The only significant advantages I can think of to using Android are
* huge user base
* good web browsing experience
* potential to map indoor spaces with Tango-enabled devices
However, I strongly dislike being forced to use Talkback and BrailleBack.
Correct me at once if I'm wrong about any of the following:
* BrailleBack is inferior to BRLTTY.
It's dependent on Talkback. We can't add functionality to it, e.g. latex-access.
* We can't add functionality to Talkback.
We must depend on our Google overlords for all improvements to this
screen reader.
* But we can modify Orca, Fenrir, BRLTTY etc.
On 8/5/17, Jeffery Mewtamer <mewtamer@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Android's massive install base may seem like an asset, and I'm sure===========================================================
blind persons already using Android would probably prefer improvements
to the quality and quantity of accessibility options on that platform.
That said, consider the following:
-How many existing Android devices support ethernet and USB peripherals?
-How many existing Android devices aren't built around a touchscreen
as the primary input/output device?
-How many existing Android devices support installation of custom OS
images without voiding the warranty?
-How many existing Android devices come anywhere close to the 100USD
target cost?
Not to mention that a general Android solution would need to run well
on a variety of hardware whereas a Pi solution gives a specific
hardware target and one that packs a lot of computer into a little
space and at litle cost.
Now, if there's a well supported Android image for the Raspberry Pi
I'm unaware of, there might be value in checking how existing
accessibility options work under it compared to Rasbian and possibly
choosing it as a starting point over Rasbian or even trying to produce
a Pi image that can dual boot the two.
And hardware concerns aside, what about the following considerations
regarding the Android OS itself?:
-Can Android run in text-mode?
-If so, how does the volume of text-mode applications available for
Android compare with the volume available for Rasbian(or even vanilla
ARM Debian)?
-Does Android support running a GUI that wasn't built with a
touchscreen in mind?
-Has support for writing Android Applications in languages other than
Java improved? Does there at least exist a stand-alone C++ compiler or
Python interpreter for Android?
Android may have an advantage in terms of install base, but unless my
knowledge is even more incomplete than I think it is, it seems clear
that Rasbian has the advantage in flexibility and versatility.
--
Sincerely,
Jeffery Wright
President Emeritus, Nu Nu Chapter, Phi Theta Kappa.
Former Secretary, Student Government Association, College of the Albemarle.
===========================================================
The raspberry-vi mailing list
Archives: //www.freelists.org/archives/raspberry-vi
Administrative contact: <mike.ray@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
-----------------------------------------------------------
Raspberry Pi and the Raspberry Pi logo are trademarks of the Raspberry Pi
Foundation.
This list is not affiliated to the Raspberry Pi Foundation and the views and
attitudes expressed by the subscribers to this list do not reflect those of
the Foundation.
Mike Ray, list creator, January 2013
