Re: LYNX-DEV: blind users & difficult-lynx

[BLINUX Documentation Project]

aloha, laura!

thanks for checking out the BLYNX files...

>> DEFAULT_BOOKMARK_FILE:lynx_bookmarks.html
>Why not .lynx_bookmarks.html?  Was there a reason to remove the '.'?

i didn't--the september 3 1996 version doesn't have a period before the
'l' in 'lynx_bookmarks.html' and there was no mention of any such period
in the lynx2-6FM/lynx.cfg either...

>> DEFAULT_USER_MODE:ADVANCED
>Even for new users?
>(ADVANCED is nice even for beginners, but only after they read some docs...)

yes, because, as the defaults explicitly state:
# NOTE TO BLIND/LOW VISION USERS: user mode has been set to advanced so
# that the URL of ALT="" textless links will appear on the status line
# thereby providing you with a clue as to where the offending [LINK] leads.
# you can always get a list of all of the keystrokes available to you by 
# typing the letter k and can get online help by typing the letter h
DEFAULT_USER_MODE:ADVANCED

as long as the user is made aware of the fact that a keymap and help is
only a keystroke away, it is far, far better to start off with user_mode
set to advanced, especially if you are using speech and have to listen to
the extra information at the bottom of every screen, which isn't very
coherently audiblized, anyway... plus, it has the added advantage of
adding a few more rows to the display, which is not only a blessing to
the speech user, but the refreshable braille user, as well...

>> #INFOSECS:1
>> #MESSAGESECS:2
>> #ALERTSECS:3
>I often have to repeat a failed command several times to be able to read
>the statusline messages before they disappear.  Should these pause times be
>a little longer? or could lynx log alert and error messages in a file somewhere
>for later viewing?

good point, laura--as a matter of fact, i saved one of your posts on this
subject with the intent of asking you if i could adapt it for the basic
BLYNX faq...  what specifically are the values you use for these settings?

>> COLORs
>The default color settings in lynx.cfg are quite bizarre, not to mention hard
>to see.  Since the user currently can't control colors from the options menu,
>it would be nice if the default colors when running 'lynx -color' were better
>chosen.
>I've been using the following.  For me, this gives maximum contrast, so it's
>easy to see.  I also think it's more aesthetically pleasing.  Feel free to
>try it and see what you think.  BTW -- I use TERM=vt220.  TERM=ansi is also
>nice. with these colors.

ok--i'm going to have to ask someone else to give it the look over, as i'm
using speech only...  are you using screen magnification, a CCTV, or
magnifying software (i.e. vista, zoomtext)?

what i'll do is add your color settings to the defaults and get some other
low vision users to test them out...  any full-vision users that want to
try them, are welcome to, too

>I also agree that turning on numbered links by default might be best for
>new users.

amen, but that's why the front page at http://leb.net/blinux/blynx
contains information about how to turn on numbered links, as well as
setting the user_mode to advanced...

gregory.

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