ISPs, Newsgroups, etc. ...OH MY!!!

[Leo Mauler]

--- On Mon, 6/30/08, Jeffrey Watts <jeffrey.w.watts at gmail.com> wrote:

> > The entire world isn't obligated to stop in its
> > tracks to help the blind use technology, but it is
> > certainly enlightened self-interest as blindness is
> > something you can "catch" or "receive" as life goes 
> > on.  I find it humorous that you are betting
> > that you will NEVER be blind.
> 
> You've made the point that News is 
> blind-friendly, and that retiring it may have impact 
> to the blind.  Others have pointed out that there
> are alternatives on the web.  Claiming that these 
> alternatives aren't _good enough_ for you is a red 
> herring, and is not germane to the discussion.

Did you even READ the link I posted, where the American Federation for the BLIND (yes thats right, ACTUAL BLIND PEOPLE) says that your suggested alternatives DON'T WORK?

You're essentially saying that blind people should be forced to give up their bus passes and ride bicycles instead, and when I try to point out that this is stupid, you say "red herring red herring red herring".

> > And if the message board is WRITTEN in Flash, or 
> > as is more common uses scripting to perform basic 
> > functions?  Shutting off Flash or scripting often 
> > shuts off the message board.
> 
> So, let me get this straight.  You're saying that 
> blind communities will write message boards for the 
> blind in Flash?

No, I'm suggesting that communities are creating message boards with topics that blind people may be interested in, but writing those message boards in FLASH and not providing an alternative.

What, you think topics involving things which have an element of sight don't interest the blind?

> Don't buy it then.  Don't install Flash in your
> browser.  Use a message board that has RSS feeds 

What, you mean the SINGLE message board the American Federation for the BLIND found was compatible with their screen readers?

And thats only if you can get past the CAPTCHA which will prevent the blind user from getting a user account.  Usenet NEWS has no such stupid CAPTCHA.