Unexplained loss of JAWS functionality and strange keyboard locked scenarios.

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Hello Everyone,
 
For quite some time, at least since running JAWS 8.0, I have been experiencing a very strange situation.  If I walk away and leave my system idle for a few minutes, there is no speech output when I return to continue working.  The following problems are observed:
 
  1. There is absolutely no JAWS functionality.  The computer is silent and has become an inaccessible paperweight.
  2. Starting Narrator results in constantly studdering speech.
  3. Key presses do not work at all as expected.  For instance, pressing the Windows key to open the Start menu causes it to quickly appear and disappear.
  4. Forcibly shutting down and restarting the computer is the only way to regain control.
  5. I have experienced this issue on at least two different systems. 
  6. It has been happening on JAWS 8.0, but also in previous versions, such as 6.2 and 7.1, but at a much lesser frequency in those older versions.
  7. The issue is not observed if other screen readers, such as NVDA, System Access or Window-Eyes are running when I walk away from the computer.  In all such cases, the computer remains accessible and completely usable as expected upon my return.
 
Has anyone else experienced an issue similar to this one?  If so, let’s see if we can put together a much more detailed accounting of this problem so we can get the Freedom Scientific programmers enough useful information to get it fixed in an upcoming version of JAWS.  If this is not an isolated issue, then I would classify it as a critical flaw that needs to receive a high priority.
 

Blank Virtual Buffer Issues Persist in JAWS 8.0 Build 1171

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Those of you who are hoping that the blank virtual PC cursor issues will be resolved in the upcoming release of JAWS 8.00.1171 are in for a big disappointment. I’ve been running this new build for a couple of days now, and have experienced the issues in both Internet Explorer 7.0 and Outlook Express thus far. Come on, FS programmers, please, please, find a way to fix these issues!

McAfee Researcher Recommends Removal of Important Windows Accessibility Component to Resolve Potential Vulnerability

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In this article entitled Windows Vista Vulnerable to StickyKeys Backdoor on the McAfee Avert Labs Blog, researcher Vinoo Thomas indicates that a good solution to a potential, though very unlikely, Windows Vista vulnerability is to remove a file critical to the operation of the sticky keys accessibility feature. Unfortunately, Mr. Thomas completely fails to mention that taking such an action may serve to severely limit, or even curtail, use of the computer by a person with a physical disability who may rely on that feature. An IT professional who makes this change may end up making it practically impossible for that disabled person to perform the duties of their job! Even worse, after 21 responses to the article, nobody else bothered to mention this concern. Despite all that we accessibility evangelists do to raise awareness of the needs of technology users with disabilities, it is obvious that ignorance continues to run rampant in the technology industry at large.

Windows 2000 Internet Explorer Issues Addressed, JAWS 8.0 Build 1166 Auto Update Explained

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Freedom Scientific has addressed specific issues with tabbing, forms mode and Adobe Flash in Internet Explorer running under Windows 2000 in an upcoming JAWS 8.0 build to be released in the very near future. Customers experiencing these concerns may contact Freedom Scientific’s technical support department to receive a patch that addresses these issues now.

The JAWS 8.0 Build 1166 released on March 21 as an automatic update was unintended. Customers who have received and installed this update may completely uninstall JAWS and reinstall the currently released JAWS 8.0 Build 1163, or contact Freedom Scientific’s technical support department for an update that may be applied without need of reinstallation.

JAWS 8.0 Update Build 1166 Appears to Have Been Pulled

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It appears the Build 1166 automatic update to JAWS 8.0 may have been pulled this afternoon by Freedom Scientific. I’ve encountered some quirks with the virtual buffer in Internet Explorer 7.0 and Outlook Express since applying this update. Here’s hoping that Freedom Scientific will make some sort of official statement concerning this situation and, further, that they may be able to help us roll back by way of an automatic downgrade.

Release of JAWS 8.0 Build 1166 Reported to be Unintended

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It has been reported by a reliable source that Freedom Scientific did not intend to release any JAWS updates till at least Tuesday next week. If you are offered this automatic update through the Help > Check for Updates dialogue, you are strongly encouraged not to accept the update at this time.

Freedom Scientific Quietly Releases JAWS 8.0 Update Build 1166, or is that 1171?

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It seems that Freedom Scientific has quietly released a third automatic update to JAWS 8.0. Labeled as Build 1171 in the auto update dialogue, its Help > About information indicates Build 1166. After running this new build for approximately 10 minutes now, I have not noticed any significant changes. We are all looking forward to the posting of official information concerning this update.

Update: Subsequent checks for updates in the JAWS Help > Check for Updates dialogue continue to offer Build 1171, while actually downloading and installing Build 1166. Caution is urged at this time until Freedom Scientific makes an official announcement concerning this automatic update.

More Surgery Tomorrow Morning!

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I woke up this morning and things were not good at all from a visual perspective. Everything was very dark, even inside the house. I thought it was a very cloudy day when, in fact, the weather was clear and sunny. After about three hours of it I finally called my retinal specialist. A little over an hour later, I was in his office. He told me the bad news. There is some new scar tissue pulling on my retina. It is starting to detach again. I saw this same doctor just two days ago, and all was fine then. Amazing how quickly things can change with the eye.

So, tomorrow morning at 9:00, I’ll be undergoing my second eye surgery in less than three weeks. Though the cornea remains in good shape, the retinal surgery will be much more complex this time. Another vitrectomy will be performed, along with membrane stripping and replacement of the vitreous with a silicone oil to insure the retina remains attached. Despite the fact that no cornea surgery needs to be performed this time, this operation will last longer than the previous one. It was an hour and a half last time. This time it will take about two hours.