April 2013 - Blind-sysadmins - lists.hodgsonfamily.org

SCCM 2012 SP1
by Ryan Shugart 29 Apr '13

29 Apr '13

Hi: Who here has SP1 installed in their SCCM 2012 environments? Microsoft told me last month there were major accessibility improvements in this version, but its taken me a while to get a test environment up and going. Our production environment is still on 2007 for obvious reasons, so I had to start from scratch in a test domain. Anyway, I'm not seeing a huge improvement in 2012 SP1 and was wondering if it was just me? Some of the controls that were not labeled before are now properly labeled. The ribbon still doesn't work at all but Microsoft admitted that to me. Quite a few lists, such as the all systems list and the list of boundaries don't read at all now. However, I'm wondering if this is an issue introduced in Window-Eyes 8.2, as this works properly in Narrator. In fact, the only lists that don't read properly now in Narrator are lists with only one item in them. And, that's another thing Microsoft admitted still wasn't working. So, I'd like to hear from others, particular other screen reader users, as to their experience with this? I'm going to go to GWMicro and find out why this no longer works in 8.2 anyway, but if it works fine in other screen readers, that is more of a push to them to fix this. Again, the lists I've tested are the list of all systems under device collections, and the boundary list under hierarchy configuration. Thanks. Ryan

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Exchange 2010
by George Bell 28 Apr '13

28 Apr '13

Are any of you administering Exchange 2010 and had memory issues? Seems that store.exe goes off and grabs whatever memory it can. I'd be interested to know what solution (if any) you applied that actually worked. George.

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SCCM 2012 SP1
by Ryan Shugart 28 Apr '13

28 Apr '13

Hi: Who here has SP1 installed in their SCCM 2012 environments? Microsoft told me last month there were major accessibility improvements in this version, but its taken me a while to get a test environment up and going. Our production environment is still on 2007 for obvious reasons, so I had to start from scratch in a test domain. Anyway, I'm not seeing a huge improvement in 2012 SP1 and was wondering if it was just me? Some of the controls that were not labeled before are now properly labeled. The ribbon still doesn't work at all but Microsoft admitted that to me. Quite a few lists, such as the all systems list and the list of boundaries don't read at all now. However, I'm wondering if this is an issue introduced in Window-Eyes 8.2, as this works properly in Narrator. In fact, the only lists that don't read properly now in Narrator are lists with only one item in them. And, that's another thing Microsoft admitted still wasn't working. So, I'd like to hear from others, particular other screen reader users, as to their experience with this? I'm going to go to GWMicro and find out why this no longer works in 8.2 anyway, but if it works fine in other screen readers, that is more of a push to them to fix this. Again, the lists I've tested are the list of all systems under device collections, and the boundary list under hierarchy configuration. Thanks. Ryan

1 0

Cheapest Android handset that supports talkback
by Barry Toner 26 Apr '13

26 Apr '13

Hi, We are looking into replacing old Nokias with Android, for users who don't require iPhones. I am proposing we go for Android for cost. This will also allow me to have a platform that is supported by the Mobile Device Management system I have been implementing. I need to be able to support the handsets independently, hence why I've picked Android. I know next to nothing about Android. What price ranges do they live in, and if I were to by one today brand new from a phone supplier would they all come with the latest FW and Talk back either enabled or could be enabled by me straight from the handset independently? I am wondering how the other accessibility features of Android compare to that of iPhone? EG for people with vision impairments, learning disabilities, motor skills, hearing impairments? This would strengthen my argument to go for a smart phone over a feature phone as my organisation is Section75 compliant. I have other business reasons why I feel we should go for Android within our business context that I can push. Any information greatfully received! BTW. I'm hitting lists because time is very much a factor. Thanks, Barry. Barry Toner ICT Assistant ICT Department Clanmil Housing Northern Whig House 3 Waring Street Belfast BT1 2DX Tel: 02890 876000 Fax: 02890 876001

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Cheapest Android handset that supports talkback
by Barry Toner 26 Apr '13

26 Apr '13

Hi, We are looking into replacing old Nokias with Android, for users who don't require iPhones. I am proposing we go for Android for cost. This will also allow me to have a platform that is supported by the Mobile Device Management system I have been implementing. I need to be able to support the handsets independently, hence why I've picked Android. I know next to nothing about Android. What price ranges do they live in, and if I were to by one today brand new from a phone supplier would they all come with the latest FW and Talk back either enabled or could be enabled by me straight from the handset independently? I am wondering how the other accessibility features of Android compare to that of iPhone? EG for people with vision impairments, learning disabilities, motor skills, hearing impairments? This would strengthen my argument to go for a smart phone over a feature phone as my organisation is Section75 compliant. I have other business reasons why I feel we should go for Android within our business context that I can push. Any information greatfully received! BTW. I'm hitting lists because time is very much a factor. Thanks, Barry. Barry Toner ICT Assistant ICT Department Clanmil Housing Northern Whig House 3 Waring Street Belfast BT1 2DX Tel: 02890 876000 Fax: 02890 876001

1 0

Installing an ssd drive, partition and operating system, unattended
by David Mehler 24 Apr '13

24 Apr '13

Hello, I've got a new SSD for my system. I am wanting to install win7 on it. I've read and heard from others that partition alignment on these drives is critical to getting optimum system performance. I've read that gparted can do this, align on zero boundaries? might be it? I've got a grml disk that I can boot live and have it do the gparted, is it simply a matter of creating the partition with gparted setting it's type to ntfs then using an fsck.ntfs to format it? I then want to do my win7 unattended install. I've got an xml file but it erases all partitions, and formats, which I get would defeat my gparted, I'm wanting to not do this and just have the unattend file install on to the previously created ntfs partition. But that also creates a small boot partition, so I'm wondering do I have to make this? If anyone has done this please let me know, i'd like to get the max performance out of my drive and have read that improperly partitioning can lead to extra ware on them. This is my first ssd. Also, how do you separate, or do you separate, programs from system data when using ssd's? Thanks. Dave.

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Backtrack Linux and Orca
by Greg B. 19 Apr '13

19 Apr '13

Hello, I will be taking a computer security class in the fall. I am trying to do some research for the class and have come up with a couple of things that could present problems. They are nmap, Backtrack Linux and Orca. Does any one have experience with any of the above software packages? Greg B.

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Domain Wide Password Policies
by Sean Randall 11 Apr '13

11 Apr '13

Hi all, Just a quicky: is there any way, other than an MMC snap-in or from a domain controller's administrative tools, to set criteria for a domain-wide password policy? Ideally a command line tool with an answerfile would be amazing! Sorry I haven't contributed much to the list; not really my field yet and the stuff you guys talk about is often over my head. I do appreciate the assistance though and will try and chime in where I can! Sean. -- Sean Randall mailto:sr22473@my.open.ac.uk tel/sms::+44 (0) 7969662640 OUCU: sr22473 PI: C279004X

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Citrix ICA
by Barry Toner 08 Apr '13

08 Apr '13

Folks, I know I've mentioned Citrix on here before, but it's rearing its head again in work. I may need to access two pieces of software and I've asked how the two sighted techs would access it, with a view that I may be able to figure out a way I can do this with speech. I got the below reply, and would appreciate anyones views on weither this can be done with any form of Screen reader setup. "We would run them through a Citrix ICA connection - would you be accessing through a Citrix session (are you able to do this) or shadowing a user running an ICA session" Thanks, Barry. Barry Toner ICT Assistant ICT Department Clanmil Housing Northern Whig House 3 Waring Street Belfast BT1 2DX Tel: 02890 876000 Fax: 02890 876001

1 0

Citrix ICA
by Barry Toner 08 Apr '13

08 Apr '13

Folks, I know I've mentioned Citrix on here before, but it's rearing its head again in work. I may need to access two pieces of software and I've asked how the two sighted techs would access it, with a view that I may be able to figure out a way I can do this with speech. I got the below reply, and would appreciate anyones views on weither this can be done with any form of Screen reader setup. "We would run them through a Citrix ICA connection - would you be accessing through a Citrix session (are you able to do this) or shadowing a user running an ICA session" Thanks, Barry. Barry Toner ICT Assistant ICT Department Clanmil Housing Northern Whig House 3 Waring Street Belfast BT1 2DX Tel: 02890 876000 Fax: 02890 876001

1 0