The following has been cross posted to a number of lists. If the topic is
of interest to you, please feel free to pass the information on.
At the risk of flooding the blind world with lists, another one has been
set up geared towards VI application developers working in the GUI arena
and reliant upon either speech or Braille output.
PURPOSE OF THE LIST.
To discuss and advise on the visual aspects of application design which may
be causing concern to a developer with no useful vision - for example,
ergonomic yet aesthetically-pleasing screen layout, optimal control size, etc.
To provide sound coding tips which would make life easier for a blind
person - eg setting the focus to the first logical control on a form so
that a screenreader will read its label (provided it has been properly
positioned).
To discuss and suggest effective (and productive) best practices for the
development lifecycle - eg although a blind person can prototype in, say, a
brainstorming meeting, is it worthwhile given the difficulties involved?
To provide hints and tips on how best to access the visual IDE with speech
or Braille - eg in VB4, to go from one control on a form to another, bring
up the properties of any control with F4, go to the top of the property
listbox and single click on the graphic to the right of the listbox heading
which will bring up a combo box from which you can make your selection.
LIST BEHAVIOUR.
The list will be totally unmoderated unless it degenerates into vitriol and
anarchy!
You are implored to become familiar with your mail reader so that:
a) when appropriate (eg "I agree" comments), you can reply privately
rather than to the list as a whole;
b) you do not quote unnecessary and unwanted text from previous messages;
c) you make your subject header relevant to what you are talking about.
The format should be language/version followed by topic. For example,
"VB4: USING THE DEBUG WINDOW"; and
d) you must leave your personal screenreader agenda behind you!
It should be obvious why the subject header format is important but just to
spell it out, it will aid sorting and the reliable use of the delete key.
Whilst it is expected that the majority of people will be using either VB,
VC++, VJ++ or Delphi, the list is not restricted to only these although any
additional ones should have a strong visual content; ie it is not the
purpose of the list to be interested in DOS-based environments.
HOW TO SUBSCRIBE.
Send an E-Mail to
listserv@listserv.nas.net
No Suject or Signature and with the following line in the body of the message
subscribe program-l firstname lastname
CONCLUSION.
Although some of the above may seem a little authoritarian, the aim is to,
at least, start a list in focus and usable and, hopefully, keep it that way
with the help, courtesy and foresight of its subscribers. So, if you have
an interest in or are actively involved in GUI application development,
please join and see what happens; even if you don't find it of use to
yourself, you may be able to help someone else who is struggling keep a job.
George Bell & Richard Bartholomew.
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