Comments on: Microsoft Messenger for Mac 7.0 Released without Accessibility http://www.lioncourt.com/2008/04/29/microsoft-messenger-for-mac-70-released-without-accessibility/ ...extra! extra!... Sun, 05 Sep 2010 19:37:51 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0 By: Jake http://www.lioncourt.com/2008/04/29/microsoft-messenger-for-mac-70-released-without-accessibility/comment-page-1/#comment-39 Jake Wed, 30 Apr 2008 15:39:09 +0000 http://www.lioncourt.com/?p=121#comment-39 This is far from surprising. Given MS's past efforts, or lack there of, for accessibility on both their own OS and Mac I would be very surprised to see any accessible software come out from MS. Remember, MS Office is no more accessible out of the box on Windows then it is on the Mac, what makes it work are the endless tweaks, hooks, and hidden APIs that the Windows screen readers have come to use. The same is true for messenger, for explorer, and indeed for most of Windows itself. Microsoft has done very little when it comes to accessibility itself (Narrator, anyone?), as they know the screen reader developers will do their work for them. This matters little to the average user, however, and given the political motivations behind the blindness organizations, I agree that this will probably look bad for Apple, though through no fault of their own. The fact that the Windows screen readers use hacks doesn't matter to most people, what matters is that it works, though in my opinion in a very unstable and reactionary fashion. The fact that Apple has an integrated accessibility infrastructure that Microsoft chose not to employ will not matter. 95% of people believe everything they're told, be they blind or otherwise, and what they'll be told is that Voiceover doesn't work, and they'll believe it. About Messenger itself I honestly don't care much, I didn't even use it under Windows. I prefer the multi-protocol IM clients, like Trillian on Windows or Adium on OS X. Regardless, this issue is bigger than Messenger, and I'd urge anyone and everyone to write to MS and express your desire for accessibility, though I honestly hold little hope for it from them anymore. This is far from surprising. Given MS’s past efforts, or lack there of, for accessibility on both their own OS and Mac I would be very surprised to see any accessible software come out from MS.
Remember, MS Office is no more accessible out of the box on Windows then it is on the Mac, what makes it work are the endless tweaks, hooks, and hidden APIs that the Windows screen readers have come to use. The same is true for messenger, for explorer, and indeed for most of Windows itself. Microsoft has done very little when it comes to accessibility itself (Narrator, anyone?), as they know the screen reader developers will do their work for them.
This matters little to the average user, however, and given the political motivations behind the blindness organizations, I agree that this will probably look bad for Apple, though through no fault of their own. The fact that the Windows screen readers use hacks doesn’t matter to most people, what matters is that it works, though in my opinion in a very unstable and reactionary fashion. The fact that Apple has an integrated accessibility infrastructure that Microsoft chose not to employ will not matter. 95% of people believe everything they’re told, be they blind or otherwise, and what they’ll be told is that Voiceover doesn’t work, and they’ll believe it.
About Messenger itself I honestly don’t care much, I didn’t even use it under Windows. I prefer the multi-protocol IM clients, like Trillian on Windows or Adium on OS X. Regardless, this issue is bigger than Messenger, and I’d urge anyone and everyone to write to MS and express your desire for accessibility, though I honestly hold little hope for it from them anymore.

]]> By: BlindGeek http://www.lioncourt.com/2008/04/29/microsoft-messenger-for-mac-70-released-without-accessibility/comment-page-1/#comment-38 BlindGeek Wed, 30 Apr 2008 05:25:45 +0000 http://www.lioncourt.com/?p=121#comment-38 And does this honestly surprise you? I mean, Apple's Microsoft's biggest competitor. I'm frankly more surprised that they have a Mac MSN client at all. Besides, think what great fodder it will be once NFB and ACB and other like-minded organizations (Boy, what times we live in when NFB and ACB can be said to be like-minded about anything!) once they're able to say "Apparently, Voiceover couldn't even handle the Microsoft Messenger update, which naturally Window-Eyes and Jaws handle fine with its counterpart." Of course, if they're having accessibility issues of their own, this might be a moot point. And does this honestly surprise you? I mean, Apple’s Microsoft’s biggest competitor. I’m frankly more surprised that they have a Mac MSN client at all. Besides, think what great fodder it will be once NFB and ACB and other like-minded organizations (Boy, what times we live in when NFB and ACB can be said to be like-minded about anything!) once they’re able to say “Apparently, Voiceover couldn’t even handle the Microsoft Messenger update, which naturally Window-Eyes and Jaws handle fine with its counterpart.”

Of course, if they’re having accessibility issues of their own, this might be a moot point.

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