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OpenDocument Plans Questioned by Disabled

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the thankfully-open-source-can-adapt-quickly dept.

ComputerWorld is reporting that John Winske, president of the Disability Policy Consortium, is raising some questions about the accessibility of the OpenDocument format. From the article: "Winske, who has muscular dystrophy, said he instantly remembered how Microsoft had to be "prodded and dragged, kicking and screaming" to make its software accessible during the transition from DOS to Windows. None of the prominent desktop applications that can create and save documents in OpenDocument currently work well with screen readers, magnifiers and other assistive technologies -- at least at a level comparable to that of products from Microsoft, whose 40-person Accessibility Technology Group is now widely praised by disabilities advocates."

3 of 375 comments (clear)

  1. Surely there are... by msauve · · Score: 0, Flamebait
    disabled people who can write code?

    Get busy, and stop expecting others to take care of you. Do you want to be treated equally, or do you want to be subject to discrimination (such as having code written by others specific to your needs)? You can't have your cake, and eat it, too.

    --
    "National Security is the chief cause of national insecurity." - Celine's First Law
    1. Re:Surely there are... by iSwitched · · Score: 0, Flamebait

      WOW! Thanks for a very neat, concise post that sums up everything that's wrong with 'Free Software' today. Doesn't have a feature you need? Write it yourself. Don't understand how to use it? RTFM.

      As someone who loves OSS as much as the next slashbot, but who makes 100% of his living off closed source projects, I find it reassuring that these attitudes still prevail, and are even modded up here. I look forward to a long and propserous career actually *serving* my customers.

      --
      "That naive cube! How long must I suffer this!" --Sheldon J. Plankton
    2. Re:Surely there are... by oliderid · · Score: 0, Flamebait

      It's like saying that if you haven't a car adapted to your handicap, because gas powered cars aren't allowed anymore, only electic ones are... You should stop complaining...Study engineering and make your own one!

      They are simply reminding leaders that they are pushing a bit too quickly the migration to the open standard. There aren't any commercial/non commercial solutions for them (yet). This is a legitimate claim. is it too difficult to understand for your copyleft GPLized brain?