People with disabilities -- there are 54 million in the United States alone -- often dread the release of new operating systems. In the past it has taken up to 18 months for software companies to deliver assistive technologies that are reliable enough to run on a new operating system. Not so with Windows XP. Just ask Michael Lawler. Not only does the Indiana developer create assistive technologies for people who are blind, he relies on them himself to help him read text on the screen. He has experienced the delay in compatibility with previous releases from the perspective of both a developer and a customer. Not this time. "I'm sold on XP," Lawler says. "Microsoft realizes how important it is to make technology accessible to everyone."
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