Peter Johansson writes:
> The MPLAB-X IDE is based on NetBeans, which is in turn based on
> Java/JVM.  My guess here is that the problem lays in how the JVM
> interfaces with OS/X.  The OS/X API was designed with accessibility in
> mind from the start which is why most native OS/X apps handle
> accessibility so well -- if you code properly for OS/X you get that
> for free.  If you are looking to point fingers, a more likely
> direction is Java, not MicroChip.

	I certainly don't blame Microchip. That's what makes
this all so %@!** frustrating. This is all supposed to be the
interface for the masses yet it is dependent on a giant chain of
libraries and back-end processing that must work flawlessly like
some Rube Goldberg machine in which one rings a bell after the
dominoes fall, hitting the little man who lands on a fulcrum,
catapulting the ball which hits the arm that taps the bell.

	One of the things I really began to love about Unix when
I began to learn about it years ago was the concept of many
small blocks, each doing one thing well, combined to do complex
tasks that the developers never anticipated.

> However, you should be aware that MPLAB-X is based on top of
> command-line compilers, and there is nothing stopping you from using
> them with without the NetBeans/Java IDE.  You can use all of the
> latest compilers with the editor of your choice.  Personally, I am not
> a fan of "modern" GUI-based IDEs, so in my opinion you are not losing
> anything by not using them.
>=20
> You may very well need an assistant to get the compiler tools
> installed (which is indeed unfortunate) but once you have done so you
> should be good to go on your own with the command-line tools.

	If I ever figure out how to get my best Intel box to run
gnome under Linux which also has a good screen reader, I will
try this all again. It will still be depending on java but the
platform may let the installer work. There is a similar problem
right now with firefox for the Mac versus firefox for Linux.
Firefox for Linux is reportedly very accessible in gnome. On the
Mac, firefox is improving but it isn't there yet.

	Thank you. It's good to know that the compilers are
likely to work if the GUI will just get out of the way.

Martin
--=20
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