Category: Geeks r Us
I would love to know if anyone is enjoying using windows vista and there thoughts. I have been working with it for a bit and admit that I despise the startmenu and set everything for classic. It seems quite stable and I have 4 screen readers running well on it: jaws, window-Eyes, system access by freedombox and NVDA(non visual desktop access) the 0.5 release. All are working. So, anyone actually like the vista startmenu and are there any advantages using it over classic? Thanks!
I didn't try windows vista myself but i heard different reviews about it. One thing i like about it is the new sapi5 voice. I wish we could have it on XP as well. I also downloaded a sound pack for windows vista and i wasn't impressed with it. The XP sounds are better i think.
Sorry this is not exactly the kind of feedback you wanted but this is my experience with it so far.
where can you get the vista sound packs?
You can get it at http://www.blind-geek-zone.net/
Click on programs link and it is there.
I'm using Windows Vista with JAWS 8.0 and it's all good so far, apart from some dodgy stops and starts with Real player. However, that's getting better as new updates become available. It now plays your files automatically, like XP does, yayayayayayay, so I don't have to go in to my user area, click on desktop then downloads to find all my downloaded MP3 files and play them via Windows Media player. Itunes unfortunately, does not work with Vista, so it's a no-go zone for Ipods, phones or MP3 players.
Thanks for the link.
I just listened to it and I don't like the new soundskeme either
If I ever get vista I will be changing that soundskeme back to the xp one.
As a programmer, my biggist concern is if whether programs I designed for xp will work with vista.
Willie, it is interesting that you say you have four screen readers installed on your Vista machine. I heard a rumor from an admittedly less than reputable sales rep the other day that do to driver mirroring, it was not possible to install more than one AT product at a time under Vista. Specifically, he was talking about installing both screen mag and screen reading at the same time, but mirroring is mirroring and I would think it wouldn't really matter what AT product is using the mirroring. It sounds like this is definitely just a rumor if you indeed have four screen readers all installed an running at the same time. Any errors if you try and run more than one at a time?
Vista isn't a good operating system because it's just a buildup on XP. Most programs will need to be rewritten to work with because of its arrow user interface. Window Eyes works great with it, but it still isn't that great.
Wow, I'm gonna have to try running more then one. I think I have but will actually test this. I am using Jaws, window-Eyes, System Access and NVDA non visual desktop access. They all run well and there don't seem to be any conflicts. My biggest complaint is Vista is just slow. no matter which one I use it's just laggy and I feel like I am not as productive as on an XP machine. Window-Eyes I would say at this point blows jaws away on Vista. NVDA is not bad at all and System Access seems to do a fair job. Hmmm, if I said I prefered the Mac would I get shot again?
so Vista only works with JAWS 8.0 or can you use earlier verssions?
I need to know because I currently have JAWS 7.0 and plan on getting a laptop but you can't find XP anyware anymore.
Actually you can find xp home eddition online, and from what I understand, and I could be wrong, but only jfw8x is the only version that will work on vista.
*shoots Willy again*, because he practically asked for it. ;)
My understanding is that Jaws 8 only works with Vista, no prev versions. Also I know Dell is specifically selling laptops that come with XP installed and I've seen XP specs on several laptops on CircuitCity and NewEgg. Personally I have no desire to move from XP any time soon, my colleagues at my old job have been running vista for months and they're not overly happy with it, all find XP more responsive and working with more apps. MS will force us to move to Vista eventually but I think I can hold on in the XP zone for another year or two whilst they improve Vista to the point where it might actually offer something besides dumbing down the user interface even further.
Hey, I never said Mac was totally out of the question *grin*
cheers
-B
here's a question, would you wipe vista off a laptop you bought with the intent of putting xp on it? i want to do this, but my computer tech is worried about drivers.
Oh sir Brew! you wound my heart.... But, I agree that Vista is not worth the trouble. I am running the latest build of Jaws and window-Eyes 61 and we blows jaws away. I am also running NVDA and System access and the OS is just a crawler. It's stable and i'll give it that and some of the dialogs like the security dialog read much better then XP but it's not worth the upgrade. (Woof slinking away wimper,wimper whine whine but salivating over the last line of sir brew's last post...
Yes, a Mac is far more stable under any circumstances!
*admires my macbook*
Vista isn't a good operating system because it's just a buildup on XP. Most programs will need to be rewritten to work with because of its arrow user interface.
Window Eyes works great with it, but it still isn't that great.
I believe this is not true as right after the xp release, they have been working on "long horn" code name later changed to vista from the ground up. Granted some of the code may be recycled, butas a whole, its their new pride and joy.
As one woho prefer xp over vista, I am willing to bet that ms will have a tough time pushing for the migration to vista.
Any machine can be ordered with Vista, or XP you just have to ask that your favorite OS be installed.
Vista appears to be a disappointment, judging by the responses I've had from friends and colleagues, no one seems happy with it. I was fotnate enough to attend the kick off meeting for Longhorn, as I was an intern at MS accessibility group at the time. It was loasd of propaganda, this was to be the best OS ever etc, etc, very inspiring. I'm a bit sad it does not appear to have come to more than this. They even, apparently, wrote a much better file system but then gave up on the idea of using it and reverted back to ntfs.
Dell started reoffering XP on some of their laptop and esktop lines. MS had pushed them to switch all their machines over to Vista but due to customer demand they decided to give people the choice. Either Vista better improve very fast or MS will have to offer some insentives for people to switch. I would not be surprised if e.g. the next version of Office or VS will only work on Vista or at least have features that will require Vista. Either way I think it's going to be a few years until the majority of the world is converted. In the meantime Apple or Linux could improve their accessibility to offer us a viable alternative. I'm curious to see what Apple will do in the next version of their OS, I'm not won over by Voiceover so far but if they keep it up there's always a chance, I know mr Woof will be delighted.
Oh joy, oh happy day! woof,woof,woof...He may take the plunge afterall.... it's gonna be great.... Actually, I have hopes that there will be some awesome changes in leopard: better internet navigation, voiceover recognizing more and more objects, the completion of itunes accessibillity and the hopes that perhaps garage band will be more accessible. Actually, if mariner software a company who has an excellent office suite would complete there accessibillity we will then have a spreadsheet program and word processor comperable to office. Here's hoping! (Woof gleefully returns to his comfee chair and snoozes.
From what I've heard from people that use vista, its not even worth the upgrade. I've heard theres bug after bug.
Honestly I'm thinking about switching over to apple, if I can ever find a good mak notebook.
James, Interesting observation. In my use of it I haven't found buckets of buggs just a slow response. When I boot the machine there is one driver that for some rason says it's incompatible and that's one of the drivers it came with and I can't figure out which one it is to disable it. otherwise the machine is stable but compaired to XP it's really slow. As far as good apple notebooks you really can't go wrong with any of them. Just depends what you want in it. I've used the macbook and the pro and there both great. Presently using a powerbook g4 on the PPC chip not intel. Gotta say the intel chip really speeds thinkgs up. we have one at the office and it tempts me every time to buy one for myself. I am just waiting for Leopard to come out to see what improvements are made and moselikely will buy a macbook or macbook pro.