Hi.

Regarding lack of sound drivers, why not? Why can't they put sound drivers for the most common PC hardware into the Windows PE or what ever is launched when you boot up a Windows image. Don't tell me Microsoft can't do this. If Brian Smart made a talking Windows PE disk with NVDA working, what is so hard about putting some sound drivers and a copy of narrator into the install to help you format your drive and do what ever else you need to do? Seriously, why hasn't this happened? Again, you can't tell me that the all mighty Microsoft with god knows how many resources can't do this. If nothing else in terms of accessibility improvements is made, this needs to be the thing that gets put in. Also, the sound driver issue really isn't a problem if you're using a virtual machine or a USB sound card or what ever.

Moving along, why are the Microsoft voices so laggy? I don't understand because they don't sound extremely high quality. Yet, Sam, Mike, Mary, and Anna were more responsive.
Finally, does anyone know what the give positive and negative feedback commands do in the tech preview?

I know this is going to sound weird, but I haven't been this excited about Windows in a long time. I think I've gotten excited because a. We saw improvements in narrator in Windows 8, even though 8 was a flop. b. We also saw Microsoft put narrator into Windows Phone 8.1. So, at this stage, I'm hopeful that if they continue to do what they are doing, we may have a usable screen reader out of the box. Of course, I could be completely wrong, in which case I'll just crawl back to OS X. Actually, I don't think I would use Windows as a primary OS, I just want to see some truly native accessibility that is useful. Sorry if this sounded a little harsh, but these are just my thoughts/opinions.

Hmmm, why that big for audio drivers? I mean, the basic TWPE image is only about 300 megs and contains a wide variety of drivers for sound. I could be missing something.

No, I am not paying for Winstaller because again, I am not paying more money just to access a Windows feature that sighted people get for free. If I have to, I will continue to use the free and perfectly usable talking images that people have posted on here and the one in the TWPE project.

hi brad,
I'll explain why it doesn't work.  You can only use narrator for the configuration screens.  You can't use it for the part of the install where you create/format/delete partitions.  And btw, microsoft  doesn't need to include 2 gb worth of drivers. You can create a generic class driver for the basic sound functions like microsoft did with printer drivers  or mouse drivers.

Hmmm, well we'll see. I was surprised when I found quite a bit of feedback about narrator when searching the Windows feedback app. Maybe this will make a difference, I don't know. I guess we'll just have to wait and see.

@Brad, The problem is that you keep getting Windows computers that have pre-installed copies of Windows. The reason narrator works is because the system is already installed. The issue is that it doesn't speak during the initial setup where you choose an install drive etc. This is bad since if your computer fails or you get a virus, you cannot fix the problem if you're totally blind like me. It is very, very frustrating.

Let's take bootcamp for an example to demonstrate this. If I remember correctly, you had to bootcamp a Macbook Pro. Did you have to get sighted assistance to help you install Windows on the correct partition of your Mac drive? My guess is that you had to get someone to help you, or you just memorized the keystrokes to press. The problem with this solution is that if something goes wrong, you have no idea because you can't see the screen. This problem doesn't have to exist if Microsoft would just get in gear and do what in theory should be a really easy thing to do. Of course, you can argue that sound drivers don't really work until you install the Bootcamp support software, but you can still use a USB headset or external sound card. I hope this helps to clarify the problem.

Interesting idea about sound drivers. So are you saying it's just a generic sound driver? I don't exactly follow.

Hi.

I got sited assistance and totally see where you're coming from.

hi,
I mean microsoft uses a generic class driver  for all printers and mice and probably could use one for audio as well.

Yes, but that's because Linux creates a live environment before starting the Linux installation. Windows starts WinPE, which is a pre-installation environment. Narrator can't run with that. Plus, we know they won't listen to our requests - so this is kind of pointless anyways.

I have not noticed anything except how Narrator announces checkboxes now. It's actually quite disappointing. I was hoping Microsoft was finally shaping up. Oh well, Windows 10 isn't out of beta yet. Still, I'm afraid we won't have any meaningful updates. Then again, who knows. I just hope something happens pretty soon. As it stands right now, I have more respect for Apple and Google. I mean, look at the recent Talkback beta. I'm still hopeful, although my hopes are beginning to die as we near the release of 10. I'm also hopeful that Windows Phone will get some substantial updates. It would be nice if all the buttons in the stock Microsoft apps were finally labeled and we could access the action center with Narrator. I got excited when they put Narrator into WIndows Phone 8.1. I just hope this isn't a one time accessibility improvement. Guys, I juss don't know anymore.

@Chris
Actually you’re right. On a review, or comparison among narrator of win 7, win 8.1 and windows 10 Preview recorded by Cool blind tech, I didn’t see any noticeable changes which made the difference from windows 8.1.
The David voice had been removed, and an Indian English voice had been introduced. Microsoft Hazel (British) and Microsoft Sira (American) are still there. I don’t see any reason why they ought to remove David voice, it was one of the best in windows 8.1.
I know there might be other improvements which we’ll find out by the time windows 10 final version is released, but I am not expecting so much from it.
It’s a real shame for a company which has been on the market for more than 20 years to have such a bad accessibility While Android, a company which was founded in 2009 is far better conserning accessibility. Yet I find windows the company which has made the less noticeable progression regarding accessibility comparing to others.

The lag for Narrator might be due to the tts voice, not the screen reader. I'm still not completely sure what's at fault here.

Having the ability to install the operating system is very, very important. This is why I'm using Mac OS X. SInce 10.4, Tiger, you have been able to boot from the install disk, press command f5, and independently install the operating system. That is very useful if your computer breaks down or something happens that requires you to reinstall. The argument that Narrator owrks when you first get a PC is not valid because the computers you buy from HP and Dell already have Windows pre-installed.

I have left feedback about these issues in the WIndows feedback application in the tech preview. We'll see what happens. Once again, I encourage anyone who feels the same as I do to post feedback. I think the more people we have submitting feedback like this, the morel ikely it will happen. Afterall, isn't this tech preview for the users to help build Windows 10? The blind should be able to contribute as well. I just hope they listen to us this time.

well hello there,  let me add a few tit bits to what has been said, and throw my own pallets in to the mix.
first off a few observations is in order.
I completely do agree with many of the posters that microsoft should enable basic sound support from the get go. how ever due to the diverse hardware platforms out there most of it is not possible. but, in todays modern technology since windows vista, they now use a generic, hi defenition audio controler chip. driver. what this meens is, that windows has already the generic basic standard run of the mill driver to interact with any sound card that conforms to the hi defenition audio standard. this is why, for example, most sound cards, such as realtech, and many others wil just work, even though it meens there advanced features is disabled.
the issue as to why microsoft cant  offer this support in to there basic windows P E in vironment, is what is bugging me, lets look at an example. u start up your windows repair disk to restore your computer from a system image you created.
it is as easy as py for microsoft to have incorperate this hi defenition audio driver. so that any USB audio device wil work,
or be recognised,
in fact again, any sound card conforming to this, wich is almost all of them, except those who uses proprietory drivers, like creative, just to name one? wil not work.
but, for me this is vital that they should at leest in clude some sort of basic support. it wil not be gigs in size. rather only megs. as we only need basic generic out put. to gain access to the hi defenition audio buss.  in fact, incorperating narrator in to that basic repair disk image wil not be huge either. they can, easily create narrator to run, again, they do not even have to do that. all they need to do is, if u do use windows image backup. to backup your system, and it asks you if u wish to create a repair disk. the only thing it has to ask u then is, would u like to create a repair disk using speech, or no speech. simple. if u say speech. narrators included.
there's so many easy ways microsoft can allow a talking install to happen.
because, even if u do have. a sound card that does not conform to the generic hi defenition audio stack, u stil wil have a USB headset or sound card, right? and guess what.
again windows has basic generic audio drivers for them. this is why, when u buy a whireless USB headset from the shops. windows recognises them easily and u ahve speech,
we'll not even get started as to why microsoft does not allow u to use the  windows audio service in safe mode. yep its disabled, u got to use a registry hack to tell windows to use the service in future. when u startup safe mode. and its only valid again, for the USB audio devices and so on.
i have rambled quite a bit. but i do hope i made the points clear.
1. its defenatly possible for MS to input sound support for inisial install. from a instelation disk, or repair disk.
2. its defenatly possible to in corperate narrator. or basic version there of. allowing a keypress to activate it.
but guys, sadly,
3. they wil not do so.because here is how they work.
they work acording to profitability, feezability, and in so dooing, they ask the question. what bugs/suggestions can we fix and make better in windows that wil in proove most peoples experiences.
sadly guys, we are in the minority.
what i am saying is, sure they no they can do this for us.
but we represent a very, very small portion of there income sorce. this is why narrator has stagnated over the years.
yes its in prooving. but it could go so much further.
it can,
so i do hope that in time, it will.
but those are just my inputs here and i hope i cleared up some confusion about why MS does what it does.
i am stil trying my self to try to get a windows recovery invironment that is sixty 4 bit with NVDA because i stil have to use the windows repair disk, and i sometimes forget the steps needed to restore my system.
image of a sad face.
so sadly i also struggle with this at times.
i wish i new of a backup selution that u can just work with outside windows.
if any one nose about one. please pop me a tip so i can track it down.
and buy it.
i actualy brought the levtec recovery in vironment standard software, but its a very, very, very slow process, and you have to input a slew of boot commands to get things working again after image restoration on win seven.since they use a newer boot scheme.. and o, yes, i am stil trying to investigate as to how to get a propper sixty 4 bit selution for nvda to work on. but the moment i do, i wil share it, but until then, i am stuck as well.