6 ms·

I dated a girl in the mid to late 1980s whose father was completely blind and worked as a software programmer. At the time, knowing little of computers, I didn’

I dated a girl in the mid to late 1980s whose father was completely blind and worked as a software programmer. At the time, knowing little of computers, I didn’t think much of it. 30-35 years later, having worked as a programmer for nearly 25 years, I wish I was still in touch with the family so I could ask how he did it. I assume things would be easier now for a blind programmer, but, maybe not.

sophacles 4y ago
Oxide and friends had this episode a bit back: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9GVJg0LRX4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9GVJg0LRX4 The guest is a blind person and the main topic is a history speech synthesizers but also goes into how that translates to his experience using and programming computers over the years too. You might find it interesting. (There was another episode a few before it too where the same person talked a bit about his experiences).
jareds 4y ago
I'm a totally blind software developer who was born in the mid 80's. From my experience and limited discussion with other blind individuals I was born at the beginning of when life became a lot easier as a blind programmer as well as a blind person in general. When I started to learn programming in the early 2000's electronic versions of a decent number of programming books were available. I don't know how I would have learned C from a print copy of the K&R book in the late 80's. By the time I entered college I had GPS to help me get around campus. PRetty much everything but math was also available in fully accessible electronic format. Ten years earlier it would have been a lot more dificult.
- philliphaydon 4y ago
  I’m very curious. When developing software I do /try/ to make it accessible. But sometimes I think certain things, there’s no point in making accessible because a blind person wouldn’t be able to use it. But this is my ignorance of not understanding how people who are blind consume information. Are there things I can do better when developing software to assist with blindness?
  - jareds 4y ago
    I'm going to preface the following with the fact that I'm not an accessibility expert and accessibility is not a field I'm interested in. With out more info on the software it's impossible to give specific suggestions. For a tool that produces structured diagrams such as flow charts a way to move from node to node with arrow keys and have announcements on what connects to what would be a good way for me to read flow charts with out being able to look at them with my eyes. If your creating a color matching game for two year olds I can't think of any reasonable way to make it accessible. Other people may argue the game should announce colors and have a mode to pick them based on words only but at that point your starting to write a completely separate game.
  - dundercoder 4y ago
    Personally I would say don’t set arbitrary limits. I knew of a blind guy who played a computer game very well because it had such a rich and responsive soundscape.
    - rhn_mk1 4y ago
      What's the game?
bitwize 4y ago
An old friend of mine in his late 70s who ran several software businesses is starting to experience vision deterioration. Of what type, I don't know, but it's interfering with his ability to do any kind of computer work. It really drove home for me that in the long run we're all disabled. I have a bit set to try to learn how to use Emacspeak so I at least have a plan B for if/when my vision goes to the dumper -- or I lose it completely.
- Rediscover 4y ago
  I started using Emacspeak in the late 1990's, and probably peaked ~2003-2006. I have associates with visual impairments ranging from nothing (i.e.,completely gone (i.e. "blind")) to severe mis-alignment of vertical focus, ...and the standard of colour-blindness. I try to help them to the best of my abilities. My own acuity (currently) allows the use of monospace typefaces/fonts and grey-scales. There are times when my vision cuts out pretty bad. I assume it will get worse and sometime in the future I think I will rely on Emacspeak. Also, pointer/mouse use is almost a complete wash for me. Hence the "plan B" You mentioned. Edit: I do not want to lose access to computers (screw networked ones (love those)), I really love (almost) any programming environment

sophacles 4y ago

Oxide and friends had this episode a bit back: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9GVJg0LRX4 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9GVJg0LRX4 The guest is a blind person and the main topic is a history speech synthesizers but also goes into how that translates to his experience using and programming computers over the years too. You might find it interesting. (There was another episode a few before it too where the same person talked a bit about his experiences).

jareds 4y ago

I'm a totally blind software developer who was born in the mid 80's. From my experience and limited discussion with other blind individuals I was born at the beginning of when life became a lot easier as a blind programmer as well as a blind person in general. When I started to learn programming in the early 2000's electronic versions of a decent number of programming books were available. I don't know how I would have learned C from a print copy of the K&R book in the late 80's. By the time I entered college I had GPS to help me get around campus. PRetty much everything but math was also available in fully accessible electronic format. Ten years earlier it would have been a lot more dificult.

philliphaydon 4y ago
I’m very curious. When developing software I do /try/ to make it accessible. But sometimes I think certain things, there’s no point in making accessible because a blind person wouldn’t be able to use it. But this is my ignorance of not understanding how people who are blind consume information. Are there things I can do better when developing software to assist with blindness?
- jareds 4y ago
  I'm going to preface the following with the fact that I'm not an accessibility expert and accessibility is not a field I'm interested in. With out more info on the software it's impossible to give specific suggestions. For a tool that produces structured diagrams such as flow charts a way to move from node to node with arrow keys and have announcements on what connects to what would be a good way for me to read flow charts with out being able to look at them with my eyes. If your creating a color matching game for two year olds I can't think of any reasonable way to make it accessible. Other people may argue the game should announce colors and have a mode to pick them based on words only but at that point your starting to write a completely separate game.
- dundercoder 4y ago
  Personally I would say don’t set arbitrary limits. I knew of a blind guy who played a computer game very well because it had such a rich and responsive soundscape.
  - rhn_mk1 4y ago
    What's the game?

bitwize 4y ago

An old friend of mine in his late 70s who ran several software businesses is starting to experience vision deterioration. Of what type, I don't know, but it's interfering with his ability to do any kind of computer work. It really drove home for me that in the long run we're all disabled. I have a bit set to try to learn how to use Emacspeak so I at least have a plan B for if/when my vision goes to the dumper -- or I lose it completely.

Rediscover 4y ago
I started using Emacspeak in the late 1990's, and probably peaked ~2003-2006. I have associates with visual impairments ranging from nothing (i.e.,completely gone (i.e. "blind")) to severe mis-alignment of vertical focus, ...and the standard of colour-blindness. I try to help them to the best of my abilities. My own acuity (currently) allows the use of monospace typefaces/fonts and grey-scales. There are times when my vision cuts out pretty bad. I assume it will get worse and sometime in the future I think I will rely on Emacspeak. Also, pointer/mouse use is almost a complete wash for me. Hence the "plan B" You mentioned. Edit: I do not want to lose access to computers (screw networked ones (love those)), I really love (almost) any programming environment