Thread Subject: BIOS Summary, Questions,Answers and Recommendations

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From: Takemura, Michael (HP Accessibility)
Date: Mon, May 07 2007 10:45 AM
Subject: BIOS Summary, Questions,Answers and Recommendations

>From previous discussion on BIOS.

From: Robinson, Norman B - Washington, DC
Date: Mon, May 07 2007 10:55 AM
Subject: Re: BIOS Summary, Questions,Answers and Recommendations

I'll chime in with a hearty "no new sections" chant.

Firmware is software embedded in hardware. Abstractly we shouldn't much care if the installation process is "flashing" after flipping a switch or "installing" after insertion of a CDROM. There should be no new exceptions simply because something is firmware.

- the existing BIOS implementations that provide video screens to modify BIOS settings are _SOFTWARE_ and should follow the software provisions.
- the BIOS chipset themselves are somewhat standardized and if any Section 508 hardware provisions apply, they should already be present.
- if vendors do this on the motherboard I would expect this to be currently categorized as "1194.25 Self-contained, closed products" until an operating system is installed. That brings up another interesting question if vendors can claim "compatible AT" includes having a specific OS installed and using specific software for access.

Regards,


Norman B. Robinson
Section 508 Coordinator
IT Governance, US Postal Service
phone: 202.268.8246



-----Original Message-----
From: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = [mailto: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = ] On Behalf Of Takemura, Michael (HP Accessibility)
Sent: Monday, May 07, 2007 12:40 PM
To: TEITAC General Interface Accessibility Subcommittee
Subject: [teitac-general] [teitac-hardware] BIOS Summary, Questions,Answers and Recommendations
Importance: High


From previous discussion on BIOS.

From: Bailey Bruce
Date: Tue, May 08 2007 5:50 AM
Subject: Re: BIOS Summary, Questions,Answers and Recommendations

> From previous discussion on BIOS.

The very informative message Michael forwarded to the list was clipped
from the listserv archives. I am delighted to point out that it is
available on the wiki:
http://teitac.org/wiki/BIOS

From: Thomas Albin
Date: Tue, May 08 2007 9:05 AM
Subject: Re: BIOS Summary, Questions,Answers and Recommendations

Hi Michael,
Thanks for forwarding this. IBM seems to draw the same conclusions
that we did:

(1) Direct access to the BIOS could unintentionally affect other
functions in the OS, etc.
(2) Accessibility would be better achieved through the use of drivers.

Best,
Tom

On May 7, 2007, at 11:39 AM, Takemura, Michael (HP Accessibility) wrote:

> From previous discussion on BIOS.
>
> From: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = [mailto:teitac-
> = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED = ] On Behalf Of Regina Caldanaro
> Sent: Wednesday, February 21, 2007 11:25 AM
> To: = EMAIL ADDRESS REMOVED =
> Cc: Andi Snow-Weaver
> Subject: [teitac-hardware] BIOS summary, questions,some answers and
> recommendations
>
>
> I missed our last meeting on 2/16 but I read the transcript. Sueann
> and
> I have been talking about BIOS here at IBM and with a couple of
> technical people.
>
> ***********
> **SUMMARY**
> snip