Blind and Visually Impaired Community
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Follow up to: Telegram is unusable by blind people: this needs to change. (self.Blind)
submitted by officemongoose
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Edit: Telegram Messenger now has basic VoiceOver support, as confirmed by @durov $1
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Support is basic but functional and has yet to be advertised so fingers crossed it'll see further improvements!
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A few months back a post was made lamenting the lack of VoiceOver (iOS) or TalkBack (Android) support in Telegram ($1) meaning blind people are locked out from participating in Telegram groups and using it to message their friends.
Its lack of accessibility is unique amongst the 'mainstream' IM apps (WhatsApp, FB Messenger, Snapchat, Hangouts etc. all support it and have done for years).
There’s still no sign of VoiceOver support, but you can help raise some awareness of the lack of VoiceOver support by ensuring the problem gets at least some attention in the developer community vs. other more superficial issues.
Given the @telegram and @durov twitter accounts don't respond to questions relating to accessibility, this is a viable alternative.
Unfortunately some of the steps below are a little inaccessible (says it all really! but worth attempting or getting help to do):
​
**Telegram GitHub repositories:**
GitHub hosts the code for Telegram clients for those who want to contribute to its development and for those who want to make their own Telegram clients (e.g. the ‘Bettergram’ app for iOS).
Specifically regarding Bettergram: its launch means iOS finally has developers actively enhancing the standard Telegram code and adding features which Telegram themselves are not working on.
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1. if you’re not a member, join Github for free from this page: $1
2. Navigate to each of the links below and, on the first comment on each page, where you see the comment title e.g. ‘*bob commented on 16 Apr 2017*’, click the ‘+ <smiley emoticon>’ button to the right of the comment and select <thumbs up> to add your support. You’ll see the ‘Thumbs up’ count below the comment increment by 1.
3. Do the same for any other comments on the page you agree with and if you’ve something more to add, write your own comment at the end.
Links:
$1 \- Telegram iOS (current version)
$1 \- Telegram Core (iOS and Mac OS)
$1 \- Telegram iOS (older non-swift respiratory but collates long-standing bugs)
​
**Trello boards:**
*Bettergram for iOS and MacOS*
Bettergram is currently the only actively developed alternative Telegram client for iOS. It doesn’t support Voiceover but the developers respond and the owner wants to make something better than Telegram.
​
Bettergram uses Trello to allow users to vote for improvements.
1. Sign up for Trello (it's free): $1
2. Navigate to: $1
3. Just below the comment *‘Accessibility: Support screen-reader services…’*, next to ‘**Reply**’ you’ll see a small grey icon of a Smiley face with a + symbol on its bottom right. Click it and then click the 'thumbs up' emoticon.
4. If you want, click Reply to respond to the comment and voice your support.
​
*Telegram for MacOS:*
You can’t add or vote for issues, but the more people ‘watching', the more attention is focussed:
1. Join Trello for free if you've not already: $1
2. Navigate to: $1 (Telegram MacOS) and click the Watch button on the right under ‘Actions’ (a green ticket will appear).
Edit: Telegram Messenger now has basic VoiceOver support, as confirmed by @durov $1
​
Support is basic but functional and has yet to be advertised so fingers crossed it'll see further improvements!
​
​
\----
​
A few months back a post was made lamenting the lack of VoiceOver (iOS) or TalkBack (Android) support in Telegram ($1) meaning blind people are locked out from participating in Telegram groups and using it to message their friends.
Its lack of accessibility is unique amongst the 'mainstream' IM apps (WhatsApp, FB Messenger, Snapchat, Hangouts etc. all support it and have done for years).
There’s still no sign of VoiceOver support, but you can help raise some awareness of the lack of VoiceOver support by ensuring the problem gets at least some attention in the developer community vs. other more superficial issues.
Given the @telegram and @durov twitter accounts don't respond to questions relating to accessibility, this is a viable alternative.
Unfortunately some of the steps below are a little inaccessible (says it all really! but worth attempting or getting help to do):
​
**Telegram GitHub repositories:**
GitHub hosts the code for Telegram clients for those who want to contribute to its development and for those who want to make their own Telegram clients (e.g. the ‘Bettergram’ app for iOS).
Specifically regarding Bettergram: its launch means iOS finally has developers actively enhancing the standard Telegram code and adding features which Telegram themselves are not working on.
​
1. if you’re not a member, join Github for free from this page: $1
2. Navigate to each of the links below and, on the first comment on each page, where you see the comment title e.g. ‘*bob commented on 16 Apr 2017*’, click the ‘+ <smiley emoticon>’ button to the right of the comment and select <thumbs up> to add your support. You’ll see the ‘Thumbs up’ count below the comment increment by 1.
3. Do the same for any other comments on the page you agree with and if you’ve something more to add, write your own comment at the end.
Links:
$1 \- Telegram iOS (current version)
$1 \- Telegram Core (iOS and Mac OS)
$1 \- Telegram iOS (older non-swift respiratory but collates long-standing bugs)
​
**Trello boards:**
*Bettergram for iOS and MacOS*
Bettergram is currently the only actively developed alternative Telegram client for iOS. It doesn’t support Voiceover but the developers respond and the owner wants to make something better than Telegram.
​
Bettergram uses Trello to allow users to vote for improvements.
1. Sign up for Trello (it's free): $1
2. Navigate to: $1
3. Just below the comment *‘Accessibility: Support screen-reader services…’*, next to ‘**Reply**’ you’ll see a small grey icon of a Smiley face with a + symbol on its bottom right. Click it and then click the 'thumbs up' emoticon.
4. If you want, click Reply to respond to the comment and voice your support.
​
*Telegram for MacOS:*
You can’t add or vote for issues, but the more people ‘watching', the more attention is focussed:
1. Join Trello for free if you've not already: $1
2. Navigate to: $1 (Telegram MacOS) and click the Watch button on the right under ‘Actions’ (a green ticket will appear).
HDMILex 5 points 4y ago
All this over a single app which hardly any of my friends use. Maybe NFB should use some of their $ and "influence" to sue them LOL
WhatsApp is by far the most accessible (and best IMO) mainstream IM app out there.
WhatsApp is by far the most accessible (and best IMO) mainstream IM app out there.
Laser_Lens_4 3 points 4y ago
Unfortunately WhatsApp is owned by Facebook. I'm one of the people that would get some benefit from telegram being accessible. I've been railing the Android developers and they don't care. They really don't give a shit.
HDMILex 3 points 4y ago
So if they don't give a shit, you shouldn't give a shit either. Yeah WhatsApp is owned by Facebook and Facebook are a scum company, but honestly WhatsApp is a fantastic app (for now) and is fully accessible. Plus the majority of the world is on WhatsApp so there's that.
And you also don't need to have a Facebook account to sign up for WhatsApp; just a phone number.
And you also don't need to have a Facebook account to sign up for WhatsApp; just a phone number.
officemongoose [OP] 2 points 4y ago
Telegram has risen in popularity over the past year.
It is multi-platform, with cloud sync, makes sending files easy, and doesn't have a 257 limit on group membership - so increasingly I've seen local community groups, towns, Police, councils use it as a way of getting messages out to people, and of towns and counties sharing information.
You can use it on your PC or Mac without needing to have a phone on and nearby.
WhatsApp is useless for this.
And yes, network effects mean once it starts being used, it spreads. If your university uses telegram for everything and you're just one person who can't use it, you're frozen out. If these are 'unofficial' groups, that's equally bad as you'll not get news on what's going on, get social updates, networking for when you come to look for a job and so on.
Telegram is also big in blockchain and tech communities. Freezing out the entire blind community from this is just disgusting.
It is multi-platform, with cloud sync, makes sending files easy, and doesn't have a 257 limit on group membership - so increasingly I've seen local community groups, towns, Police, councils use it as a way of getting messages out to people, and of towns and counties sharing information.
You can use it on your PC or Mac without needing to have a phone on and nearby.
WhatsApp is useless for this.
And yes, network effects mean once it starts being used, it spreads. If your university uses telegram for everything and you're just one person who can't use it, you're frozen out. If these are 'unofficial' groups, that's equally bad as you'll not get news on what's going on, get social updates, networking for when you come to look for a job and so on.
Telegram is also big in blockchain and tech communities. Freezing out the entire blind community from this is just disgusting.
HDMILex 2 points 4y ago
Had no idea law enforcement and other officials use Telegram, thanks for this. Let's hope the developer of Bettergram focuses on accessibility so there's a much better app out there.
Laser_Lens_4 1 points 4y ago
Ever try getting your friends, and an entire fandom, to switch messaging apps? That's why I give a shit. Telegram may not be important to you but it is to me.
HDMILex 1 points 4y ago
I have. Fair point.
rkingett 1 points 4y ago
This made me giggle. I've never used whatsapp, probably because there's no way to use it on desktop, but, meh. I agree.
officemongoose [OP] 1 points 4y ago
Update: now working as of current release, and as confirmed by @durov $1
​
Support is basic but functional!
​
Support is basic but functional!
KrolPolski 1 points 4y ago
Signal is an alternative with the same security and privacy of telegram that is fully accessible.
purely_sub 1 points 4y ago
I had a Telegram account and nobody I know used it but I’m known for keeping apps on my phone till I get tired of them. So at one point last year, they updated and all accessibility went out the window. It’s quite sad app developers don’t give a f*** about the accessibility of apps. I prefer Threema and Kik for this reason. However for those who use Telegram, this is a helpful post. :)
rkingett 1 points 4y ago
Kik works on Miranda NG, which is why I was attracted to it. I don't IM on my phone.
purely_sub 1 points 4y ago
I use Kik quite a bit on my phone. I love it most of the time.
officemongoose [OP] 1 points 4y ago
Numbers are only going up. And the more it's used, the more annoying it will be having blind users locked out.
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In October 2013 - Telegram had 100,000 daily active users
24 March 2014, Telegram announced that it had reached 35 million users
September 2015, an announcement stated that the app had 60 million active users and delivered
February 2016, Telegram announced that it had 100 million monthly active users.
March 2018, Telegram reached 200 million monthly active users.
​
In October 2013 - Telegram had 100,000 daily active users
24 March 2014, Telegram announced that it had reached 35 million users
September 2015, an announcement stated that the app had 60 million active users and delivered
February 2016, Telegram announced that it had 100 million monthly active users.
March 2018, Telegram reached 200 million monthly active users.
purely_sub 1 points 4y ago
Wow. That’s a lot of people. Hopefully it gets accessible. I mean it looks like a really useful app.
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