Comment It's all about how you use it too! (Score 2, Insightful) 663
I am legally blind... I'm 20/800 natively and 20/200 best correction from optic nerve problems and I use the computer all day long, in fact, I'm an IT professional!
I can say first hand that I would love to see better computer resources for the visually disabled, as well as for other disabilities! And, more so, better pricing on the resources that are available! For instance, a Zoomtext for Windows is almost a thousand bucks. Where the same features are built into the Mac!?!?!? But Apple charges $2,000 for their 30" display where a Dell is only $1,000!?!?!
I wouldn't dream of pushing my computer platform on anyone but Apple seems to have gotten the support for low vision working better than others. I run three monitors, 24L, 30C and 24R. The two side monitors run 1280x800 and the center runs 1440x900. Very low and disgusting resolutions by todays standards but it's what I need to be able to sit comfortably and still see the screens.
I think that in general, it's not so much of a software issue as it is hardware. Take low vision like mine for example... I'd love to have a wrap around display like you see in the movies, set on about an 8" or 10" stand so that I can get the monitor nice and close and still be able to move the keyboard out a distance far enough to type.
Regardless of weather you like flash or music on the home page or image files (I'm in IT geek, I hate them all) the users with poor vision should not be limited to what they can see or not see in the design of software/web pages. If there was adequate hardware support for this need, it will be a non-issue.
I can say first hand that I would love to see better computer resources for the visually disabled, as well as for other disabilities! And, more so, better pricing on the resources that are available! For instance, a Zoomtext for Windows is almost a thousand bucks. Where the same features are built into the Mac!?!?!? But Apple charges $2,000 for their 30" display where a Dell is only $1,000!?!?!
I wouldn't dream of pushing my computer platform on anyone but Apple seems to have gotten the support for low vision working better than others. I run three monitors, 24L, 30C and 24R. The two side monitors run 1280x800 and the center runs 1440x900. Very low and disgusting resolutions by todays standards but it's what I need to be able to sit comfortably and still see the screens.
I think that in general, it's not so much of a software issue as it is hardware. Take low vision like mine for example... I'd love to have a wrap around display like you see in the movies, set on about an 8" or 10" stand so that I can get the monitor nice and close and still be able to move the keyboard out a distance far enough to type.
Regardless of weather you like flash or music on the home page or image files (I'm in IT geek, I hate them all) the users with poor vision should not be limited to what they can see or not see in the design of software/web pages. If there was adequate hardware support for this need, it will be a non-issue.
