I listened to a podcast talking about accessibility options in mobile and desktop OS's, and whether or not the hosts use or "should" use them. In the years following that lingering idea, I've found that a number of sensory or motion based issues I have with many apps are solved by unchecking the "Auto play animated images" setting buried under the "motion" sub heading. I love that this exists, because otherwise I can get trapped staring at an unresolved "satisfying" or meme loop in text chats, or motion sick when browsing a streaming service, or forgetful when trying to find an app in search results. I think the hosts of the discussion I mentioned were speaking as though using accessibility features in digital experiences were like using accessibility resources in the physical world, that false intuition that somehow it was like depriving another of that resource, or that by being in the audience of those who use a feature would distract from the "intended" audience of who it helps. I appreciate your story, and I've been more excited to see more features and ideas being explored in accessibility options, both in the OS and in apps and games. I too have gone too long between doctor appointments, coping with changes in my body, much like my IT clients have coped with an app or service behaving strangely, until I was called out for an unrelated issue and discovered something like their laptop open on top of a filing cabinet because wifi service in the building was poor and the ethernet port on the wall had failed.
Your point about concluding "well this is my life now, nothing I can do" and then not doing anything about it is so, so true. That was me for 15-20 years. I've started seeing a doctor and a dentist again regularly. My eyes have always been far too bad for me to ignore, but I'm sure I would've done that, too. Regardless, yes, if you can, please at least do check in on things. This also plays into your "you may not be disabled now but eventually you likely will be" point, though from a different angle. I definitely count needing glasses as a disability, and indeed that tends to be something that happens later in people's lives.
Vision correction can make such a difference, but I think it falls on the spectrum of "not a proper disability". Astigmatism as you describe it in particular is a magical feeling when it's adjusted. I'm privileged to have my glasses, backup glasses, and other backup glasses. Geography decides how cheap (or free!) those can be. And I know, in between sphere, cylinder, and axis (I have no idea about varifocals), with this or that coating and refractive index and what not no one can keep it all in stock. But ultimately it's not the access to frames (suggest luxottica might like a broom stick) and lenses. It's having the chance to see an eye doctor who can tell you that your vison could be trivially better.
Then you got the one disabilty no one wants to cure and you run into proactive opposition of it if you try to cure it, opposite handedness. In most industries, that's 10% of the population. In the video game industry, it's 90%. Americans kicked hiney in the pre-crash video game championships, and then Japan put a stigma on right handed gameplay. Also arcade owners made more money by limiting hand options. JAMMA was a cartel. No one could operate Japanese video games without going through JAMMA.
"I didn't know how much I could be supported, until that support was in place." That hits home quite hard.
I listened to a podcast talking about accessibility options in mobile and desktop OS's, and whether or not the hosts use or "should" use them. In the years following that lingering idea, I've found that a number of sensory or motion based issues I have with many apps are solved by unchecking the "Auto play animated images" setting buried under the "motion" sub heading. I love that this exists, because otherwise I can get trapped staring at an unresolved "satisfying" or meme loop in text chats, or motion sick when browsing a streaming service, or forgetful when trying to find an app in search results.
I think the hosts of the discussion I mentioned were speaking as though using accessibility features in digital experiences were like using accessibility resources in the physical world, that false intuition that somehow it was like depriving another of that resource, or that by being in the audience of those who use a feature would distract from the "intended" audience of who it helps.
I appreciate your story, and I've been more excited to see more features and ideas being explored in accessibility options, both in the OS and in apps and games. I too have gone too long between doctor appointments, coping with changes in my body, much like my IT clients have coped with an app or service behaving strangely, until I was called out for an unrelated issue and discovered something like their laptop open on top of a filing cabinet because wifi service in the building was poor and the ethernet port on the wall had failed.
Your point about concluding "well this is my life now, nothing I can do" and then not doing anything about it is so, so true. That was me for 15-20 years. I've started seeing a doctor and a dentist again regularly. My eyes have always been far too bad for me to ignore, but I'm sure I would've done that, too. Regardless, yes, if you can, please at least do check in on things.
This also plays into your "you may not be disabled now but eventually you likely will be" point, though from a different angle. I definitely count needing glasses as a disability, and indeed that tends to be something that happens later in people's lives.
Engagement for the engagement god!
Vision correction can make such a difference, but I think it falls on the spectrum of "not a proper disability". Astigmatism as you describe it in particular is a magical feeling when it's adjusted. I'm privileged to have my glasses, backup glasses, and other backup glasses. Geography decides how cheap (or free!) those can be.
And I know, in between sphere, cylinder, and axis (I have no idea about varifocals), with this or that coating and refractive index and what not no one can keep it all in stock.
But ultimately it's not the access to frames (suggest luxottica might like a broom stick) and lenses. It's having the chance to see an eye doctor who can tell you that your vison could be trivially better.
Love the glasses look ❤
The 3D effect of anything just gives me horrible migraines. Cinema with glasses is the same as the 3DS
should i buy the "beyond good and evil" physical re-release from limited run...?
Then you got the one disabilty no one wants to cure and you run into proactive opposition of it if you try to cure it, opposite handedness.
In most industries, that's 10% of the population.
In the video game industry, it's 90%. Americans kicked hiney in the pre-crash video game championships, and then Japan put a stigma on right handed gameplay.
Also arcade owners made more money by limiting hand options. JAMMA was a cartel. No one could operate Japanese video games without going through JAMMA.