Re: Necessary training to write a screen reader?


Jason White
 

Computer science courses at university teach algorithm analysis, data structures, operating system design, compiler theory, artificial intelligence, programming languages, software design and other specialized topics. With this background in place, a capable graduate can apply their knowledge and skills to specialized areas, including screen readers. That is, the university education provides a foundation of understanding and skill that can then be applied in many ways to many different problems, including screen reader development. A good graduate should be able to pick up the specifics of each problem (e.g., accessibility) in the course of working on it. What the education provides is the ability to analyze and solve problems independently, based on the fundamentals that have already been learned.

 

From: nvda@nvda.groups.io [mailto:nvda@nvda.groups.io] On Behalf Of Walker, Michael E
Sent: Friday, September 29, 2017 4:30 PM
To: nvda@nvda.groups.io
Subject: [nvda] Necessary training to write a screen reader?

 

Hi,

 

When I read about how NVDA was born by a blind developer starting and writing it back in 2006, where do you think he would have even gotten the training to write a screen reader? I know that one would not get this from college alone. College may teach the fundamentals of Computer Science with an introduction to some specialized topics like security and cryptography, image processing, networking, and multimedia, but writing a screen reader has to be a highly complex undertaking. I am not looking to write one, but am intrigued by NVDA’s history.

 

Thanks,

Mike

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