I was not making the assumption that it would be accessible right out of the box, although I am certain that accessibility is on the priority list, considering that they were asking for feedback in the first place. I also know that it isn't safe to assume that every single kink will be ironed out and it will be absolutely perfect and usable. I didn't feel as though I was aluding to that, however, even if you seem to think otherwise. But I would hope that we don't just shoot it down before it has the opportunity to take off. I'm starting to wonder if I was in some sort of bizarro conference as opposed to other people. And I hope, that once this project is ready, we'll get to test drive it since I love this type of interactive technology and the possibilities that it can hold. Just for the record, I am not against tools for validation, just in case that isn't abundantly clear. But sometimes I feel as though we can be awfully quick to say no to something new and different. I know that I'm very excited about it. I also don't think it's fair to automatically assume that it won't be usable, either. Meka ----- Original Message ----- From: "Guido Corona" <guidoc@xxxxxxxxxx> To: <bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Saturday, January 19, 2008 4:09 PM Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: geewiz improvements Thank you Meka, you are reight. it is safe to assume that all the enhancements and new technologies that we may see from Bookshare.org in the future will be accessible to blind members/volunteers. G. Guido Dante Corona IBM Research, Human Ability & Accessibility Center, (HA&AC) Austin Tx. Phone: 512. 838. 9735. Email: guidoc@xxxxxxxxxxx Web: http://www.ibm.com/able ". . . Maybe it was only those who were most certain they were right who were guaranteed to be wrong. And that maybe, just maybe, those who questioned the most were in the end those who came closest to being wise." [David Poyer, The Command] "Meka" <mekawh@xxxxxxxxx> Sent by: bksvol-discuss-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 01/19/2008 10:45 AM Please respond to bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx To <bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> cc Subject [bksvol-discuss] Re: geewiz improvements I think that you are putting the cart before the horse and borrowing trouble, in my opinion. Part of the conference the other night was not only for discussion of the ideas that were being developed, but also asking for opinions. The opinions that were relevant as part of the discussion. The other night, when you asked about tools, we were told that the engineers present didn't work in that particular department. The reason why they came to us in the first place to discuss these ideas was so that there could not only be *constructive* feedback, but also that concerns about accessibility could be addressed. Just because the idea might be of the toolbar variety doesn't mean that there will not be accessibility and I think that assuming so off of the bat is not only unfair but pretty shortsighted, too. I also think that we're forgetting that a lot of ideas that are discussed on this list have been taken in to consideration and end up being implemented, so let's not jump on the 'OMG this won't work' bandwagon quite yet. Meka ----- Original Message ----- From: "E." <thoth93@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> To: <bksvol-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> Sent: Saturday, January 19, 2008 6:55 AM Subject: [bksvol-discuss] Re: geewiz improvements I am concerned about top down idea generation. I am also concerned that bookshare may lose "sight" (dare I pun on the word) of their audience. Recordings for the Blind did in my opinion. They went from an organization which served blind consumers to an organization who served anyone with a print disability and their teachers care givers and rehab counselors. Something a teacher who can see thinks is cool can mess up my system. We know what happened to quality when RFB became RFBD. Let's learn from flash wiz experiences of the past to create tools which are truly useful to the blind comsumer and particularly useable by blind deaf folks. Here are some ideas. 1. I have a personal downloaded tool which I can configure. It runs when I envoke it and not in the background taking up resources which normally are used by my speech package (JAWS Window-eyes whatever). 2. I can configure this application to download daily those periodicals I am interested in from bookshare. I can also configure the tool to batch download a series of books. Blind folks like tools which make working on the computer faster for us. Faster is different if you cannot see than if you can. Tools which are useful in some situations may be less useful in others depending on individual disability, computer configuration and personal preferences. E. 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