by Christopher Gray
It's August as I write this president's message. Even in San Francisco, we've had some sultry, hot days, and today really feels like summer. So, let's have some fun. I thought today I'd ask you to come with me on a brief tour of one of my favorite haunts. San Francisco is a tourist city after all. How about visiting a shopping mall, an information and drop-in center, and maybe we'll even find our way to an information kiosk. I'm going to take you slightly off the beaten path on this trip, though. No Market Street department stores, no Fisherman's Wharf tourist traps for us. Let's try a relatively new corner of the city, an up-and-coming place known to long-time city dwellers as Web Street.
I'll bet you've never been there before, and even if you have it's kind of neat and maybe the places I'll take you are places you haven't seen yet. Best of all, Web Street is located virtually in my living room, so we can get there fast and start having some good times without even boarding a bus. It's a street of balloons and banners, of game arcades, music and art, and YES, shopping!
In fact, let's try a department store first. I know just the one we might explore and enjoy. OK, it's no Macy's or Bloomingdale's, but you may well have heard its ads on radio and TV. Let's go to Amazon.com. Step in with me and let's see what's waiting for us. I've heard there are floors upon floors with departments and galleries on each floor.
Here we go through the revolving glass door (well, OK, hourglass) and, ... WOW! You want banners? Flashing signs? Self-proclamations? You got 'em here! Look at that: Amazon.com: Earth's Biggest Selection.
This is going to be hard to beat! Inside, we see all sorts of signs for books, CDs, videos, furniture, clothing. There are even area themes like "My Room" and "the Kitchen."
Let's start by trying to find a book; that shouldn't be too hard. In fact, a book about that wizard, Harry Potter, could be a nice gift. So, we'll select the book area, put Harry Potter into the search box, and push the Go button. No elevators or escalators on Web Street; they're supposed to have better, faster ways to get you where you want to go.
OK, so we push the button and ... the landscape swirls, we hear sounds, the magic commences. We are catapulted into a series of aisles with signs. "Who's got a magnifier? What does this first sign say, anyway?" 103-0784614-2015858
Hmmmm, that doesn't tell us anything. It's not quite like Platform Nine and Three-quarters, or is it? Obviously, we are not in the realm of the initiated! Gazing around, we see more GO button shapes but with no GO or other marking on them, and lots of randomly placed objects. But what are they? We'll keep looking though, hoping to find a key to this magic maze, or maybe an easier riddle:
Continuing the search through the aisles, we find conduits to a Harry Potter store (no details, but at least it's beginning to make sense), to a Harry Potter toy store, to a place that has lots of hidden possibilities for other Harry Potter unidentified rooms and spaces. We hurry past that potential labyrinth without even a tremulous backward glance. We then see Harry Potter Collectibles at Toysrus.com. And now, more weirdness:
Maybe our original GO button went amiss! But no, there are still more: Harry Potter DVDs for six or seven long, weirdly twisting aisles; Harry Potter international films; even an aisle chock full of Harry Potter playing cards. Their rustling shadows beckon us inside. But, alas, still no books. This landscape is hard going, numbing mind and spirit, aisle by aisle, and hey, I thought we were on vacation. But wait! Here's our search box again, still holding our request, and the Go button. Pressing it swirls the aisles. Nothing else changes in this sea of STUFF! Suddenly, there's an EXIT button. Pressing it, we escape back into fresh air, sunshine, and the outside, quieter ambience of Web Street.
Maybe it's time to check out that information and drop-in center. As a regular visitor to Web Street, let me suggest we visit one of my favorite spots, a place called Craigslist. Craig is a pretty cool guy who runs a friendly, orderly establishment. It may not have the glitz of some other places, but you'll like this place. In fact, here we are already, and check out its no-nonsense, neighborly sign: Craigslist: San Francisco Bay Area Online.
When you walk in the door, everything is neat, helpful, and conveniently laid out. Help is offered right away, and you discover that, in fact, there are lots of other Craig's List locations around the country. Want to place a classified ad, find housing or a job, wonder what events might be available for the next few evenings? How about taking a class? It's here and all so easy to find.
Have a problem or want to make a suggestion? It's simple because there is a real Craig at Craigslist.org and he generally gets back to you in the next 12-24 hours. Mention that to the Department of Justice the next time you send in an ADA complaint. It'd be good for them to know that some organizations actually answer their correspondence.
Time is moving on and I did promise to show you an information kiosk during this mini-tour. Actually, Web Street is rather like an information kiosk, in that it has so many nooks and crannies housed within it. Care for a taste of European cooking, or to hear a concert being broadcast in New York City? They're here if you just know where and how to find them.
I see your apprehensive glances. Of course, we don't have enough time to do all these things. And you don't want to get too accustomed to this street, because soon you'll be back at home and wishing you could come again. I can hear some of you whispering: "I don't get out that much these days, so how can I take advantage of such a fine place?" The answer is that Web Street is available, albeit in a slightly limited way, from your touch-tone telephone.
There are several routes to get to Web Street by phone. I'm going to mention only one for now. It's called Pronto and you can reach their accommodating customer service representatives at (866) 437-7668 or 43-PRONTO. You can call and ask them questions or ask them to visit specific locations on Web Street for you. They are experts (not like us), and they may find it easier to traverse difficult places like Amazon.com. There is a fee for their service, kind of like what you would pay for a Nordstrom personal shopper, but at least you can get what you want. So, the reality is that you can take a run to Web Street whenever you like.
I guess it's time to quit fooling around and tell you, as if you hadn't already figured it out, that Web Street is kind of like a new Main Street in Everytown USA. It's located on that ubiquitous Internet highway that we all know, and at least sometimes love. Until now, you've probably heard of this place only as the World Wide Web. Isn't that a terrible, uninviting name? I like my name better.
We love it when it works, as it does on Craig's List. When things are properly labeled, well organized, and laid out right, visiting Web Street -- oh, sorry, the World Wide Web -- is a breeze. On the other hand, when things are very complex, badly laid out, and created in ways that are inaccessible for blind people, we hate the experience. Worse than that, we lose out on what is there to be had by others.
Whatever the case, there are many good sites to visit and many good things the web can do for you. Use Pronto and you won't even need a computer to do at least some things on the web. Please know that in the weeks and months to come, the American Council of the Blind is working cooperatively with companies and organizations to help make web sites more accessible.
If you enjoyed this trip, let me know and maybe I'll plan another tour for us and talk about access kiosks other than Pronto. Until then, happy shopping or whatever you want to do there, and have fun doing it. Be empowered; put yourself in the driver's seat. With or without a computer, Web Street is available whenever you want to go.