Method for the Shark's Madness

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laundryshark

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Joined
Nov 27, 2006
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Location
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
In case anybody wonders basically how I deal with this forum, I have a computer with JAWS (Job Access with Speech) for Windows software. After all, being physically blind does not stop me from enjoying the sights and sounds of classic appliances and related radio and TV commercials. JAWS does a pretty good job in allowing me full access to most computer tasks, but at times there are still accessibility barriers. For instance, Quick Time files do not work with JAWS. Real Player does work some, but it is not my favorite program. If Web pages are poorly designed, or constructed without accessibility features, then it is more difficult to find links, buttons, read graphics, and other Web page elements. Although not an accessibility issue, I often seek out file formats that do play in Windows Media without the need for purchasing and installing special plug-ins for compressed or other highly modified audio/visual clips. For more information, please see URL below.--Laundry Shark

 
ok, that's cool.

Since I occasionally do post links to various files, it is good to know that the Quick Time stuff doesn't work for you.
Which files are easiest to access? WMA/WMV and Divx?
Thanks for the link to Jaws, by the way - I never thought about it, but am going to look into it now that I know about it.
Panthera
 
Windows Media File Formats

The basic or default Windows Media audio/visual formats: .WAV, .AU, .MID, MP3, .WMA, .WMV, .MPEG or .MPEG-1, .AVI; I may have left out a few known compatible file formats requiring no software add-ins or plug-ins. The compressed formats, such as MPEG-2, MP4, etc, won't play in Windows Media without software upgrades. The Quick Time .QT, and .MOV's? These won't work. Real Player files, such as .RA, .RM, and .RAM, work OK provided one has the upgraded Real One, which is still a rather finicky program to mess with. Therefore, I stick with the default Windows Media download and streaming formats that do work right out of the shoot. By the way, in the above link for the JAWS Headquarters, you will also find another link for "Surfing the Internet with JAWS." Here, you will find Web page demos of how JAWS works with the various Web elements that are well designed with accessibility in mind. Elsewhere on the FreedomScientific.com site, there are sections dealing with overall Web accessibility concerns.--Laundry Shark

Freedom Scientific – High-quality video magnifiers, braille displays, screen magnification software, and #1 screen reader, JAWS.

www.freedomscientific.com www.freedomscientific.com
 
That's very interesting. How well does the program handle slang or misspelled words or improper contractions etc which are so common on chat sites? I don't know anyone who is blind now. My only encouter with a blind person would have been back in highschool days when we stopped over at a friends house and were sitting in the kitchen. His mom was busy in the kitchen doing something and we sat at the table. It turned out both she and his dad were totally blind. He had never said anything prior. I won't say it wasn't a quick shock because it was although it was momentary and gone.
There's a sort of funny commercial running on tv here from the CNIB Canadian National Institute for the Blind. It shows a blind man standing at a street corner with his cane waiting for the light to change. A youngish punk is standing beside him then in front of him making faces at him and waving his hands in front of the blind mans face. The punk then turns away and the blind guy starts making the faces and waving his hands behind the punks as he obviously had some sight which was the purpose of the commercial that many people who are blind do have some sight.
 
Wow Shark!!

That is a really interesting program! We sighted folk take so much for granted, never pausing to give thought about how difficult access of the internet can be to those with impaired vision.

You'll have to excuse my ignorance, but does JAWS interpret the videos into text? If this is the case, when you download a washer video, how is it processed through JAWS? Sorry, but I mentioned before, in a previous thread, that I am way analogue. Fortunately, my son did not inherit my genetic ineptitude with respect to computers! LOL

BTW..did the JAWS program influence your choice of forum name?
 
A few years ago I had a pilot freind that came down with Macular Degeneration and before he went totally blind he wanted to be able to use the Internet.
With assistance from the State of Texas we set him up with a computer with JAWS on it. As this was at least 7 or 8 years ago, I had to do the installation myself. But once you got it installed and tweaked, it really worked well.
Now that my freind has totally lost his vision, he's still able to use and enjoy the internet. Which is great! A lot of states have departments where they offer adaptable equipment and training for those with vision problems.
 
Shark Making His Rounds

JAWS does not alterate the audio/video file being played; just allows me to identify the name of it in the folder list view so I can select and play it. Only in word, HTML, PDF, and other text documents does JAWS step in and verbalize the text. 80% of legally blind folk have some degree of residual eyesight while the other 20% are totally blind. In my case, I am part of the latter 20%. In reference to that CNIB spot, there are those punks who have nothing better to do with their miserable lives than to show such utter disrespect for whomever they choose to pick on for various reasons. Whether in Canada or the U.S. (or anywhere in the world, for that matter), similar incidents do take place. In part, the Shark took on his Internet name from JAWS as well as his own email address in his profile. therefore, many of my friends refer to me as the Shark. By the way, this O Shark cannot stand the taste of humanity, but his favorite thangs to chow down are foot long pizza subs from Subway.com. Great stuff to munch on while the laundry is agitating away!--Laundry Shark

Subway Order

Discover better-for-you sub sandwiches at Subway. View our menu of sandwiches, order online, find restaurants, order catering or buy gift cards.
www.subway.com www.subway.com
 
How Well Does JAWS Read Words?

For the most part, JAWS reads English stuff just fine. There is a feature called a "Dictionary Manager" in which I can train JAWS to pronounce a particular word or abbreviation exactly the way it is supposed to sound. Therefore, next time JAWS comes across it, the word or shortened spelling should speak correctly.--Laundry Shark
 
Sharing My Technical Expertise

I have been successful in assisting an elderly friend in town with her JAWS upgrade installation. She has been a computer user for two years and is a retired Department for the Blind employee. Dolores is also a native Brazilian, who speaks and writes fluent Portuegese, French, Spanish, and English. In fact, this same person now works part time teaching ESL classes at Kirkwood Community College. Presently, I do have some irons in the fire. I Webmaster two Web sites and am testing the waters for writing my own computer tutorials along with some Braille publications. Otherwise, nothing out in the limelight except learning to bloom where I am planted.--Laundry Shark
 
Greetings Laundryshark. Thank you for sharing some details about yourself and how you interact with this forum. Truly amazing!

I am sitting here in awe at how much we learn from one another and how contact between us all broadens our worlds.

Speaking of Talking Washer Demos, I bought a used tabletop induction cooker with all controls marked in Japanese and temperatures in degrees Celsius. I must say it was quite the challenge to figure it out! YIKES! (I'll post about this in a few days.)

Be well.
 
Interesting Cooking Device

Greetings, Toggleswitch:

Sounds like a piculiar cooking device to figure out there. Looking forward to reading about how you are getting along with it. I also appreciate whatever YouTube, Google, and other videos I can play of washers and other interesting classic appliances, commercials, and off the beaten path kinds of things. I don't mind the laundry demos with music, as long as there is some actual sounds coming from the machines themselves. Otherwise, I'll settle for imagining what a good time you all had at a wash in or just demonstrating a classic washer.

With Best Regards,

Laundry Shark
 
Your method seems to be working...

Wow...I did not realize until I read this thread that you are physically blind. I'm glad you emphasized "physically" because from what I have seen in this thread. laundryshark, you've opened a lot of eyes (pun intended) to new technology that enables people like you to enjoy things in life that all too many of us--with all senses intact--take for granted.

Thanks for sharing, bro'...

Charlie
bongobro
 

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