Darrell Hilliker 👨🦯♾️📡I'm starting day three without #JAWS on my new job. While JAWS is sitting there worrying about its missing authorization code and telling me I have to restart and work in 40-minute mode, #NVDA is humming along giving me exactly what I need to keep working! So now we ask which is the truly professional screen reader? #accessibility #Vispero
Vsevolod Popov@darrell73 That is interesting. I heard that in Europe and US JAWS license is provided for work places and for students. Are you simply used to JAWS or there are specific cases where NVDA doesn't really work in software you use? Great that NVDA works for you!
Nikolett Till@Sevapopov @darrell73 I wouldn't say it's provided, because it's not given for free except for a few countries, including Hungary. Here our government supports blind people by providing free licenses to those who apply for it with a hungarian ID. But at work I suppose you have to use either your own license, or the company buys it for you. The problem is that a lot of european companies disallow using NVDA so those who aren't used to Jaws, have to suffer.
@destranis @Sevapopov How do these European companies justify disallowing #NVDA while still using open-source browsing engines?
@darrell73 @Sevapopov You know, that's a valid question. I have no idea. The only thing I know is that for example here in Hungary you can't really work using NVDA, because they generally consider open source programs harmful.
@destranis @Sevapopov Fascinating, so how do they handle open-source web browsers like Chrome and Firefox? Do they ban virtually all web browsers too?
@darrell73 @Sevapopov You are simply not allowed to install anything else. You aren't the administrator of the laptop you get for work and you can't work on your own computer because they fire you. They install aproved browsers for you if they even install any and you aren't stuck with Edge. So literally they set up the laptop for you and even if you wanted to use open source browsers, you can't do it.
NV Access@destranis @darrell73 @Sevapopov It sounds like your employer is simply controlling over what software you can use - and that itself is not uncommon anywhere in the world - In almost all cases, that of itself is not anti-open source, rather it is done in the interest of security
Keri Svendsen@NVAccess @destranis @darrell73 @Sevapopov Any US company with HIPPA and other tight restrictions refuse to use any open source software. :( I can't speak to other countries though.
@sapphireangel @destranis @darrell73 @Sevapopov That is simply not true! HIPAA has to do with privacy of patient health information, and nothing to do with the code of any programs in use. NVDA is used by plenty of organisations with HIPAA requirements and we regularly answer queries on that because companies need to know that data is safe (NVDA does not save or send personal information anyway, so it's fine). See https://www.nvaccess.org/corporate-government/#collectedInfo
@NVAccess @destranis @darrell73 @Sevapopov I'm just telling you what I know from working in the healthcare industry and the strictness of HIPPA. NVDA hasn't been allowed. I wish it wasn't such a legal mess to use it because I'd rather it than jaws, but saying you do these things, isn't enough for most agencies. I'm glad NVDA has made huge steps in Europe though. The US may be tougher in many aspects. My understanding of HIPPA is it takes more than just saying you do a bunch of stuff.
@sapphireangel @destranis @darrell73 @Sevapopov And I'm telling you that is wrong. NVDA is used in numerous healthcare settings. HIPAA has nothing to do with open vs closed source. Please provide a link to back that claim up? I provided links to dozens of pages citing using open source programs in HIPAA environments, and the HHS page explaining what HIPAA is which mentions nothing about software licenses. Once again, if your organisation won't allow NVDA, I'm happy to talk with them.
@NVAccess @destranis @darrell73 @Sevapopov You like Aira can shout all day long that you are compliant but it will take a lot more here to prove that, then just that. I wish it was so simple. So many people have been denied many assistive tech because of some of the beliefs. To be honest seeing how easily HIPPA is also violated here... I don't blame companies for being paranoid. It can be a legal mess here. I however only use NVDA in my personal life.
@sapphireangel @destranis @darrell73 @Sevapopov Your own reference only cites potential risks, which it agrees are often present in closed source as well, it does NOT say not to use OSS. People are mostly denied assistive technology because companies don't want to use ANY additional software, open or closed source. More companies are willing to use something which won't cost them anything. I am more than happy to talk to your organisation, but please stop saying it is because it is open source