Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

Apple Won't Provide Support Because I Can't Use Phones?

I tried to get support by chat. I ran into some technical issues and missed the first couple contacts. I was basically told to frak off by the third contact: "contact us again when you have someone who can call for you." I am disabled and I can't use phones. I can't use phones.

MacBook Air (11-inch Mid 2013), OS X Yosemite (10.10.3)

Posted on Jul 10, 2015 10:52 AM

Reply
7 replies

Jul 10, 2015 11:51 AM in response to deggie

Okay, thanks.


I have severe sensory processing issues, coordination issues, and bilateral arm pain. The computer issues are only the tip of the iceberg, there are other worse issues involved, but the computer issues should be fixable. I had used various fixes. I tried Onyx and Tinkertool but ran into trouble because of the painimation in Onyx and Tinkertool. I use Firefox, and avoid Safari, and have a bunch of add-ons for Firefox, but they aren't enough.


First, I wanted to clear out some of the customizations, especially involving hidden preferences, because I didn't want to create trouble for future customizations. I *think* I have cleared out the hidden customizations.


Second, I want to make things more accessible for me.


I have a lot of trouble with animation. Flashing lights, looping gifs, and zooming images are the absolute worst, but autoplaying anything, bouncing icons, shaking icons, and the NSSheets are also pretty painfully bad. I haven't been able to disable everything. Unfortunately, a lot here is embedded in OS X and a lot online is embedded in Javascript, and can't be disabled except by disabling all of Javascript. I could use less animation. I could use a clear visual separator between anything which scrolls and anything which stays put.


I also can't handle phone calls.


I also have a lot of trouble with coordination. I have trouble with anything that requires coordinating both hands at the same time. I use an external vertical mouse, which helps. I like the small keyboard. I like being able to disable tapping, pinching, etc. on the touchpad. And actually that's one reason I went with OS X instead of Linux. I have tried enhanced Dictation, but between my accent and the noise levels, it can be hard to use enhanced Dictation. I have considered Dragon several times, when it has been on sale.


I bought a Macbook with a 256 GB hard drive, but between importing from different computers, various problems, etc. I've used more than 128 GB and I don't feel like I have enough room to make dual-booting Linux practical. I wish I were able to use a more accessible desktop environment, though.

Jul 11, 2015 7:03 AM in response to deggie

I was thinking of something like these:


http://apple.stackexchange.com/questions/14001/how-to-turn-off-all-animations-on -os-x


I eventually used those and


defaults write NSGlobalDomain NSWindowResizeTime .001


I wish I had some kind of list of these settings [in a gui settings tool or otherwise], though, to help keep track of which ones I have changed and which ones I might need to change. So far, these haven't fixed the problems with sheets. Tinkertool has helped with the problems with launchpad animation. Tinkertool still animates sheets, more slowly than before, not more quickly. Firefox could still use fixes.

Jul 11, 2015 8:46 AM in response to Marja E

I have found Google to be very helpful solving problems. The trick is to craft "just the right search terms". I was able to easily address your GIF animation issue with [ firefox disable gif animation ]


Toggle animated GIFs :: Add-ons for Firefox - Mozilla Add-ons

addons.mozilla.org › Add-ons for Firefox › Extensions
Mozilla Add‑ons


Rating: 4.5 - 43 votes - Free

Jun 18, 2014 - Start/stop GIF animations through a keyboard shortcut or by clicking them. You can also restart animations from the beginning, or disable ...


How do I stop playing animated GIF's within web pages ...

Nov 6, 2014 - Some of those images are animated GIF files. ... 1. this firefox addon, Toggle animated GIFs, seems to work pretty good. ctrl+m toggles the ... double click it and set its value to none. this should disable all GIF animations.
In Firefox you can control a plethora of things from within the browser - simply typing the right terms in the location bar can give you many Control Panels - the Mother of All is " about:config " - it will give you a great long list of variables - but you need to know beforehand WHAT you will be changing. It will warn you- but since FF is free, merely "Reset Firefox" from [ about:support ] page will dump all changes (plus all your add-ons!!)
User uploaded file
It seems with all the Accessibility features within OS X and other things like Firefox controls you may be able to eliminate a great deal of the offending triggers.
I would tinker with Google search terms on each specific issue you need to "cure" rather than looking for the whole laundry list at once - you MAY stumble upon a one-stop solution by mere chance. The InterWeb is very big place.

Jul 11, 2015 9:10 AM in response to ChitlinsCC

Thanks.


I've already enabled those fixes, they help, but they don't address, for example, the Javascript-based animations on this web site, on newspapers, etc. I've also got tools to block Javascript, Flash, a special script to block another kind of video, etc. But I can't always block Javascript everywhere, and still use this site.


I'm frustrated because accessibility should be the standard, but enabling every new sensory pain-source seems to be part of the standard, while allowing users to disable these isn't part of the standard, and isn't always possible.

Jul 11, 2015 1:35 PM in response to Marja E

¶ 2

Although I can empathize with your frustration, you should be able understand the Apple side of the issue. They have a HUGE Target Audience of predominantly users of iDevices - the ones that saved the company and the ones that made it the most valuable in the world. It is not hard to grasp that designing to the LOWEST common denominator - desktop users and in particular "Physical & Motor Skills" challenged - is not anything that they would even consider. That said...


¶ 1

I am merely extremely annoyed with the animations that you describe as physically painful to you. I have a novel idea that may help...


Employ AdBlockPlus as an animation killer

I will use http://www.apple.com/watch/ as a good example of annoying/painful page

The way it looks normally, it is literally chock full of images - some animated via JavaScript - most egregious is the top one that is what any display starts with, no matter the platform [green box]

User uploaded file

AdBlockPlus has a "Nuclear Option" that can dsiable all images in all of the apple.com domain, or better probably is a " 'battlefield' nuclear option " that will block all images from a certain directory on the server ( the default choice when invoking "Open blockable items" )

User uploaded fileUser uploaded file


yields an almost image free page

User uploaded file

Being somewhat more surgical seems like the BEST option (like a "smart bomb" with little collateral damage) - one can then set exceptions to that rule by allowing NON-hero named images (or start by disabling only the "HERO" series)

User uploaded file

This seems to yield an animation free version of the page. Tedious, but gets the job done. It also seems to disable some navigation options attached to the images (or overlaid somehow) - the neat part i, you can switch it on and off pretty easily.

User uploaded file


I have used an add-on called "Stylish" to invoke custom Cascading Style Sheets for certain sites with some success - but my needs were small in those cases. I also use it here in the forums to "clean up" some display 'layout' issues some of us have with desktop Macs. To achieve your goals, it would likely take someone very well versed in CSS to author and test such a comprehensive solution - there are some here with those skills, as evidenced by:

Stylish | Adjust the format and layout of ASC Web Pages | Apple Support Communities

Adjust the format and layout of ASC Web Pages - Themes and Skins for Apple - userstyles.org <[editADDED = missed it somehow]


Stylish :: Add-ons for Firefox


Another (unsavory) option is to avoid pages that you know are triggers to your sensitivity

Apple Won't Provide Support Because I Can't Use Phones?

Welcome to Apple Support Community
A forum where Apple customers help each other with their products. Get started with your Apple ID.