Microsoft Messenger for Mac 7.0 Released without Accessibility

By Ricky Buchanan • May 3, 2008

Lioncourt.com reported a few days ago:

Microsoft released Microsoft Messenger for Mac 7.0, the latest version of their popular instant messaging client for the Live Messenger and Office Communications services. Unfortunately, Microsoft apparently paid little or no attention to accessibility.

I haven’t tested this myself, but it seems that making Messenger accessible to VoiceOver users would have been very little work for the Microsoft programmers. It’s sad that they didn’t bother to follow the programming guidelines for writing accessible programs.

I suggest that those needing an accessible program try the excellent Adium client for MSN/Live messenger chatting. Unfortunately there’s no accessible replacement if you need to use Microsoft Office Communications. For those who need that functionality, I can only reiterate Josh’s suggestion to contact Microsoft through their accessibility site and request that they remedy this.

Website: Microsoft Messenger for Mac 7.0 Released without Accessibility

- Ricky Buchanan

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Categories: Developers, Information, Users, Vision Impaired, VoiceOver
Tags: apple, free, IM, instant message client, instant messages, instant messaging, mac, microsoft chat, msn, msn chat, msn live messenger, msn messenger, os x, text message client

About the Author

Ricky Buchanan

Ricky Buchanan is 33 years old and the founder and main writer for ATMac. She's bedridden with severe CFS/ME or perhaps a primary mitochondrial disorder - the doctors are not sure. When she's not working on ATMac or her other websitse she composes music, listens to audio books, does other disability advocacy, watches TV with her flatmate, and enjoys her cat.

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