So I've been using NVDA almost exclusively for the last few years.
About 4 months ago, I started using jaws alongside it more for reading various things and that's when I started noticing huge problems and inconsistencies, especially on lower end computers.
This first one is probably the worst, ever. And it happens on everything though it's less prevalent on higher end machines - it doesn't happen nearly as often as on the little guys.
When browsing in windows explorer, NVDA literally stops reading everything. You tab a few times and you get the tree view with this PC. Tab again and you get nothing. Hit backspace and NVDA t only to find you actually have gone back a folder without NVDA reading. Similar story if you use first letter navigation and hit enter on a folder. Also, on lower end machines, browsing folders is simply painful. It's so laggy that I want to do very bad things. I have to wait between each folder - and yes, before anyone says anything, I understand these are lower end computers. But contrary to what NVDA is doing, jaws just...flies through these windows. Is it because of a different way of grabbing API's? I don't know anything about this - but what I do know is it's slowly driving me away from NVDA as a full time screen reader.
This second one usually only happens on lower end computers - we're talking Intel atom x5 z8500, z3740 on a t100, etc. Alt tabbing and holding alt down won't read windows and releasing sometimes won't focus windows. Restarting NVDA in both these instances sometimes helps, sometimes not. It happens frequently if the computer is over 50% used up - oh, and NVDA cuts my batterylife in half on the t100 when I'm using it for no reason.
Both of these are hugely frustrating - I can't even explain how frustrating - and I don't understand why this is even a thing and why more aren't noticing this.
Jaws is slower at just about everything else - responsiveness in general - but when it comes to being consistent, it's always right there. Explorer windows switch lightning quick in comparison and if anyone at all would like a recording showing this I'd be happy to provide one.
I have tried reinstalling, running NVDA with no add ons, everything. Nothing is helping. On this desktop it's okay. Not so much on the little t100 tablet.
I seriously need some help here. Maybe I'm taking this too literal but I don't understand why a screen reader is soo much slower in explorer than another, as well as the other problems I and, so far at least, 3 others that I have talked to are noticing this.
Can anyone else confirm? And by this, I simply mean running both on a lower end machine. I can almost guarantee you you'll notice a difference, much as I wish I could say otherwise.
thanks