Open Source Accessibility

tbray writes "The strongest push-back against Massachusetts' effort to institute open, non-proprietary document formats has come from the accessibility community, who claim that Open-Source desktop software lags behind Windows; and thus that a transition to Open Document will amount to discrimination against the blind and those with other disabilities. This is serious stuff. Peter Korn, who's an Accessibility Architect at Sun, has written a massive piece that provides a general introduction to the subject, a discussion of how Open Source is doing on the the accessibility front (things could be worse, but they could be a lot better), and finally, a detailed look at the (interesting) history and (uncertain) future of these issues in Massachusetts. Anyone in Open Source who thinks they can ignore accessibility issues is probably wrong. Getting any younger? Eyes as good as they used to be? This is everybody's issue."

Speaking of Accessibility

[Lord Byron II]

Light grey text on a white background with salmon-colored links. That's just great on the ol' eyes!

Re:on the other hand

[BushCheney08]

on the other hand, open source means anyone (with the skills) can take matters in to their own hands...

I don't have hands, you insensitive clod!

I can afford to ignore it.

[RandoX]

At least for another 30 years or so...

Youth

[troon]

Getting any younger?

Yes, I am.

Re:Umm uhhh.....

[$RANDOMLUSER]

> ...isn't accessability for retards?

Can we assume you're using it?

Give them large monitors

[aphaenogaster]

My grandfather started having eye problems around 90 so I bought him a used 21 inch ergo 1600 monitor. Set it to 800x600 and now he is a happy camper.

Re:Youth

[shis-ka-bob]

I commend our superluminary overlord. If you happen to be looking for a date, I sugggest Miss Bright, who gained fame as the object of poetry ...

There was a young lady named Bright
Whose speed was much faster than light.
She set out one day,
in a relative way,
And returned on the previous night.

Poets may not think much of this, but for a physicist its relatively good.