I Want to Love Linux. It Doesn't Love Me Back

a year ago

Linux accessibility is broken from the very first step, even before logging in, with screen readers and braille displays often failing to work.
Distros and desktop environments neglect accessibility, with unlabeled buttons, broken audio stacks, and lack of persistence for screen readers.
Users must rely on scripts and manual configurations to make basic accessibility features work, which is unsustainable.
New technologies like Wayland and GTK4 are released without accessibility testing, breaking existing tools for blind users.
Debian is one of the few distros with a working accessible installer, but its packages are outdated, leaving users without critical fixes.
Bedrock Linux allows users to mix packages from different distros, but it's complex and fragile, requiring deep technical knowledge.
NixOS offers promise with reproducible configurations, but it's not yet accessible enough for blind users to adopt easily.
The author cannot recommend Linux to their blind partner due to its broken accessibility, despite their love for the system.
The lack of priority and coordination in fixing accessibility issues leaves marginalized users behind, with no clear path forward.

Hasty Briefsbeta