Re: [Ayatana] Unity improvement for vision loss people

[Matt Wheeler <m@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

On 6 January 2012 01:31, Bartosz <gang65@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> Hi.
>
> My friend has a big vision impairment.
> In every day computer usage he is using Windows 7 with big fonts. He is using computer for checking the mail (thunderbird), web browsing (firefox), and watching the movies (vlc player)
>
> I convinced him to test the Ubuntu for two weeks, and tell me his impressions.
>
> I installed Ubuntu 10.10. After enable some accessibility and appearance set-up, the Ubuntu works like the charm. My friend was very positive surprised with the Ubuntu.

Great! :)

> Most annoying problem he found:
> - readability of the currently opened applications in launcher - after open the new applications he has problems with notice, which  application are already opened. There is only small arrow on the left side of icon. In Windows 7 there is no such problem. Is is possible to implement some more readable look?
> -  readability of the currently active application in launcher - Currently there is small arrow on the right side of icon. Is it possible to do it more readable?

It's possible to change the appearance of running apps in the launcher
by installing compizconfig-settings-manager and tweaking the settings
in the unity plugin. Perhaps some changes to the launcher's appearance
should be made automatically when choosing low, high or high/inverse
contrast settings, or an option added to the Universal Access settings
(I'm not sure tying it to the contrast option quite fits... anyone?)

> With this problem solved, the productivity of vision loss with ubuntu will be much higher.
>
> What do you think about his ideas?
> Do you think it is possible to change this looks in Unuty?

It's possible for you do do this for your friend right away, we just
need to decide whether we should be doing this by default, and also
whether the current configuration options for the launcher are good
enough from an accessibility point of view. I'm not in any way an
accessibility expert so someone who is should probably look at what
we've got and comment here :)


Thanks

-- 
Matt Wheeler
m@xxxxxxxxxxxx