James ScholesFeb 27

I believe that the #accessibility of everyday tech for #screenReader users is on a slow but consistent decline. Operating systems, browsers, messaging apps, email clients, even command line tools.

These things are not being replaced with more #accessible alternatives, but nor does the investment exist to stop the rot within the current options.

This in itself is concerning, particularly as it mirrors tech trends more broadly. But what I worry about quite a bit is what it does for user expectations.

What happens when generations of people grow up with inefficient keyboard access models, faux desktop apps, and a thousand tiny papercuts here and there? When the new baseline is worse than it was before, it takes that bit more effort to imagine and advocate for best rather than just better.

Show threadDevin Prater :blind:Feb 27
@jscholes @menelion This is probably one of the reasons I've seen many young blind adults not even want to touch a computer, and do everything from their phones. Because if worst comes to worst, they can use VO screen recognition, or tap around, or sighted help, and sighted people *know* phones. It's really sad, because now they are locked in. They don't *want* to make new or different tech because their phones, iPhones, obviously don't allow app creation on the phone, and then running that app and such. It could be better on Android with Termux, but blind people are comfortably numb to Android, because it's different and open, and what if they break something or what if it's not accessible enough for them, all that. So Apple it is. I hope they know just how much blind society relies on them.
Show threadRosalyn AnneFeb 27
@pixelate @jscholes @menelion I'm primarily a mobile user these days. I only boot up my laptop if I have to. And it's because, I feel like touch allows me to navigate more efficiently. My only gripe with mobile is that there are still some minor cases where I have to boot up my PC to do something. But I feel like it's a 90/10 split. At least in terms of my personal computing tasks.
Show threadAndré PolykanineFeb 27
@Rosalyn @pixelate @jscholes My tasks involves typing most of the time, and typing on the touch screen is a huge pain for me.
Show threadRosalyn AnneFeb 27
@menelion @pixelate @jscholes I use a mix of braille screen input and an AI keyboard that costs $10 a month. But there's always Apple dictation. I have a mini keyboard and a tri-fold bluetooth keyboard. And I honestly use both very little these days.
Show threadAndré Polykanine
@Rosalyn @pixelate @jscholes I don't know about your experience, but I can't achieve even 20% of that speed that I can get on a proper QWERTY keyboard. And when I'm slow, I'm angry and tired immediately.
Feb 27 at 7:29pmWeb
Show threadRosalyn AnneFeb 27
@menelion @pixelate @jscholes I'm pretty fast with BSI. If I weren't, I'd use bluetooth keyboards more. That's what I used to do.
Show threadRosalyn AnneFeb 27
@menelion @pixelate @jscholes Have you tried dictation? I realize it won't work in all instances. I like the AI keyboard I use because it's more accurate than Apple dictation. I don't need to dictate punctuation or formatting. It takes care of that for me.
Show threadAndré PolykanineFeb 27
@Rosalyn @pixelate @jscholes Yes, I tried, but I don't trust it. Also, it's still slower than typing. I'm really fast, like professionally fast on the QWERTY keyboard, I'm basically a trained typist (I had such a chance at school). Plus, I do need multiple languages at once and I need to write code. I don't think restricted phone environment will satisfy my needs.
Show threadJames ScholesFeb 27

@menelion Which is fine. Plenty of people with no additional accessibility needs can't operate entirely from a phone either.

There is absolutely no way I could perform the bulk of my work from an iPhone or iPad. Some of the reasons behind that are problems that should be fixed, and some are not. @Rosalyn @pixelate

Show threadRosalyn AnneFeb 27
@menelion @pixelate @jscholes I gotcha. I was personally trained as a typist in school. So I'm pretty fast myself. But I'm not a coder. If I were coding, I'd definitely use a keyboard.
Show threadBoogiechild😊Feb 28
@Rosalyn @menelion @pixelate @jscholes I'm a fast typist as well.
Show threadHarmony SeekerFeb 28
@boogiechild @Rosalyn @menelion @pixelate @jscholes I can braille much quicker, but can also type fast