Blind and Visually Impaired Community
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BeSpecular Questions (self.Blind)
submitted by Schonfille
Hi! I’m a volunteer on the BeSpecular app. I enjoy it, but I find the app and website very frustrating. For one, I never get notifications when a request comes in. I just open the app to check throughout the day.
Secondly, I try to fill in my bio, but it never “sticks” when I navigate away, and there doesn’t seem to be a way to save.
Third, on the website, if I click on a question in the FAQ, it never shows the answers.
Anyone encounter any of these problems? If so, how did you solve it?
Secondly, I try to fill in my bio, but it never “sticks” when I navigate away, and there doesn’t seem to be a way to save.
Third, on the website, if I click on a question in the FAQ, it never shows the answers.
Anyone encounter any of these problems? If so, how did you solve it?
scaram0uche 1 points 2y ago
Sighted person here who helps on BeSpecular. It has basically been abandoned for at least 4 years and the developers are impossible to reach - I've even tried through LinkedIn. It was a grad student project and hasn't had an update or bug fix since 2016.
Make sure the app is on your home screen, you allow it to send notifications, and run in the background. Open it every few days and you should get some notifications. I can go for a few weeks with nothing and then days where I get 2-3/day.
Don't worry about your profile but it is good to check the profile of the VIP because some people note that they prefer text (especially for those who are deaf-blind) or voice.
Make sure the app is on your home screen, you allow it to send notifications, and run in the background. Open it every few days and you should get some notifications. I can go for a few weeks with nothing and then days where I get 2-3/day.
Don't worry about your profile but it is good to check the profile of the VIP because some people note that they prefer text (especially for those who are deaf-blind) or voice.
Schonfille [OP] 1 points 2y ago
Well, that sucks. Thanks for letting me know. It’s crazy that this team went through the trouble of making something that is actually useful then abandoned it. I guess eventually it won’t even run on iOS.
CloudyBeep 1 points 2y ago
I'm surprised people still use it.
scaram0uche 2 points 2y ago
I get regular requests from a man who is deaf-blind so BeSpecular works well because I can write a text description for him. It has its niche still.
Schonfille [OP] 2 points 2y ago
Why? Because of BeMyEyes? I think BeSpecular is better for certain things. Like, this woman is always sending pics from the internet of baby clothes she might want to buy for description, and yesterday this other woman was asking for the brand name of her birth control. I wouldn’t want to live chat with someone about my birth control.
CloudyBeep 1 points 2y ago
Because it's not maintained.
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