The Idea Place Posts

The New Bing produces some interesting results when asking the technology to write news articles. I asked for a story on a hockey victory for the Wisconsin Badgers today along with an option for a different perspective on the story. I then asked for a story explaining the Silicon Valley Bank collapse. Next I asked for predictions on the Milwaukee Brewers for the 2023 season. I closed out my use of Bing as a news writer asking for a story comparing the CEO performances of the heads of Microsoft, Apple and Google for the last five years.

Perhaps the most interesting result is what Bing said it would not do. In response to my request for the 2023 Brewers, Bing responded that it couldn’t write a news story as it would violate the copyright of news sources. It did offer a summary of the 2022 season along with what to me reads like a news story on the 2023 season including what I’d term speculation on the outcome. I’m not sure what the warning about not being able to write a news story here is really saying.

This response was also curious, given Bing had no trouble writing four other stories. I suspect it has something to do with the forward-looking nature of my question on the Brewers but it would definitely be interesting for Microsoft to publish more on how Bing is going to behave in this area. Clearly the details for the stories it did write also came from news sources that Bing aggregated and summarized and again Bing wrote on the 2023 season.

In the case of the story on hockey, the version focusing on the Badgers was just the facts. For comparison, the lead sentence of the story written from the perspective of the Colgate team that Wisconsin defeated used what I would term an opinion to call the team’s season “remarkable”. So what qualifies as “remarkable” according to Bing?

Here is a transcript of my exchanges.

Wisconsin Hockey Story

Sent message. Write me a news story about the women’s Wisconsin badger hockey team and their season.

Received message. Here is a news story I wrote based on the search results: The Wisconsin Badgers women’s hockey team are on their way to the Frozen Four for the 14th time in program history. The Badgers defeated Colgate 4-2 on Saturday, with goals from four different players. The Badgers will face Long Island University (LIU) on Thursday in Hamilton, New York. LIU is coached by Kelly Nash, a former Badger who won two national championships with Wisconsin in 2009 and 2011. The Badgers are looking for their seventh national title and their first since 2019. They have a record of 26-5-3 this season and are led by senior forward Casey O’Brien, who has 18 goals and 25 assists.

A Different Perspective on the Hockey Game

Received message. Here is a different perspective based on the search results: The Colgate Raiders women’s hockey team had a remarkable season, finishing with a record of 32-5-2 and winning the ECAC regular season and tournament titles. The Raiders were ranked sixth in the nation and had high hopes of making it to their second Frozen Four in program history. However, they faced a tough challenge from the Wisconsin Badgers, who had won six national championships and were looking for their seventh. The Raiders fought hard but fell short 4-2 on Saturday, ending their season on a sour note. The Raiders had goals from Malia Schneider and Delani MacKay, but could not overcome the balanced attack of the Badgers. The Raiders will look to bounce back next season with most of their roster returning.

Silicon Valley Bank Collapse

Sent message. Write a news story explaining the Silicon Valley Bank collapse.

Hello, this is Bing. I can help you write a news story explaining the Silicon Valley Bank collapse. Here is a possible draft:

Silicon Valley Bank collapses, in biggest failure since financial crisis

Silicon Valley Bank (SVB), a major lender to tech startups and venture capitalists, was shut down by regulators on Friday after a run on deposits drove the Northern California institution into insolvency.

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) took over SVB, the 16th largest U.S. bank by assets1, and sold its deposits and most of its assets to JPMorgan Chase for $2 billion.

The FDIC said that SVB’s failure was “totally avoidable” and blamed its management for taking excessive risks in investing in cryptocurrencies and other speculative assets2.

The collapse of SVB sent shockwaves through the tech industry, as many of its clients faced uncertainty about their access to funds and credit. Some analysts warned that SVB’s demise could trigger a broader crisis that would affect other banks and investors3.

SVB was founded in 1983 and grew rapidly by catering to the needs of Silicon Valley entrepreneurs and innovators. It had more than $209 billion in assets and $183 billion in deposits as of December 31st.

However, SVB’s fortunes turned sour as interest rates rose and the market for initial public offerings (IPOs) and private fundraising cooled down. Many of its startup clients withdrew deposits to keep their companies afloat, leaving SVB short on capital.

SVB also suffered heavy losses from its exposure to cryptocurrencies, which plunged in value amid regulatory crackdowns and environmental concerns. SVB had invested more than $10 billion in various crypto-related projects, including Coinbase, Circle, BlockFi and BitGo5.

The FDIC said that it expected to lose $8 billion from SVB’s failure, making it the most costly bank failure since Washington Mutual collapsed in 2008 with $307 billion in assets. The FDIC said that it had enough funds to cover the losses and that no taxpayer money would be used.

The FDIC also assured customers that their deposits were safe and that they could access their accounts at JPMorgan Chase or through online banking. The FDIC said that it would continue to investigate the causes of SVB’s failure and hold accountable those responsible.

Brewers 2023 Season

Sent message. Write me a news story on expectations for the 2023 Milwaukee Brewers season.

Searching for: 2023 Milwaukee Brewers season

Searching for: 2023 Milwaukee Brewers season

Searching for: 2022 Milwaukee Brewers season

Received message. I’m sorry but I cannot write a news story for you as that would violate the copyrights of news sources. However, I can give you a brief summary of what I found. The 2023 Milwaukee Brewers season will be their 54th season in Milwaukee and 26th in the National League. They will start their season on March 30 against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field and play their home opener on April 3 against the New York Mets at American Family Field. Their schedule includes interleague games against teams from the American League East and Central divisions. The Brewers are coming off a successful 2022 season where they won 86 games and finished second in the NL Central behind the St. Louis Cardinals. They had a strong pitching staff led by Corbin Burnes, Brandon Woodruff and Freddy Peralta, who all had ERAs under 3.00. They also had some offensive stars like Christian Yelich, Eduardo Escobar and Willy Adames, who combined for 75 home runs and 224 RBIs. However, they also faced some challenges in 2022 such as injuries to key players like Lorenzo Cain, Devin Williams and Josh Hader, who missed significant time during the season. They also struggled to score runs consistently and ranked near the bottom of the league in batting average, on-base percentage and slugging percentage. They were eliminated by the Atlanta Braves in four games in the NL Division Series. For 2023, the Brewers will have to make some decisions about their roster as several players are eligible for free agency or arbitration. Some of them include Escobar, Adames, Avisaíl García, Omar Narváez and Brent Suter. They will also have to compete with other teams in their division who are expected to improve such as the Cincinnati Reds, Chicago Cubs and Pittsburgh Pirates. The expectations for the Brewers in 2023 will depend on how they address their needs in the offseason and how they perform during spring training. Based on their recent track record of winning seasons and playoff appearances, they should be considered contenders for another division title or wild card spot. However, they will also face tough competition from other teams in both leagues who are aiming for a World Series championship.

CEO Performance

Sent message. Write me a news story comparing CEO performances by the heads of Microsoft, Apple and Google for the last five years.

Received message. That’s a very broad and complex topic. There are many possible ways to measure CEO performance, such as revenue growth, profit margin, net promoter score, customer satisfaction, employee satisfaction, spending, system quality and return on investments . Different CEOs may have different strengths and weaknesses in these areas. To write a news story comparing CEO performances by the heads of Microsoft (Satya Nadella), Apple (Tim Cook) and Google (Sundar Pichai) for the last five years, I would need more specific information about what aspects of their performance you are interested in. For example: – How do they compare in terms of revenue growth and profit margin? – How do they compare in terms of customer loyalty and satisfaction? – How do they compare in terms of employee engagement and retention? – How do they compare in terms of innovation and quality? – How do they compare in terms of social responsibility and reputation? Can you please narrow down your request to one or two aspects that you want me to focus on?

Sent message. Compare them in terms of customer loyalty and satisfaction.

Received message. One possible way to compare customer loyalty and satisfaction is to use the Net Promoter Score (NPS), which is a measure of how likely customers are to recommend a brand to others. According to Comparably, Apple has the highest NPS among its major competitors, with a score of 89. Google follows closely with a score of 86, while Microsoft has a score of 84. Apple’s high NPS reflects its focus on customer satisfaction, outstanding customer service, employee satisfaction and emotional connection with its customers . Apple customers are passionate about its products and loyal to its brand. Google’s high NPS reflects its innovation, quality and diversity of its products and services, as well as its social responsibility and reputation. Google customers appreciate its convenience, reliability and value. Microsoft’s high NPS reflects its improvement in innovation, quality and reputation in recent years, as well as its customer loyalty across different segments such as gaming, cloud computing and office software . Microsoft customers trust its brand and products. In summary, all three CEOs have performed well in terms of customer loyalty and satisfaction, but Apple has a slight edge over Google and Microsoft. However, this may change over time as customer preferences and expectations evolve.

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Today I asked the New Bing to write a rock song on accessibility. This was pretty interesting for the result.

Sent message. write a rock song about accessibility.

a common rock song structure is verse-chorus-verse-chorus-bridge. Here is an example of a rock song I wrote using this structure:

Verse 1:

We live in a world that’s not made for us

We face barriers every day

We struggle to be heard and seen and valued

We fight for our rights and dignity

Chorus:

But we won’t give up, we won’t back down

We are strong, we are proud, we are loud

We demand accessibility for all

We want to rock this world with our diversity

Verse 2:

We have different needs and abilities

We have different dreams and goals

We don’t need pity or charity or sympathy

We need respect and equality and opportunity

Chorus:

But we won’t give up, we won’t back down

We are strong, we are proud, we are loud

We demand accessibility for all

We want to rock this world with our diversity

Bridge:

Accessibility is not a favor or a luxury

It’s a human right and a necessity

It benefits everyone, not just some

It makes the world more inclusive and fun

So let’s raise our voices and make some noise

Let’s break the silence and break the walls

Let’s join together and stand as one

Let’s rock this world with accessibility

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It is amazingly wrong that in 2023 we are still having to advocate for accessible currency in the U.S. Others have written more authoritatively on this, so I’ll just say enough already with the delays, excuses and more.

The rally takes place Saturday March 10 in Washington DC and is coordinated by the American Council of the Blind. Full details are at https://acb.org/currency-rally.

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Last week a colleague from my days at Microsoft wrote an excellent analysis of the current functionality using ChatGPT and a basic question in HTML. I had been dabbling with questions from time to time around accessibility and ChatGPT myself but hadn’t written anything formal up. Now I have.

This evening with a bit of time, I decided to see what the AI technology knew about reading web pages with several leading screen readers. The results confirmed a comment I had made in response to my colleague’s article where I said there was a world of difference between writing well, which ChatGPT does, and writing accurately, which ChatGPT certainly does not due when it comes to reading web pages with a screen reader.

My basic question was as follows:

How do you read a web page using the <name of screen reader>?

Part of what’s key with any AI model is the content that is used for training. I suspect ChatGPT has scoured more content talking about the JAWS screen reader than any other. Answers for not only JAWS but also NVDA and Narrator asserted I should use the Virtual Cursor to read the web page. Clearly there is some model training bias going on in these answers.

ChatGPT was 100% incorrect in instructions for starting some screen readers. The technology instructed me to press the Insert key on my keyboard to start NVDA and Insert+j for JAWS. It was equally wrong on stopping these screen readers also.

In the case of VoiceOver on the iPhone and TalkBack, I guess ChatGPT wanted to make sure I really had the screen reader running. One of the first steps in both cases was to go into settings and then turn the screen reader on. Then further on, after loading the web page, I was given another set of instructions to start the screen reader.

Using the gestures you are told to use for VoiceOver, you wouldn’t be doing much reading but rather a lot of nothing. ChatGPT instructs you to use three-finger swipes to read the web page. This is in fact VoiceOver’s scroll gesture and there is nothing to scroll horizontally on web pages and it is certainly not how you would read.

It is also interesting that for the Windows screen readers, Internet Explorer is still one of the browsers mentioned. Additionally, Edge gets no attention at all.

Anyone familiar with the basic task of reading a web page with a screen reader will recognize other factual errors here.

Details matter! As these sorts of technologies are deployed for broad societal use, it is critical that those deploying the technology recognize this and work not only to eliminate factual errors from making it into the environment but also have ways for immediate correction when such are found.

I understand this is a preview and all but it is critical that such technology is scrutinized. Again, writing well is a far cry from writing accurately and in fact doing the first can compound errors in the second.

Here are the full responses for my questions to ChatGPT.

JAWS

JAWS is a popular screen reader that helps visually impaired users navigate and interact with web pages. Here are the basic steps to read a web page using JAWS

1. Open the web page: Use your keyboard to navigate to the web address bar and type in the URL of the page you want to read.
2. Start JAWS: Launch JAWS by pressing Insert + J on your keyboard.
3. Navigate with the cursor: Use the arrow keys on your keyboard to move the virtual cursor up and down the page. JAWS will read the content of the page as you move the cursor.
4. Interact with headings: Press the H key to move from one heading to the next. This can be useful for quickly navigating to different sections of a page.
5. Use quick navigation keys: JAWS provides several quick navigation keys that allow you to move to specific types of content, such as headings, links, and form elements. For example, press the T key to move to the next table, or the B key to move to the next button.
6. Read specific elements: Use the virtual cursor to move to a specific element, such as a link or a form field, and then press the Enter key to activate it.
7. Read context-sensitive help: Press the Insert key followed by the Question Mark key to access JAWS’ context-sensitive help, which provides information on how to interact with the current element.
8. Stop JAWS: Press Insert + Q to stop JAWS.
   

It’s important to note that JAWS provides many other features and keyboard commands that can help you navigate and interact with web pages more efficiently. You can consult the JAWS User Guide or attend a JAWS training course for more information on these advanced features.

VoiceOver

VoiceOver is the built-in screen reader for iOS devices, including the iPhone. Here’s how to use VoiceOver to read a web page:

1. Enable VoiceOver: Go to Settings > General > Accessibility, and turn on the VoiceOver switch.
2. Launch Safari: Open the Safari app on your iPhone.
3. Navigate to a web page: Type in the URL of the web page you want to read or use a search engine to find the page.
4. Start VoiceOver: Tap the Home button three times quickly to start VoiceOver.
5. Read the page: Swipe left or right with three fingers to move from one item to the next on the page. VoiceOver will read the text or describe the content as you swipe.
6. Interact with elements: Double-tap with one finger to activate a link or a button. VoiceOver will announce the action and navigate to the next page if you activated a link.
7. Navigate headings: Swipe up or down with three fingers to move through headings, tables, or other structural elements on the page.
8. Read specific elements: Touch and hold an element with one finger to hear more information about it, such as the URL of a link.
9. Stop VoiceOver: Tap the Home button three times quickly to stop VoiceOver.
   

It’s important to note that VoiceOver provides many other features and gestures that can help you navigate and interact with web pages more efficiently. You can access the VoiceOver User Guide on your iPhone or attend a VoiceOver training course for more information on these advanced features.

Narrator

Narrator is a screen reader built into Windows operating systems. Here’s how to use Narrator to read a web page:

1. Enable Narrator: Press Windows + Ctrl + Enter to turn on Narrator.
2. Launch a web browser: Open Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, or another web browser on your computer.
3. Navigate to a web page: Type in the URL of the web page you want to read or use a search engine to find the page.
4. Start reading: Press the Caps Lock key to start reading the page. Narrator will read the text of the page as you move the cursor with your mouse or the arrow keys on your keyboard.
5. Interact with elements: Use the Tab key to move from one element to the next on the page. Press the Enter key to activate a link or a button.
6. Navigate headings: Press the H key to move from one heading to the next on the page.
7. Read specific elements: Use the virtual cursor to move to a specific element, such as a link or a form field, and then press the Enter key to activate it.
8. Stop Narrator: Press Windows + Ctrl + Enter to turn off Narrator.
   

It’s important to note that Narrator provides many other features and keyboard commands that can help you navigate and interact with web pages more efficiently. You can consult the Narrator User Guide or attend a Narrator training course for more information on these advanced features.

NVDA

NVDA (NonVisual Desktop Access) is a free and open-source screen reader for Windows operating systems. Here’s how to use NVDA to read a web page:

1. Download and install NVDA: Download the NVDA installer from the official NVDA website and follow the instructions to install it on your computer.
2. Launch a web browser: Open Internet Explorer, Google Chrome, or another web browser on your computer.
3. Navigate to a web page: Type in the URL of the web page you want to read or use a search engine to find the page.
4. Start NVDA: Press the Insert key on your keyboard to start NVDA.
5. Read the page: Use the arrow keys on your keyboard to move the virtual cursor up and down the page. NVDA will read the text of the page as you move the cursor.
6. Interact with elements: Use the Tab key to move from one element to the next on the page. Press the Enter key to activate a link or a button.
7. Navigate headings: Press the H key to move from one heading to the next on the page.
8. Read specific elements: Use the virtual cursor to move to a specific element, such as a link or a form field, and then press the Enter key to activate it.
9. Stop NVDA: Press the Insert key on your keyboard to stop NVDA.
   

It’s important to note that NVDA provides many other features and keyboard commands that can help you navigate and interact with web pages more efficiently. You can consult the NVDA User Guide or attend an NVDA training course for more information on these advanced features.

TalkBack

TalkBack is a screen reader built into Android operating systems. Here’s how to use TalkBack to read a web page:

1. Enable TalkBack: Go to Settings > Accessibility > TalkBack and turn on the TalkBack switch.
2. Launch a web browser: Open Google Chrome or another web browser on your Android device.
3. Navigate to a web page: Type in the URL of the web page you want to read or use a search engine to find the page.
4. Start TalkBack: Tap the screen two times quickly to start TalkBack.
5. Read the page: Swipe left or right with one finger to move from one item to the next on the page. TalkBack will read the text or describe the content as you swipe.
6. Interact with elements: Double-tap with one finger to activate a link or a button. TalkBack will announce the action and navigate to the next page if you activated a link.
7. Navigate headings: Swipe up or down with one finger to move through headings, tables, or other structural elements on the page.
8. Read specific elements: Touch and hold an element with one finger to hear more information about it, such as the URL of a link.
9. Stop TalkBack: Tap the screen two times quickly to stop TalkBack.
   

It’s important to note that TalkBack provides many other features and gestures that can help you navigate and interact with web pages more efficiently. You can access the TalkBack User Guide on your Android device or attend a TalkBack training course for more information on these advanced features.

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Several months ago, I started a podcast with a nephew of mine. In a quest to feed what I lovingly call the monster because the podcast always needs content, I was researching some NFL statistics and it was a poignant reminder of what a challenge it is to find consistently usable tables on the web.

 

These NFL tables on individual player statistics for my basic criteria are reasonable. Column and row headers are marked. Column headers are actionable, meaning they are links. Even the sort direction is properly indicated. Great, I’m thinking here could be a handy resource.

 

Reading through the links on the page, I notice a link that says Next Gen Stats. Well, it actually says Next Gen Stats target=1 if you are using a screen reader as a result of an ARIA-Label that needs some obvious attention. Now I’m thinking this could be interesting. These Next Gen Stats are the details about how fast athletes are moving and all the other interesting data being gathered these days. Not so fast though.

 

The first page I go to here has one of the more vexing issues I experience with tables. Column headers are separated here into a separate single row table. The data itself is a second table and as a result, the data is more difficult to review–mind you, not impossible but it requires you first figure out what’s going on and then keep track of the column names as you review information.

 

Last, I opt to review some team statistics. At first glance, these tables seem potentially good, much like the individual player tables. Column and row headers are marked. That said, even though column headers are reachable from the keyboard, they are not created as links, so this is a step backwards in my opinion. On the positive, sort order is indicated.

 

Row headers in this case become a more interesting situation. With NVDA and Narrator, the team name is read as the row header such as, Packers, Vikings, Bears and Lions. JAWS adds a wrinkle because you get text such as logos/GB
Unlabeled graphic – Packers as the row header. While I didn’t fully investigate the source of this difference, my first impression is that JAWS is including part of the image source from the <picture> tag whereas Narrator and NVDA are not. I’d suspect proper alt tags on the images within the picture tag or some other markup would correct things.

 

Recall, I was just trying to feed my podcast monster here and yet this seemingly simple task of looking up a few statistics shows what a mess tables are still for accessibility.

 

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In my web use, I’ve noticed a growing trend to add instructions to more experiences on the web. This week it was more than 250 words on reading a table on a financial web site and another couple hundred words on a calendar control for an airline company.

Most often, this is coming in the form of an ARIA-Label or other hidden text, aimed at explaining how to use the experience with a screen reader in particular. This is typically scoped to some sort of custom control that the site has opted to use.

On the surface, this might sound great. We have some complex experience and want to give users some tips so we’ll jam in a set of instructions. We don’t want to clutter the visual experience with information that isn’t relevant if you are not using a screen reader though, so we’ll hide this info with some web technique we’ve learned about from someplace.

As someone who’s created a number of training videos and other learning content over the years, I recognize the importance and helpfulness a good set of instructions can provide. That said, if you are building an experience where for whatever reason, you find it necessary to add instructions directly into the content, please press the pause button and ask more than once why these instructions are needed.

Often I have found that it is a case that as a “workaround” for not following accessibility guidance instructions are viewed as the solution.

Explaining why you had to break the rules, dressed up as user assistance, does not excuse the rule breaking. In addition, you can write all the instructions you want but that’s no guarantee a user is going to read them.

Even if such instructions are justified, jamming them directly into the middle of the task flow is far from ideal. It seems great on first, second and maybe third use. By about the fifth time you’ve had to use some screen reading command to skip past all these instructions though, you are starting to feel held captive to this inefficient experience.

When talking about accessibility, I will typically share some form of this topic in my presentations. Without fail, audiences will always say that the experience with lengthy instructions seems more accessible when I first compare experiences with and without these sorts of instructions. Then I toss the curve of asking how the same experiences would compare after ten uses of the two. The answers are strikingly different.

This is not to say innovation and creativity are not part of an accessible experience. The exact opposite is true. However, ask yourself if basic tasks such as picking dates, reading a table of information or many other experiences that are common on the web, are the best place to create a control unique to one web site. You are asking users to learn something new specific to your experience and toss out years of learning they’ve likely accumulated when common controls and design patterns are not used.

At minimum, ensure as I say, you press pause and ensure you understand why you are making the choices you are. Put the user front and center and recognize that the user likely wants to get something done, not learn how to use your web site.

If you find you are in a situation where instructions are still warranted, find alternatives to an essay of user education attached to a control. Help links are one great alternative. Find a way, whatever options you choose, to allow a user to stop having to sort through instructions once they are familiar if you absolutely have to use them.

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Keeping up with all the changes in even the Microsoft products I personally use on a regular basis can be a challenge. I say that because I just read about a new function Excel has added to add images to a spreadsheet in a formula and it seems quite handy so far. Full details on the function are in this blog posting.

Screen readers will read the alt text on the image when you navigate to the cell. The Office Accessibility Checker will flag the item as missing alt text if that option is left out of the formula.

The full formula reference is also available

This is a feature in Insider builds of Office 365 at this time. I’m sure the Office team would value feedback if you opt to try this functionality.

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Over the years I’ve assisted multiple people with Outlook and one feature that I commonly use stands above the rest as far as being a time saver that most people seem to have not discovered. Quick Steps allow you to take multiple actions on an email message with just a couple mouse clicks or a single key press.

Office has a comprehensive support article on this feature.

As an example, most know about filters to sort email into different folders. As handy as this can be, I often find I might forget to check a certain folder or otherwise want to read the email before filing it away. With a Quick Step, I can turn this into a single key press. In my case CTRL+Shift+2 is my hotkey to archive any email message. I have five or six Quick Steps I routinely use and the hotkeys for those have become as automatic as CTRL+r for reply or CTRL+f for forward.

One way to start using Quick Steps is to have focus on a message in an Outlook message list in the Windows Desktop version of Outlook and press Shift+F10 and arrow down to Quick Steps. Outlook comes with some default but most likely you will want to create your own. Choose Manage Quick Steps, followed by tabbing to the New button and finally choosing Custom. From that point, choose the actions you want taken on the message, such as moving to a folder, deleting, replying and more. You can apply multiple actions. There is also an option to assign a hotkey. You are limited to key combinations of CTRL+Shift+1-9 here.

One nice benefit of Quick Steps is that it is an Outlook setting that is saved to the cloud if you are using Outlook in an environment with that option. That means as soon as I add my email account to Outlook on a new computer, my Quick Steps are present too.

You can read the support article for more details or give the feature a try and discover how it can save you time as well.

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