[chirp_users] New blind ham trying to use Chirp

[Eric Oyen]

the last time we had this discussion, I offered some links to how accessibility could be included. you basically told me not supported and made the claim about having to maintain 3 separate code bases. I have had conversations with other Python coders (including one that happens to be the Sr. Systems infrastructure Engineer for Ebay) and all of them have stated the following (which is paraphrased):
1. you can maintain a single codebase and use differing compiler flags for the OS environment you want
2. the accessible interface elements are available in python and are standardized to be used across multiple platforms (take a look at Utorrent).
3 the only real mods need to be changed to the interface itself, not the core program.

Now, as for my financing anything, that is really far fetched until I can gain reasonable employment (of which I am in a training program and work adjustment internship now).

now, I am not a coder currently (my IT skills are specialized elsewhere), but as soon as I can gain meaningful employment, I intend to change that with some part time courses in programming languages (such as python, C# and C++. SInce I am also pushing 50 years old here, it might become a moot point for me to even try. Still, I would rather learn a little than go through life having to pick the brains of others.

now, you can take a look at empowermentzone.com for some of the info, and I will see where there are other sources (and there are).
now, I should apologize if my tone here seems rather abrupt, but I have had to deal with the after effects of 2 traumatic brain injuries (the last of which damaged my visual cortex). I am not using this as an excuse to garner pity, I am using this with the purpose of providing some understanding of how I interact with others.

Anyway, I have strayed from the subject and need to stop now before this degenerates into an argument.

Now, one of the others in here has offered a possible work around (by getting the data from the radio and saving it as a CSV, then importing into Excel). That can work except for the lack of support for any pulldown menus in the windows version using a screen reader

The last time I tried this, I used the linux version of chirp to try and save the radio data. unfortunately, because of an unlabeled button that I couldn't see, the save failed with an unhandled exception error. I am still trying to figure that one out and when my sighted assistant comes by next week, I can have them look at the screen and see where that control is. Then I can try that method out and report on how well it works (in theory, it should work without a hitch).

anyway, thanks for taking the time to consider my response here.

-eric

On Nov 26, 2014, at 1:51 PM, Jim McCorison wrote:

> Eric,
> 
> This has been discussed over and over and over. Are you willing to fund the not inconsiderable development dollars required to rewrite Chirp in different languages for each operating system and then to maintain it? Are you willing to pay a license fee, probably not cheap when amortized across the number of license vs development dollars, to underwrite this effort? This is a free program made readily available to all. Whether or not the "developer doesn't seem to think that excess abilities all that important” isn’t the issue. The issue is that it costs time and money to develop and support an application. One that is provided free of charge is going to be limited in what it can provide simply as a matter of economics. I’m not insensitive to your issues, but I am aware of the real world economic factors involved.
> 
> 73’s,
> Jim
> K2SON
> 
> ---
> Jim McCorison
> Orcas Island, WA
> 
> 
> 
> On Nov 26, 2014, at 12:24 PM, Eric Oyen <eric.oyen at gmail.com> wrote:
> 
>> Well, as a fellow BLIND ham, I can tell you chirp is not accessible with jaws and windows. It is also not accessible with voiceover in OS 10. About the only operating system or you're going to have even a modicum of accessibility is a boon to Lenix. All other solutions are off the table. Wish I could be of more help, but developer doesn't seem to think that excess abilities all that important.
>> – Eric
>> 
>> Sent from my iPhone
>> 
>>> On Nov 26, 2014, at 9:35, Jason Polansky <jaedpo96 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>> 
>>> Hello chirp users!
>>> My name is Jason Polansky 'Kc3DYC'. I just received my ham radio
>>> technician class license and learned about Chirp from my instructor. I
>>> am blind and use the JAWS screen reader on a windows 7 computer. After
>>> downloading Chirp and opening it, JAWS was not reading anything.
>>> Pressing the alt key didn't take me to the menus as it does with most
>>> programs. Can anybody help.
>>> Thank you
>>> Jason Polansky
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> chirp_users mailing list
>>> chirp_users at intrepid.danplanet.com
>>> http://intrepid.danplanet.com/mailman/listinfo/chirp_users
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