Wondering if there are any blind programmers?
Just a thought, do you know any "blind" programmers?
Yep, there sure are. One rather famous individual is T. V. Raman, I believe who currently works at Google Research.
It's amazing how far screen reading and other technologies for the visually impaired have come along, more of a reason for me to consider accessibility over aesthetics when doing web development.
wow, I'm intrigued. it must be an experience just watching someone like that work!
I seem to recall him -- or someone -- appearing on a Google Talk video on emacs' org-mode. I don't remember whether that was peripherally or as a presenter.
I was friends with a blind web developer years ago - I remember him telling me that he had the computer "speaking" so fast that a tech fixing his laptop thought it was broken.
Same experience working with a world-class security developer. When he checks his email on his phone, it sounds like a wasp with a stutter.
yeah, totally... I knew a couple of folks from our local association for the blind who took computer science classes in college.
Also, see WWW:Wake from Robert Sawyer.
There is a blind CS professor at NYU. His name escapes me right now, but watching him navigate OS X (with its built-in voice guidance) is amazing.
Sneakers. Whistler is blind. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0105435/