Hello dear applevis users,
I would like to have your opinions about the braille evolutions in osx:
Since the introduction of braille in 10.5, only a few changes are made:
adding more supported displays in 10.5.x
adding more braille-tables in 10.6.x
and I believe in 10.7: a few configuration-options to configure the popup-messages.
If I remind well, this is all.
Since I use my macbook air in a cours I follow, I discover that it’s very hard to use osx without speech.
Some difficulties I discover:
1- no option for word wrapping: this can be useful for fast reading (loudly);
2- no different modes line, structured, speech (like in jaws for windows): specially structured mode in jaws is configurable, type of controls is shown, interaction-levels could be shown on this way.
It’s e.g. very frustrating if you are in a text area and you can read all with the braille-line but you can’t edit or simply move the cursor to any position that is visible on the braille display.
3- to know if quicknav is on/off before moving isn’t possible also without speech while quickness is on without knowing.
On this way , it’s very easy to lose your position in a text-area or a window.
4- In some situations, the text that’s in the voiceover cursor is (always) underlined with dots 7-8. On this way , no other attributes or cursor positions are shown. This underlining is useless I think.
With the braille only, it’s not always clear if you have to interact, press a button , can copy text …
if speech is disabled.
5- No option for unlimited or 8 pixels for a space: useful to hide more than one space and so more information on the braille display.
I hope this post can help to bring this problem of a pour productivity to the attention of Apple
Thx for reading and any action of you
William
ps: This is my first post on applevis so, pls forgive me any mistakes against the rules of applevis.
Comments
I wish I had longer epxerience in Braille
Hi William,
Iʻve used Macs since OS 6 (mid-90s); itʻs only in the past few months that Iʻve learned to braille, AND to use VoiceOver to some extent on my devices.
VoiceOver frustrates me daily; it keeps resetting my Apple passwords, probably because I also use VO in different languages, and use some unusual keyboards.
Now if only I could get some Braille input to work on all my devices Iʻd be happy - a Mac laptop e.g. with sdf and hjk for the cell would mean no need to wonder how the Perkins devices work (and also maybe not needing to buy a braille I/O device).