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Three years later, iTunes still sucks

Author Rachele DiTullioPosted on Categories DesktopTags

Last month, writer Amy X. Wang wrote a spot-on article outlining many of the issues that still plague iTunes even 13 years after it first launched.

I have avoided using iTunes at all, and only when necessary to sync or do a backup to my computer instead of iCloud. It’s been at least three years since I had it installed but I needed to do a backup and manual sync for some files after porting over to a new mobile provider.

Reluctantly, I installed iTunes 12 on my work computer. And sure enough, it still sucks due to extreme slowness and confusing IA. Per instructions from IT, I couldn’t do a restore from the backup though. It took aimless clicking around to locate my apps.

screenshot of the iTunes 12 interface showing the apps area
Screenshot: iTunes 12 apps

I had to figure out the link to the Apps area is hidden in the upper leftmenu. Then after much frustration, I saw that I needed to click a buried link labeled “Purchased” to access apps I’ve installed before. (I have never understood labeling all apps as ‘purchased’ when I’ve paid for all of five apps.)

After landing on my page of apps, which apparently shows any app I ever installed and not just the ones I currently use, I again found myself stuck. Hovering over the app icons and right-clicking didn’t provide any options or tool tips.

screenshot of the iTunes purchased apps with icons for each app
Screenshot: iTunes purchased apps

There’s a little cloud icon with a down arrow over each app icon, so I clicked one and nothing apparent happened. I tried again; I tried others; no obvious feedback. Then after clicking one, I saw a flash at the top of the screen.

screenshot showing the app downloading message at the top
Screenshot: iTunes app download message

I finally got this screen shot with some quick print screen work. While studying the image, I noticed another icon in the upper right, a circle with a down arrow. Clicking on that, I could see a list of apps I had queued for download. Only, nothing was happening. Also, why do the apps have to download to my computer for me to sync them?

I went over to the phone sync screen and saw a few of the apps I had apparently downloaded, and attempted to install them. I didn’t noticed for some time, though, that after choosing to install an app, I had to click another button hidden in the lower right.

screenshot of the iTunes phone sync apps where you install or remove apps
Screenshot: iTunes phone apps

Eventually I gave up. I went into the App Store on my new phone, found the “Purchased” apps area, and was able to quickly download the apps I wanted to use. The only thing I have to use iTunes for is creating custom ringtones. I’ve never purchased music or any other content from the iTunes store (preferring Amazon Music) and will continue to resist the Apple ecosystem.

screenshot of the iPhone App Store with icons and options to download previously installed apps
Screenshot: iPhone App Store purchased apps

Why are some toilets still inaccessible?

Author Rachele DiTullioPosted on Categories In Real LifeTags

The other day, I was in an older office building, definitely pre-ADA (1990). I went into the bathroom and saw an interesting and flawed attempt to retrofit it for accessibility.

photo of a double bathroom stall with an outer door to close off the space for a wheelchair user
Inaccessible bathroom

The bathroom has two regular-sized stalls with openings I estimated to be about 30″ wide. In order to accommodate a wheelchair, someone just added a door that would close off both stalls since neither stall is large enough to allow wheelchair access.

Granted the ADA regulations for bathrooms are complex and confusing to the lay person but even so, I’ve seen enough bathrooms to understand this was not cutting it.

Drawing of an accessible bathroom stall with door opening outward, width 35-37 inches, depth 60 inches, and grab bars
ADA small stall requirements

This drawing demonstrates some of the features required of an accessible stall. I can’t be sure of the width or depth of the stall, only that it lacks grab bars and the door opens inward.

This kind of oversight might not seem like a big deal to most people; but if you’re in a wheelchair and can’t use the bathroom, that’s an indignity. I’m always disappointed when I see half-ass things like this 26 years after the ADA was passed.

Design Recommendation

Seems like there are two good options:

  1. If you’re going to restrict the bathroom to use by one person only if she is in a wheelchair, remove the other stall and make one, large, accessible stall. The building is not that busy.
  2. Move the door for the first stall to the side wall so it’s usable even when someone else is in the accessible stall. Then remove the door on the accessible stall, turn the commode sideways, and install grab bars.
drawing of a wider, wheelchair accessible stall
Large, accessible bathroom stall

Audio Descriptions on Netflix

Author Rachele DiTullioPosted on Categories In Real LifeTags ,

For the first time last night, I stumbled across a Netflix movie offering audio description in addition to subtitles. According to The Audio Description Project

Audio Description involves the accessibility of the visual images of theater, television, movies, and other art forms for people who are blind, have low vision, or who are otherwise visually impaired.  It is a narration service (provided at no additional charge to the patron) that attempts to describe what the sighted person takes for granted—those images that a person who is blind or visually impaired formerly could only experience through the whispered asides from a sighted companion.

The movie in question is Hush, a thriller with a deaf woman as the protagonist. I use closed captions/subtitles all the time, even though I am hearing, because I find them useful for understanding quiet dialogue. When I went to turn captions on for this film, I was surprised to see an option for audio descriptions.

screenshot showing a list of language options for audio and subtitles
Screenshot: Netflix app audio and subtitles menu

Excitedly, I chose “English – Audio Descriptions”. This film is a study in accessibility options! A couple of the characters use sign language and the descriptive audio provides spoken translation for the woman who does not speak when she signs. In a single scene we see sign language, hear audio descriptions and dialogue, both while reading subtitles.

The film has very little dialogue, providing ample time to experience the audio descriptions. I rather enjoyed them because this was a thriller and it felt less scary with someone describing the scene. It also provided a richer layer for enjoying the story since the audio interpretation at times highlighted actions and parts of the scene I might have missed as a sighted user.

It’s good to see Netflix taking accessibility more seriously and providing useful options for non-sighted customers. Netflix provides a list of content with audio description support after signing in to your account.