[K12OSN] lack of access

[Access Systems]

On Thu, 4 May 2006, Tom Hoffman wrote:

> On 5/4/06, Access Systems <accessys at smart.net> wrote:
> > one of the major gaps in Open source software that is just barely being
> > addressed is stopping it's use in a number of places.  the State of Mass
> > wanted to go entirely open source for all state functions, but people with
> > disabilities have openly opposed it and have threatened court action
>
> GNOME has Gnopernicus, and I imagine KDE has an accesibility project.

they do

> But my understanding is that overall accessibility support still has
> many gaps on Linux, from the installation process on down the line.

installation is almost impossible for a visually impaired person.

> This page is interesting:
> http://www.novell.com/products/accessibility/vpat_sles9.html#softwaredetails

another good site is http://leb.net/blinux/
>
> Joe Average Hacker simply doesn't know much about these issues
> (including myself), so it is a tough nut for OSS.  However, the
> corporate players, Sun, IBM, Novell, Canonical all make investments in
> accessibility.

unfortunately the big players don't see a large enough market (where have
I heard that before)
>
> I would contend that one big turning point which we have not yet
> reached (but we will!) is when governments realize that they can come
> out ahead by banding together and funding work to solve these problems
> themselves rather than waiting around for someone else to do it.

are you talking about USA governments???  they would rather spend the
money that is why JAWS at 500-800 dollars a copy is doing so well. same
with things like Dragon dictate, and the other adaptive softwares that are
used in government offices. and until the lawmakers use it and the
advisors to the lawmakers use it, there will likely be little leading from
the top, and it is much harder to push from the bottom.

Bob

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