Windows 7 a dud for sight-impaired people

Dan Warne
20 January 2009, 11:19 AM

According to an analyst, Microsoft has done a slipshod job of making Windows 7 usable for vision impaired people.

Dr Scott Hollier of Media Access Australia tipped off APC to the problem.

"We were very excited when it was initially revealed that Windows 7 would feature a major update to its accessibility features, the first since the release of Windows 2000," Dr Hollier writes.

"The key updates include a full-screen Magnifier, and predictive text for the on-screen keyboard. Both of these products have major potential as in the past, people have had to spend thousands of dollars on assistive technology software to achieve the same task.

"However, after testing the beta and following up on several enquiries, we've discovered that major flaw in the new Magnifier feature. Although the Magnifier does indeed support full screen by pressing the Windows and '+' key, this feature does not work when a high contrast colour scheme is used. Due to the new feature being Aero-dependent, changing into the 'classic' high contrast scheme, such as High Contrast Black, dumps the user back into the old Magnifier program.

"Given that a vast majority of people that need the full screen magnifier will also need a high contrast colour scheme, it is a major issue for people with disabilities who will now need to spend a lot of money on assistive technology products despite the fact that all the tools will be in Windows 7 to effectively support them.

"I've tried to contact Microsoft for official comment but haven't received a response. The issue could be easily resolved by creating an Aero-compatible set of high contrast colour schemes instead of carrying over the ones which were originally included in Windows 95," he concluded.

His original article on the issue can be seen here. He encourages people who have downloaded the Windows 7 public beta to use the "send feedback" feature to submit a request that Microsoft make it possible for the magnifier to work with the high constrast scheme.

Apple Mac OS X has a magnifier feature that does work with the OS' inbuilt high contrast colour scheme.

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CBR1100XX (New user):

Ummmm ....... That's why it's called a beta release Dr. Hollier !
I'm sure feedback will be much appreciated by MS (We'll just now wait and see what they do with it).
Anyone that knows a smidgin of Windows foibles will create their own High Contrast, High Vis Theme anyways.

20 January 2009, 11:34 AM (4 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Me In Oz (User):

Come on APC !
- The tag for this report should have read "Windows 7 beta a dud for sight-impaired people"
- "Apple Mac OS X has a magnifier feature that does work with the OS' inbuilt high contrast colour scheme." ............. Well Woopty Doo !

Seems like Win 7 will cop plenty of bagging anyway without APC's help. So lets keep the sensationalist reportage down to a mininum APC !
Trolling for comments with tags like the usual "Windows Killer" has never been my favourites !

20 January 2009, 11:57 AM (4 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Ash (New user):

Quoting Me In Oz:

Seems like Win 7 will cop plenty of bagging anyway without APC's help. So lets keep the sensationalist reportage down to a mininum APC !

This issue might be fixed because of websites reporting on it. Nobody's bashing Windows, this is like reporting a bug.

20 January 2009, 1:20 PM (4 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Me In Oz (User):

Quoting Ash:
Nobody's bashing Windows

Huh ? ..... Read the title and sub-title of this thread !
Every time MS releases a version of Windows, it gets bashed to death at the beta level. It amazes me that this company has the resilience to have dominated the OS market for so long !

20 January 2009, 1:29 PM (4 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Raindog (New user):

Quoting Me In Oz:
Every time MS releases a version of Windows, it gets bashed to death at the beta level.

And if the last release was anything to go by, MS sailed on oblivious to all the public opinion.

Quoting Me In Oz:
It amazes me that this company has the resilience to have dominated the OS market for so long !

It amazes me that it took MS so long to catch on that they were on the nose. Even more amazing is the existance of a small army of self employed troops that will defend a logo to the death because it forms a part of their comfort zone.

20 January 2009, 7:01 PM (4 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Your Average Joe (User):

Quoting Ash:
Nobody's bashing Windows

It's coming. It's already started at beta level.
People can't help themselves 'giving' it to the MAN ! ... Even when the MAN does something good !

Running the beta on VMWare, and with the exception of file transfer speeds between host and guest machines (still crap), its running stable and smooth !

20 January 2009, 1:56 PM (4 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Tin (User):

Quoting Your Average Joe:
with the exception of file transfer speeds between host and guest machines (still crap), its running stable and smooth !

Don't worry... It stays crap when you move it to a real machine. Just as bad, if not worse than Vista. Hopefully they fix it by RC1...

I'm personally finding 7 to be quite nice. I mean once you ditch Explorer as the shell, anyway... The new (and mandatory) taskbar is just crap. Why would I want my shortcuts to appear in random locations depending on what other apps are running?

20 January 2009, 6:26 PM (4 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Raindog (New user):

Quoting Your Average Joe:
It's coming.

Well put it away.

Quoting Your Average Joe:
People can't help themselves 'giving' it to the MAN ! ... Even when the MAN does something good !

Which man is this? I'd have sworn this thread was about a failed feature in beta release of an operating system. If you think Windows 7 is a man you need to reduce your game time and get some fresh air.

Quoting Your Average Joe:
Running the beta on VMWare, and with the exception of file transfer speeds between host and guest machines (still crap), its running stable and smooth !

From a purely selfish perspective, a failure to achieve reasonable transfer speed is a much bigger negative than the flaw this article was discussing.

20 January 2009, 7:07 PM (4 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Dan Warne (Regular user):

Quoting Ash:
This issue might be fixed because of websites reporting on it. Nobody's bashing Windows, this is like reporting a bug.

Exactly. Scott Hollier had already tried contacting Microsoft to discuss the problem, and had no luck. So the next step is to hopefully catch Microsoft's attention through the media.

Microsoft would be getting so much feedback from all directions, and accessibility issues naturally take a low priority usually because they only affect a smallish percentage of users, so it's necessary to raise the profile through exposure sometimes.

20 January 2009, 2:29 PM (4 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Your Average Joe (User):

Quoting Dan Warne:
so it's necessary to raise the profile through exposure sometimes.

I appreciate the minorities' grievances and their difficulty in presenting them. But the headlining of this thread and the creedence placed upon ONE analyst's concerns is way over the top when reporting on a beta bug !

Suggesting that Windows 7 is a dud for a minority group is quite sensationalist reporting, especially as it is still n beta test.

20 January 2009, 2:40 PM (4 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Raindog (New user):

Quoting Your Average Joe:
But the headlining of this thread and the credence placed upon ONE analyst's concerns is way over the top when reporting on a beta bug !

In your opinion. A lot of us see the reporting as entirely reasonable. There was no universal condemnation, no false statements, just accurate reporting on a beta issue which for some will be critical.

Quoting Your Average Joe:
Suggesting that Windows 7 is a dud for a minority group is quite sensationalist reporting,

For that group currently Windows 7 is a dud. And as you've well read any reporting of the issue has been mostly ignored.

Quoting Your Average Joe:
especially as it is still n beta test.

And isn't the whole point of beta testing to find bugs, to gauge consumer acceptance and perceptions and to expose the product to a wider environment of hardware and usage? Isn't reporting part of that feedback chain?

20 January 2009, 7:16 PM (4 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Your Average Joe (User):

Quoting Me In Oz:
tags like the usual "Windows Killer"

I'm sure that has been adopted as the Linux (at least Ubuntu) catchcry for a decade now ;)

20 January 2009, 1:51 PM (4 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Raindog (New user):

Quoting Your Average Joe:
'm sure that has been adopted as the Linux (at least Ubuntu) catchcry for a decade now ;)

How sure? Do you know how long a decade is?

To quote "Ubuntu's first release was on October 20, 2004." so before you go on accusing APC of being inaccurate and of exaggerating the story, you'd be best to consider the soundness, validity and accuracy of your own argument. :>

20 January 2009, 7:32 PM (4 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Raindog (New user):

Quoting Me In Oz:
The tag for this report should have read "Windows 7 beta a dud for sight-impaired people"

When the only Win7 about is the Beta, an educated reader could take that as a given. Next you be asking for build numbers in the headlines too.

Quoting Me In Oz:
Well Woopty Doo

If you had no interest in a working magnifier feature, why read beyond the headline?

Quoting Me In Oz:
Seems like Win 7 will cop plenty of bagging anyway without APC's help.

It will if it's not a massive improvement over it's predecessor.

Quoting Me In Oz:
So lets keep the sensationalist reportage down to a mininum APC !

Sensational? A minute ago you were on Whoopty doo, make your mind up.

Quoting Me In Oz:
Trolling for comments with tags like the usual "Windows Killer" has never been my favourites !

You are one of the few that has an issue with such language. It's a headline, get over it!
It's an attention grabber, it is only an issue if you choose to make it an issue. Do you write hourly to the Courier Mail screaming of how you were taken in by their headlines?

20 January 2009, 6:57 PM (4 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend

plutonium210 (User):

So we have the visually impaired bagging the Windows 7 GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACE ? .......... Can anyone else see the irony in this ? LOL !

And to all the visually impaired ! Go to OSX with it's desktop magnifier ... It's brilliant !

20 January 2009, 1:39 PM (4 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Dan Warne (Regular user):

Unfortunately people with vision impairment have to work like everyone else... and, like everyone else, they probably don't get to choose their operating system at work. So vision impairment tools in Windows are pretty important.

20 January 2009, 2:26 PM (4 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Me In Oz (User):

Quoting Dan Warne:
like everyone else, they probably don't get to choose their operating system at work.

The why add statements like ...... "Apple Mac OS X has a magnifier feature that does work ......"

20 January 2009, 2:56 PM (4 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Raindog (New user):

Quoting Me In Oz:
Then why add statements like ...... "Apple Mac OS X has a magnifier feature that does work ......"

I'll respond with, why try to suppress reportage of a flawed element in a Beta release of a product ultimately destined for many workplace desktops? The issue is particularly relevant when that same feature is already available in a production release of a competitor's product?

20 January 2009, 7:26 PM (4 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Me In Oz (User):

Quoting Raindog:
why try to suppress reportage

Who's trying to suppress anything ?
As you have so consistently sprouted "You report, I comment".
APC reported on an article from a single minority entity which concluded that this issue needs improvement, fair enough !
It's the way APC headlined the thread that I have a problem with !

Why you feel the need to disect everyone's comments and ridicule opinion that differ from yours has always been a mystery to us (And here I'm definitely not speaking for just myself ....... Or would you like me to post the links to all your contributions on this forum)

21 January 2009, 9:31 AM (4 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Raindog (New user):

Quoting Me In Oz:
Who's trying to suppress anything ?
As you have so consistently sprouted "You report, I comment".

OK then! Why try to coerce or manipulate reportage?

Quoting Me In Oz:
It's the way APC headlined the thread that I have a problem with !

Why? You also choose to omit that you were also critical of the opening text. You claim bias from the author choosing to completely ignore the inclusion of the phrase "According to" at the beginning of the text.

Quoting Me In Oz:
Why you feel the need to disect everyone's comments and ridicule opinion that differ from yours has always been a mystery to us

Why you present comment that you feel will not stand up to scrutiny is an even greater mystery. If you believed what you had written you would not feel your words were able to withstand criticism.

Quoting Me In Oz:
And here I'm definitely not speaking for just myself

I'm am. I have no need for the acceptance of others to stand by my convictions. Why you take issue with this is indeed the mystery. :>

Quoting Me In Oz:
Or would you like me to post the links to all your contributions on this forum

Post whatever you wish. if there is errors in your presentation, I may, at my own wish, point out such errors.

21 January 2009, 9:50 AM (4 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Me In Oz (User):

Quoting Raindog:
will not stand up to scrutiny

Who's scrutiny ? ..... Yours ? ..... That's my giggle for the day :D

21 January 2009, 10:05 AM (4 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Raindog (New user):

Quoting Me In Oz:
Who's scrutiny ? ..... Yours ? ..... That's my giggle for the day

Yes my scrutiny and that of anyone else who sees fit to scrutinise. Simple really. :>
You giggle, I'll scrutinise and everybody is happy.

Not happy? Why would that be my concern? :>

21 January 2009, 10:10 AM (4 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Raindog (New user):

Quoting plutonium210:
So we have the visually impaired bagging the Windows 7 GRAPHICAL USER INTERFACE ? .......... Can anyone else see the irony in this ? LOL !

If you'd bothered to read the article before blurting nonsense, you'd have realised those making the criticisms were those working with and for the visually impaired. But no, you go ahead making stupid comments at someone else's expense. At least their impediment is only visual.

strong>Quoting plutonium210:
It's brilliant !

unlike your comments.

20 January 2009, 7:22 PM (4 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Aubrey (New user):

This article proves conclusively that this is a very slow news week. C'mon Dan, surely you can milk the inauguration for a few more stories - everyone else is. And you haven't yet covered the story about the US woman WHO HAD TO QUIT UNIVERSITY BECAUSE OF UBUNTU !

But I shall henceforth issue a press release every time I make a bug report or feature request to a developer.

20 January 2009, 2:12 PM (4 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend

graham.lv (New user):

Go here and make your posts directly to the team::
http://blogs.msdn.com/e7/archive/2009/01/21/follow-up-accessibility-in-windows-7.aspx

Engineering Windows 7

Welcome to our blog dedicated to the engineering of Microsoft Windows 7

Follow-up: Accessibility in Windows 7

We’ve seen some comments recently posted on a previous post on accessibility and a member of the User Interface Platform team wanted to offer some thoughts on the topic. Brett is a senior test lead who leads our efforts testing the Accessibility of Windows 7. --Steven (*head 7 guy not me)

21 February 2009, 7:37 AM (4 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend

Rental62 (New user):

I need a magnifying mouse for my dad as he is visuali impaired but also coloured blind so how does windows 7 work for him? whithout any extra costs?

20 November 2010, 7:30 AM (2 years ago)report abuse Send to a friend

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Windows 7 a dud for sight-impaired people

According to an analyst, Microsoft has done a slipshod job of making Windows 7 usable for vision impaired people.

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