[Accessibility] Sec 2b Item 6: Service API Support for Magnification

[Janina Sajka]

I have added only a few minor changes to your excellent redraft:

6.)Magnification

Service API support for magnification should make it possible to provide
sophisticated magnification of one or more portions of the video display
screen for users who require, a larger or different font, and alternate
foreground or background color.

In addition, magnification of icons and text should be able to achieve a
wide range of magnification ratios. Many users with visual disabilities
need 3X, 4x, etc. magnification, while other users can benefit from ratios
as small as 1.2% magnification.

Currently it is not possible to achieve required magnification functionality on X platforms without requiring high-end video hardware with multiple
frame buffering. This should not be a requirement. Also, the user should be able to maintain magnification while applications are writing to the screen.

Historically the networked nature of the X technology has not made it
possible (nor desirable) for AT to replace device drivers or write directly
to video hardware. Creating this standard will require significant cooperation with
X, GNOME, and KDE developers.

There are currently projects under development, among some vendors, that
can provide reference implementations.
Sharon D Snider writes:
> From: Sharon D Snider <snidersd at us.ibm.com>
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Hi Janina, a few suggested changes:
> 
> 6.)Service API Support for Magnification
> 
> Service API support for magnification should make it possible to provide
> sophisticated magnification of one or more portions of the video display
> screen for users who require, a larger or different font, and alternate
> foreground or background color.
> 
> In addition, magnification of icons and text should be able to achieve a
> wide range of magnification ratios. Many users with visual disabilities
> need 3X, 4x, etc. magnification, while other users can benefit from ratios
> as small as 1.2% magnification.
> 
> Currently it is not possible to achieve magnification without requiring
> high-end video
> hardware with multiple frame buffering. This should not be a requirement.
> Also, the user should be able to maintain magnification while applications
> are writing to the screen.
> 
> Historically the networked nature of the X technology has not made it
> possible (nor desirable) for AT to replace device drivers or write directly
> to video hardware. By creating this standard, significant cooperation with
> X, GNOME, and KDE developers would be required.
> 
> There are currently projects under development, among some vendors, that
> can provide reference implementations.
> 
> Sharon Snider
> 
> Linux Accessibility, and Information Development
> IBM Linux Technology Services
> (512) 838-4127, T/L 678-4127
> 
> ----- Forwarded by Sharon D Snider/Austin/IBM on 09/09/2003 09:54 AM -----
>                                                                                                                                                 
>                       Janina Sajka                                                                                                              
>                       <janina at rednote.net>              To:       accessibility at freestandards.org                                               
>                       Sent by:                          cc:                                                                                     
>                       accessibility-admin at freest        Subject:  [Accessibility] Sec 2b Item 6:  Service API Support for Magnification         
>                       andards.org                                                                                                               
>                                                                                                                                                 
>                                                                                                                                                 
>                       09/08/2003 01:48 PM                                                                                                       
>                                                                                                                                                 
>                                                                                                                                                 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
>              6.)         Service API Support for Magnification
> 
> It should be possible to provide sophisticated magnification of one or more
> portions of the video display screen to users who require large (or
> different) fonts and/or alternate foreground/background colors. It should
> be possible to magnify icons along with text. And, it should be possible to
> achieve both smaller and large magnification ratios, many users with visual
> disabilities may need 3X, 4x, etc. magnification, but many users would also
> benefit from ratios as small as 1.2% magnification.
> 
> It should be possible to achieve this feature support without requiring
> higher-end video
> hardware with multiple frame buffering as is the case today. Also, it
> should be possible to maintain magnification while applications are writing
> to
> screen.
> 
> Because of the historic networked nature of the X technology, it is not
> possible (nor desirable) for AT to just replace device drivers or write
> directly
> to video hardware. creating this standard will require significant
> cooperation with X, GNOME, and KDE developers. There are already projects
> under
> development among some vendors which can provide reference implementations.
> --
> 
>                                                  Janina Sajka, Director
>                                                  Technology Research and
> Development
>                                                  Governmental Relations
> Group
>                                                  American Foundation for
> the Blind (AFB)
> 
> Email: janina at afb.net                      Phone: (202) 408-8175
> 
> _______________________________________________
> Accessibility mailing list
> Accessibility at freestandards.org
> http://www.freestandards.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/accessibility
> 

-- 
	
				Janina Sajka, Director
				Technology Research and Development
				Governmental Relations Group
				American Foundation for the Blind (AFB)

Email: janina at afb.net		Phone: (202) 408-8175