Jonathan MosenFeb 4, 2023
I've been doing computer troubleshooting today for Bonnie. Her HP is one which doesn't have a toggle to switch between the function keys performing their Windows function and the HP system functions. You can only change it in the BIOS which isn't accessible.
They pushed a BIOS update to her machine today which reset this setting. Finally managed to get it resolved by getting my daughter on FaceTime and having her guide me through the process by pointing my camera at the screen.
Ludicrous that in 2023 we don't have access to BIOS configuration on windows machines.
But it's fixed now and Bonnie is happy.
Show threadQuinFeb 4, 2023
@JonathanMosen @jaybird110127 I get on macOS a lot because of the utter mess that VoiceOver is, but this is something they absolutely do right. Everything in recovery talks, and it has for a while. Meanwhile, on Windows, we just got talking WinRe (recovery), in a very new Windows 11 build, and it only works if your hardware supports HD audio, which most intel computers don't.
Show threadJonathan MosenFeb 4, 2023
@TheQuinbox @jaybird110127 I agree. I was going to make a comment in the original toot about what a shame it is that VoiceOver is such a sub-par screen reader on Mac, but decided I could do without the drama. They do get that bit right though and I made that point to Bonnie when I was grumbling and trying to find a fix.
Show threadQuinFeb 4, 2023
@JonathanMosen They really do. VO has issues that stop the Mac alone from being my computer, but if something breaks, I know it'll talk to me in recovery.
Show threadJonathan MosenFeb 4, 2023
@TheQuinbox Yup. I used a Mac for four years and just couldn’t cope with VO anymore. It’s a tempting proposition with the new Apple silicon, so if VO ever got it’s act together, I would be back.
Show threadMohaned SayeghFeb 4, 2023
@JonathanMosen @TheQuinbox I'm actually slightly more optimistic than I used to be about Apple improving Voiceover. Eloquence drastically improves the UX all by itself. If they can fix the dumpster fire of web browsing support and improve support for the terminal, I'll be back in an instant.
Show threadJonathan Mosen
@Mohaneds @TheQuinbox For me the problem is much larger. I have to put together lengthy, complex documents in Word. The gap between JAWS and VO for this task is enormous. And the trouble is, it's so bad that many Mac users don't realise what garbage formatting they are producing. Then there is just the whole question of efficient access to a variety of information.
Feb 4, 2023 at 7:46pmWeb
Show threadMohaned SayeghFeb 4, 2023
@JonathanMosen @TheQuinbox Oh, you're right. I forgot about the horrible UX with Vo and Word. Last time I tried to use it, I discovered that Vo can't keep up if you press down arrow quickly through a document and gave up on the spot. I normally think rewrites for software are a bad idea, but Vo might actually need it.
Show threadJonathan MosenFeb 4, 2023
@Mohaneds @TheQuinbox It needs a rewrite not just to optimise the code, but to rethink a lot of the UX entirely.