of word processors, of spread sheets, of comm
programs, etcetera, all based on the theory that they could be fine tuned
and maximized for a special population, and in each case they have
stagnated while their mainstream counterparts continued on a course of
development. 

Once again I am sharing your post with the speakup list since my views may
not be representative.

Regards - Chuck


On Sun, 8 Jul 2001, Ari Johnson wrote:

> 
> I've been thinking about your suggestions, and I'm debating just releasing
> a separate branch of ari-yahoo specifically for people like
> yourself.  Please don't take any offense at the name I've come up with,
> because that's just my sense of humor and my disdain for political
> correctness...if you do find it offensive please let me know so I don't
> release anything with this name: Ari's Yahoo Client - Version for the
> Blind and Damn Near Blind.  Thanks.  The best thing about creating a
> specialized branch would be that you'd have the version closest to perfect
> for you.  Now that I know I'm actually making a difference in the world
> with my programming, I want to make the best difference I can.
>  -- Ari Johnson
> 
> 
> 

Yahoo ID: hallenbeck2002 - Visit me at http://www.mhonline.net/~chuckh 
The Moon is Waning Gibbous (93% of Full)

Re: suggested changes to 1.4.1

[Frank Carmickle]

Hi Ari Chuck and all

I don't think that a separate development tree is required for something
like this.  Generally what people find when doing development that
includes the needs of blind users is that everyone benefits.  I have only
tried version 1.9.  I did find it quite difficult to use.  I think with a
bit of tweaking it could be quite user friendly.

On Sun, 8 Jul 2001, Charles Hallenbeck wrote:

> <smile> I personally do not have a problem with the name, but do not be
> surprised if some do. The Linux Gazette has a link for downloading an
> entire issue which is called "twdt" for "the whole damn thing" and they
> get flak for that!
> 
> I am nervous about a special version for the blind though. My nervousness
> is related to the fallacy that separate is equal. In the past there have
> been special versions of word processors, of spread sheets, of comm
> programs, etcetera, all based on the theory that they could be fine tuned
> and maximized for a special population, and in each case they have
> stagnated while their mainstream counterparts continued on a course of
> development. 

-- 
     Frank Carmickle
phone:     412 761-9568
email:     frankiec@dryrose.com

Re: suggested changes to 1.4.1

[Charles Hallenbeck]

Hi Ari -
I am a very new user of ari-yahoo and I feel that others might have better
suggestions than I, so I am taking the liberty of sharing your reply with
the 'speakup' mailing list where I know a number of your users reside. I
know they will not hesitate to pass along their own ideas.

One suggestion that might be very simple to implement is to add a bell
character to each received message as it is displayed. Many users leave
your program running on a virtual console while attending to tasks
elsewhere, and the audible bell character is no respecter of consoles - it
summons you from wherever you are when someone sends a message. If such a
feature would annoy other users, perhaps an on-off switch of some sort
could enable/disable it.

Thanks for your warm response. I will watch for the revision.

Regards - Chuck


 On Sat, 7 Jul
2001, Ari Johnson wrote:

> 
> You don't know how happy I am to hear that someone has the level of
> appreciation for Ari's Yahoo Client as you do.  I'm sitting here amazed
> that I've created something that actually helps people.  Thank you.
> 
> Regarding your changes, I'll look them over and try to put a version 1.4.2
> on freshmeat.net within a week, or less.  Be sure to check the
> documentation files when you get it to make certain I remember to include
> your name.
> 
> Also, is there anything else that you would want changed about the
> program?  I'd be more than happy to do anything to further facilitate the
> usability of ari-yahoo by blind or otherwise visually-impaired
> users.  Thanks for your input.
>  -- Ari (pronounced like 'awry', not 'airy', since I have yet to see a
> text-to-speech synthesizer get it right)
> 
> 
> 

Visit me at http://www.mhonline.net/~chuckh 
Yahoo Messenger ID: hallenbeck2002
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