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Access 2.0 interview: Geoff Adams-Spink

• By Paul Crichton
• 13 Jun 07, 10:10 AM

Geoff Adams-Spink, is a Â鶹Éç News Correspondent. As a result of thalidomide, Geoff has some physical impairments and is partially sighted.

Question: Do you use any access technology?

Geoff: In terms of hardware, I have a big 20" monitor. I also use a trackerball mouse. I have installed on my computer, but I don't use it much. Because it blows text up so large, it creates a lot of horizontal scrolling that I don't like. If I visit a website and I think I need to use it, then I take that as a sign that it isn't that well designed, and I take my business elsewhere.

Question: What Â鶹Éç websites do you use?

Geoff: I principally visit and Weather. On the whole I find them pretty accessible. The only downside is on Â鶹Éç News, where the sub-menu uses a fixed sized font.

I've used the 'display options' on the home page, which I find very useful and applaud the thinking behind it and I would like to see it rolled out to the rest of the Â鶹Éç websites. At the moment, it is a bit like being able to go up an access ramp to the lobby of a building, only to find staircases to the floor you want to get to!

Question: Have you had a chance to use the Â鶹Éç iPlayer yet?

Geoff: I've only had a brief look at it but it seems good so far. I'm looking forward to trying out the audio described content on it.

I find audio description adds a lot of value to watching a TV programme. It helps me with things I might otherwise miss, such as with facial expressions. Last week I watched a programme that I usually watch with AD, but this time it wasn't available. I really missed it!

Question: What websites to you visit beyond the Â鶹Éç?

Geoff: I like to read , and like to shop on and , although with the latter I do find it annoying that the sub-menu tabs are fixed in size and don't have ALT tags. It makes it harder to navigate around the website, and you would expect a company like Amazon to have this sorted out.

I like and to talk to friends, family and colleagues, but I'm not really into social networking. I do have a profile on , but it is only because my daughter nagged me into doing one! I don't read that many blogs, but I do like . It is an interesting insight into being a policeman in the UK today, and it is also very funny, which is important for a blog.

Question: What things frustrate you on the web?

Geoff: As I've said, being unable to change the size of text annoys me. I used to read a blog called '.' When that started using fixed font sizes, I stopped reading it. I don't have much patience for bad websites any more. If there are too many barriers, I just won't visit them. Sites that use Flash, and try too hard to be really interesting irritate me, because they usually just end up being dull.

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