[access-uk] Re: Apps for the Mac, was New voices for the next apple operating system

  • From: "ANDY COLLINS" <Andy@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Thu, 19 May 2011 11:30:20 +0100

Thanks Jackie Gordon and Tristram - My life is less busy these days, and I've no real need for a powerful word processing programme, or for the bells and whistles of say Outlook, so basic word processing, email and spreadsheet would do for me. What I do need is good web surfing ability, so if Apple offer this, along with not having to upgrade Voice Over each time the operating system changes, as always seems to be the case with Windows and JAWS, then it looks a positive move to me, eventually - 


Andy
----- Original Message ----- From: "Jackie Cairns" <jackie.cairnsplace@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> 
To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, May 19, 2011 11:16 AM
Subject: [access-uk] Re: Apps for the Mac, was New voices for the next apple operating system 



Hi Andy

When I say Office doesn't cut it on the Mac, I mean that the programs
available to Mac Users don't work in the same way as Office.  I bought a
program called iWork for my iMac. This has Pages as its word processor, and Numbers for the spreadsheet. You can save your documents to Windows format, 
and import them successfully.  But it isn't the same as Microsoft Office
because you don't have Outlook. You do have a programme built into the Mac operating system called Mail, and Martin has set up his Email account on his 
Mac Mini, and says it is easy to navigate with VoiceOver.  But it isn't as
sophisticated, dare I say it, as Outlook and all the things you can do with the calendar etc. On the other hand, a confident Mac user might argue that 
you can do everything on the Mac that you can do in Windows and, more
specifically, within Office.  I'm not expert enough to contradict that
viewpoint, I'm only just beginning my Apple adventure.

It probably depends what you want the Mac to do for you.  I've got two
systems running on different machines, and jump to the Mac to experiment
when I have time and inclination. I'm in no way ready to dump Windows, and nor do I have plans to migrate either. I just like the idea of playing with 
a different concept, and actually find Apple's attitude to accessibility
very refreshing! I also find that Braille to Apple isn't just an
afterthought, and very much something that is included in their operating
system.  There is no fuss about digitally signed drivers, you just plug in
your display and Apple recognises it, well certainly the newer models
anyway.

Kind Regards,

Jackie Cairns
J&M Work-Ability

jandm@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
www.work-ability.co.uk
-----Original Message-----
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of 
ANDY COLLINS
Sent: 19 May 2011 10:07
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] Re: New voices for the next apple operating system

Hi Jackie - this is useful feedback, thanks. So, if as you say, Office
doesn't cut it on the Mac, what are the word processing/spreadsheet options 
for a blind user of the Mac?

Andy
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jackie Cairns" <jackie.cairnsplace@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, May 19, 2011 9:27 AM
Subject: [access-uk] Re: New voices for the next apple operating system
Well Andy, I still use JAWS primarily because I'm used to it, sort of in a 
comfort zone if you like.  I don't like Freedom Scientific, I think
everybody knows that.  I hate the way they operate, but that's my opinion
and I'm sticking to it.  I hope the day comes when Microsoft, for all its
faults and flaws, will do as Apple have, and bring out a built-in screen
reader.  And the reason?  Because Apple's operating system works with
VoiceOver.  You don't have to buy scripts or add-ons, and when the
software
has an upgrade, so does VoiceOver, and it works with everything on the Mac 
that is part of that operating system.  That is not to say that VoiceOver
works with everything you can buy for the Mac, and therein is the
difference. There is software out there that doesn't work with VoiceOver. 

It is also a steep learning curve, but I now have an iMac, and I like
leaving Windows for a bit to learn something on it.  I also don't have
iTunes on my PC, but use it on the Mac, and have my music collection on it 
so I can transfer what I want to my iPod Nano and the iTouch.  The Alex
voice on the Mac is very good too.

I don't think I would ever swap my PC for the Mac full-time, I don't feel
confident enough to do that, and there are apps on the PC that don't cut
it
on the Mac like Office.  But to play with and learn, it's an interesting
concept.


Kind Regards,

Jackie Cairns
J&M Work-Ability

jandm@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
www.work-ability.co.uk
-----Original Message-----
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf
Of
ANDY COLLINS
Sent: 18 May 2011 16:59
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] Re: New voices for the next apple operating system

Well you know Jackie, I've been considering a mac for when the time comes
to
buy a new laptop, if I haven't gone the IPad route by then.
I guess there's quite a steep learning curve if going from Windows to Mac, 
but any improvement over JAWS and eloquence has to be a big plus for me -

Andy


----- Original Message -----
From: "Jackie Cairns" <jackie.cairnsplace@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, May 18, 2011 8:27 AM
Subject: [access-uk] Re: New voices for the next apple operating system



Yep Andy with you completely, and they are slower on a device too.  I
wouldn't touch them with a barge pole unless they are built into
something
that doesn't allow you to change them.  Alex on the Mac is very good
quality.  You even hear him take breaths when he is reading.  It's
personal
preference, but I agree those voices are dreadful, apart from Sangita,
who
is really quite realistic in her own way.


Kind Regards,

Jackie Cairns
J&M Work-Ability

jandm@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
www.work-ability.co.uk
-----Original Message-----
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf
Of
ANDY COLLINS
Sent: 17 May 2011 13:51
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] Re: New voices for the next apple operating system

Well, I hope, but doubt that they would sound better under Voice Over. I
hate them. Still too mechanical. Why do these voices always sound as
though
they're gargling as they speak? I'd hoped by now we'd be having a more
naturally flowing voice -

Andy
----- Original Message ----- From: Gordon Keen <mailto:gordonkeen@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> 
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sent: Tuesday, May 17, 2011 10:01 AM
Subject: [access-uk] New voices for the next apple operating system

Hi
Thought some of you might want a listen to these, what do you think
of them...


Begin forwarded message:


Hello

Here are samples of a couple of the new voices in Lion which
have been doing the rounds. These aren't generated through Apple's speech 
engine, they're the same voices used by another service so the samples
are
generated from that. They may or may not sound better when used in
VoiceOver:

English American Accent - Samantha
<http://nextupdownloads.com/scansamples/samantha.wav>

English British Accent - Serena
<http://nextupdownloads.com/scansamples/serena.wav>

Cheers



G

From Bridgerule in glorious Devon, England.
Catch the buzz at http://www.bridgerule.co.uk


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