I agree with your points, we shouldn't need big powerful hardwares to provide accessibility.
However I felt I should point out that for low end machines sold today - ie with just Intel graphics - is more than capable of running Compiz Fusion very well without lag (the hardware requirements of Compiz is surprisingly low). I've got a Macbook - which have Intel 945 graphics and it run Compiz Fusion smoothly. However I can appericate your points about having the same thing without needing Compiz. However for Gnome - wasn't Metacity - the default window manager of Gnome was going to get compositing included which could help there? Richard Powell wrote: > All, > > I'm running Fedora 8 with the Compiz-Fusion 0.6.0-x packages. > Unfortunately, I don't have the Magnifier plugin that you mention in > Ubuntu. I was able to see a demo of this on a YouTube video and it > appears to be exactly what I was describing. > > I'm not suggesting a reinvention of the wheel or a duplication of effort > but I would really love to see this same feature as part of GNOME. My > reasons are primarily selfish in that I don't want to have to run > Compiz-Fusion just to see my Linux desktop and partly non-selfish in > that I don't see a need to have the same hardware requirements as > Compiz-Fusion just for the visually impaired to be able to use a Linux > box (easily). > > Richard Powell > > JGJones wrote: >> Sound like you've used the basic zoom plugin - which is a bit rubbish >> to be blunt...as it only zoom into a specific area of desktop but >> doesn't move. >> >> There are two plugins that's to do with magnification: >> >> Advanced Desktop Zoom - like Desktop Zoom, but does move around with >> the mouse. However you see a part of the screen and so you'll have to >> move the mouse around to see more. >> >> Magnifitor (this seem to be new as I had just upgraded to Ubuntu Hardy >> Heron and this shows up as an option now) - what this does is very >> similar to what someone mentioned earlier - compared to Windows' >> magnifior tool - once enabled, it shows a configuable window which >> moves with cursor around the screen. Inside this window (it have a >> black border around it) everything is magnified. Hope this description >> is clear - it's not like Windows in showing a fixed window at top of >> screen etc. >> >> >> On Tue, 2008-03-11 at 16:21 -0400, Richard Powell wrote: >>> All, >>> >>> I essentially have two problems using Compiz-Fusion. First, it >>> doesn't seem to recognize my keyboard/mouse of choice, i.e. it does >>> recognize some of my other keyboard/mice. I use a KVM setup so I use >>> a single keyboard and mouse and have spent a lot of time and money >>> finding the one that works best for me. I really don't want to have >>> to change if possible. Second, the "Desktop Zoom" feature is >>> "static". In other words, it zooms in on a fixed, i.e. static, >>> area. In trying to read text on a screen I need it to dynamically >>> move as I scan the text. It's great in what it does but it does not >>> lend itself to reading. >>> >>> Richard Powell >>> >>> JGJones wrote: >>> > Just wondering... >>> > >>> > How is the Compiz's Zoom function for you? - I've mapped it to use >>> the > <Super> (Win) key and so while I press the Windows key, and >>> then > scroll the mouse wheel up - it'll zoom into around the cursor >>> smoothly > as much as you want and the screen moves around with the >>> cursor. >>> > >>> > You can zoom in and out as much as you wish anytime by pressing the >>> > assigned key and moving mousewheel up and down - this is actually >>> the > same as to how OSX does their zoom function. >>> > >>> > Obviously your suggestion is ideal for someone that can't use >>> Compiz > for any reason though. >>> > >>> > BUT the reason I suggest Compiz was that you could make use of >>> extra > features to help make things easier to see...for example I >>> notice > there's a Negative plugin (reverse colours on screen) which >>> could help > make things clear when it's needed etc and finally >>> another plugin > called ADD Helper - the purpose of this tool is to >>> dim all other > windows in the background so that the active window >>> you are working on > is the only one that's "lit up" and all others >>> behind is dimmed. > Switch to another window and that lights up and >>> the previous will dim. >>> > >>> > Am aware that Compiz is not Gnome...but a lot of function could >>> make > use of Compiz if supported no? >>> > >>> > Richard Powell wrote: >>> >> All, >>> >> >>> >> I've been using GNOME for almost 10 years now. In 2003 I became >>> >> legally blind (visually impaired). Since that time I have had to >>> use >> a combination of tricks to allow me to see the screen well >>> enough to >> use it. These "tricks" have included low resolution >>> display setting, >> large monitors, extremely large font sizing and >>> the use of a hand >> held magnifier. >>> >> >>> >> I've read through some of the discussions on this mailing list and >>> it >> looks like the team members have some ambitious goals. I truly >>> hope >> that these goals can and will be met. However, as a visually >>> >> impaired GNOME user I know what would make GNOME much easier to >>> use >> that I don't believe is nearly as ambitious. Microsoft >>> introduced a >> feature with their mice a few years back that has >>> solved my problem >> entirely on a Windows machine (which ironically >>> is not as easy to >> setup for the visually impaired as GNOME). It's >>> called "Magnify". >> Unlike Logitech's "Zoom" feature, which is >>> little more than a button >> mapping to the text sizing function of >>> applications such as Mozilla, >> "Magnify" actually pops up a >>> magnification window around that mouse >> cursor. This window can be >>> adjusted for size and magnification level >> by simple mouse >>> controls. What this does for me and the other people >> that I have >>> introduced to this, is it allows me to not have to change >> all my >>> display and font settings and more importantly I no longer >> have to >>> hold a magnifier in one hand while trying to use the computer >> with >>> my other hand. >>> >> >>> >> I'm not sure what the effort level would be for this kind of >>> task. I >> do know however that this feature has been the most >>> useful feature to >> me (as a visually impaired person) since the >>> introduction of the >> mouse itself. This may be a simpler solution >>> that would solve the >> same issues that you are currently wrestling >>> with. It's application >> independent and it's extremely flexible to >>> the user. >>> >> >>> >> Richard Powell >>> >> _______________________________________________ >>> >> gnome-accessibility-list mailing list >>> >> gnome-accessibility-list@gnome.org >>> <mailto:gnome-accessibility-list@gnome.org> >>> >> http://mail.gnome.org/mailman/listinfo/gnome-accessibility-list >>> _______________________________________________ gnome-accessibility-list mailing list gnome-accessibility-list@gnome.org http://mail.gnome.org/mailman/listinfo/gnome-accessibility-list
