On the 3rd of May 2016 I started my first ever job, and I quickly realised that I needed a multi-technology strategy to match the productivity of my work colleagues. Being an iOS user since 2009 I was sure that part of my technology strategy would involve my iPhone or iPad, and I wasn’t wrong.
Opinion
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Voice in the Machine: A dialogue with my Mac, based on actual events from 2012-2013, circa Mavericks.
The blobby, glowing, white-on-black magnified letters are smudging together again. I blink several times, only now realizing I am squinting. I lean back from my MacBook Pro, a dull thudding beginning behind my eyes. It seems like it's getting to that point, my ability to read and write is rapidly disappearing. Gently rubbing my eyes, I decide to take a break.
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"The stone walls smell of must and moss, damp-cold seemingly radiating from their surface in the narrow tunnel. Sounds of dripping water can be heard, echoing lightly somewhere in the distance. your torch sputters a bit, not much time left. The huge, nasty smelling thing lurches back away from you, leaving behind more damage than you'd like. Briefly in the distance you see some creature being chased by a huge spotted lion, which seems to be enjoying itself tremendously. Then they are gone into darkness."
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A black rectangle fades in on a soft background, it's top suddenly split by a thin line of white, streaming down and filling the bottom third. In the upper portion, bright capital letters A and V become typed on either side, accompanied by two solid strikes of an old typewriter. Underneath, the sounds change to soft clicking, as small dotted patterns start to appear, looking at first like Braille. The clicking becomes melodic as a sudden flurry of pixels forms the word AppleVis. The sounds fade into the background, a soft, continuous digital echo.
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Brought to you by the letter "Control-Option-A".
Before my VoiceOver adventures began, I would tutor my clients on the use of standard shortcut keys and how to discover new keys by looking at the menus. The key-combinations are listed to the right of each menu item. Most of the often-used keys involved the use of the Command key on Mac, or the Control key on Windows. On the Mac, hold down Command with your thumb and press "s" and the current document will be saved. Look at the File menu, next to the "Save" menu item is "Command-s." Simple, right?
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Yo, human! - Proofreading Mac, a VoiceOver Activity: Accessing Life with Adaptive Technology
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A Message for the Blind
Are you sending a decent message to the blind community? Are you sending 'any' messages to the blind community? If you are a web or app developer, a blogger or a YouTuber, if you use Facebook or any messaging app or email, I am here to tell you that you 'are' sending a message with everything you create. The question one should ask is, "Am I sending an intentional message?" Those of us who use a screen reader or Braille display get the message literally loud and clear, intentional or not.
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There is something about SIRI, I don't know what it is, but we seem to share a relationship now. Actually we share many relationships. SIRI even knows about all my other relationships. In fact, she helped me in their creation.
Me, right after startup: SIRI?
SIRI, a bit sluggish at first: Yes Nicholas?
Me: What time is it?
SIRI: It's 5:30 AM. You woke me up.
Me: Well get up, it's time to get busy.
SIRI: What?
Me: Open 'your' settings.
SIRI: (Yawn.) Okay.
VO says: System Preferences, Siri window, toolbar.
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Speaking Up with AppleScript
Once You gaze into the System, the System also gazes into You! :-)
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The information hit me hard, almost not understandable. What did that service rep just say? No internet for almost two weeks? Really? I had her repeat the installation date again. Yup, no internet for two weeks. Wow.
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Previously.
In my previous post, "Mac Scripting, Hello World", we looked at 'tell blocks' where indented commands could be sent to specific applications. The commands were indented one tab spot, while the blocks were finished off with an 'end tell' command. There are several types of blocks, tell blocks, if blocks and repeat blocks to name a few.
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A Screen Reader, what's that?
The room around me is dim and stifling as I set the large rectangular object gently on the wobbly table. The thick, musky scent of incense assaults my nostrils almost making me sneeze, but then I don't. An ancient, heavy-set woman leans forward over the table, gazing intently at the window screen. Her bushy eyebrows flex as she states, "I see many things in your future."
Errrrt! (sounds of brakes slamming.) Wait a minute, thats definitely not it!
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Customizing the Mac for Halloween used to be a lot easier. One could install a system-wide 'Theme' that included desktop and icon graphics, a custom screen-saver and even sets of interface sounds. Having the Trash growl at you when emptied, animated ghastly faces for desktop icons, spooky creaks and moans emanating from one's computer were all a common thing around Halloween.
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I love customizing and tweaking my Mac operating System. From finding those little speed boosts to reducing keypresses for navigation, there is something exciting about finding settings that actually help and make things easier and more comfy. If it were a car it would be a low-rider and have pin-stripes. A stereo would be blasting Led Zeppelin or Santana with a thumpin' subwoofer in the trunk. Some fuzzy dice would be hanging from the mirror. Oops, showing my age again.
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We are excited to announce the launch of our Apple Vision Accessibility Report Card and invite you to participate in the survey that will determine the report card ratings.