Welcome to GWSocialEyes, an accessible and screen reader friendly, stand-alone Facebook client for Windows written by GW Micro. GWSocialEyes supports many of the key features available in the world's most popular online social networking service including:
GWSocialEyes was developed to enable the blind and visually impaired community to use the Facebook social networking service more efficiently by offering a streamlined and simplified interface that is fully accessible from the keyboard. The visually driven and dynamic nature of the Facebook website has made it challenging for many screen reader users to complete their favorite Facebook tasks efficiently and GWSocialEyes is an accessible alternative that can be used to accomplish these tasks quickly and easily.
GWSocialEyes technical support is available exclusively through the GW-Apps electronic mailing list. Here you can interact and communicate with other GWSocialEyes users and GW Micro staff should you have any problems, suggestions, or questions. To subscribe to GW-Apps, please visit http://www.gwmicro.com/lists. GW Micro does not offer telephone-based support for GWSocialEyes.
To install GWSocialEyes, first download the latest release from www.gwmicro.com/apps/SocialEyes. If you are familiar with installing software on a Windows PC, then the GWSocialEyes setup should be a simple, straight-forward process. After downloading the GWSocialEyes setup program to your computer, run the file to initiate the installation process. Once the setup program starts, follow the instructions displayed on screen. Before you can proceed with setup, you must agree to the End User License Agreement (EULA). Installing the software constitutes your acceptance of the license agreement; carefully read through it before proceeding. Please note that a number of required GWSocialEyes components will be downloaded during the setup process. After the setup program finishes installing GWSocialEyes on your computer, a shortcut to the program will be placed on your desktop.
If you have a firewall or malware scanner installed, you may be presented with dialogs asking if GWSocialEyes.exe should be granted internet access. It is important to allow access to the Internet for this process for GWSocialEyes to function correctly. Additionally, some antivirus scanners may flag the GWSocialEyes process as containing viruses or Trojans. You can rest assured that if you received this installation package from GW Micro, then you need not worry about these messages as they are false positives and can safely be ignored. As an added layer of protection, GWSocialEyes also performs a self-test to verify that it has not been tampered with each time it starts.
Before GWSocialEyes can be used, it must first be activated. An activation can be purchased online at http://www.gwmicro.com/catalog or by contacting GW Micro's orders department at (260) 489-3671. Once purchased, a serial number and instructions for installing it will be emailed to you.
If you have purchased a GWSocialEyes serial number and installed it, you must then authorize your computer to run in registered mode. To activate GWSocialEyes, follow these steps:
Now that GWSocialEyes has been authorized, you can use the program and login to use Facebook. Please contact GW Micro if you encounter problems activating GWSocialEyes.
If you are going to perform any serious maintenance on your computer or if you wish to return an authorization for use on another machine, follow these steps:
If you also want to remove the GWSocialEyes key from your computer, you may do so by selecting the respective option from the "Add/Remove Programs" Control Panel applet in Windows XP or by opening "Programs and Features" in Windows Vista and above. Note that you will be unable to login to Facebook with GWSocialEyes or use any of GWSocialEyes' features for as long as the program remains deactivated.
At any time, you may verify your registration and activation status by opening the "About SocialEyes" item located under the GWSocialEyes Help menu. A dialog will open which will show, among other pieces of information, your GWSocialEyes serial number, registration status, number of remaining authorizations, and the date on which GWSocialEyes will expire. Press OK to close the dialog when you have finished reviewing it.
After installing and activating GWSocialEyes, the next step is to log in to Facebook. Complete the following steps to log in with GWSocialEyes:
Note: If you do not have a Facebook account, you will need to create one before you can log in with GWSocialEyes. To create a Facebook account, activate the Sign up for Facebook link that follows the Log In button and complete the provided webpage form.
When GWSocialEyes opens and you have logged in, your focus is placed in the main window. This section briefly describes each major portion of the GWSocialEyes user interface, and the "Features" section which follows describes how to perform tasks on Facebook with GWSocialEyes in more detail.
The menu bar, displayed towards the top of the main window and accessible via the Alt key, contains the following menus and menu items:
Located below the menu bar in the GWSocialEyes main window, you will find the Update Status area, Status list and Friends list. These three areas are included in the program's tab order meaning you can navigate among these elements using TAB and SHIFT-TAB. Or by pressing their associated shortcut hot keys which will be listed below.
The Status list (which gains focus by default and can be reached by pressing Alt-S from other areas in the main window) contains status messages and similar posts from all of your Facebook friends. Since GWSocialEyes places your keyboard focus in this list upon launch, simply use your Up and Down Arrow keys to review your friends' latest activity. Once you select a status message or post in the Status List, you can press Enter to open the status message in a separate dialog box or press the Application key to display a context menu for the selected message. Both of these user interface elements are described below.
After opening the Message Dialog Box, your focus will be placed in a read-only edit box containing the status message. Below the read-only edit box is a link reflecting the number of Likes the comment has. Activating the link will display a list of friends who liked the status message. Below the Likes link is a list of comments that have been posted in response to the status message. Finally, there is a group of four buttons:
Pressing Tab from the Status list will move you into a list of all of your Facebook friends (you can also navigate to the Friends List by pressing Alt-R from other areas of the main window). You can review all of your Facebook friends in this list, and also initiate real-time chats, view their profiles, post to their walls, and more. Once you select a friend in the Friends List, you can press Enter to open a separate dialog box displaying your friend's posts as well as buttons to post to their wall or initiate a private chat. You can also press the Application Key after selecting a friend in the Friends List to display a context menu that gives you quick access to additional functions. Both of these user interface elements are described below.
After opening the Friend Dialog Box, your focus will be placed in the list of posts on your friend's wall. Below the list of posts is a group of three buttons:
Pressing Tab from the Friends list moves your keyboard focus to the Update Status edit box. This area allows you to write a message that you can share with all of your Facebook friends. Posting status updates is described in greater detail below.
At the very bottom of the GWSocialEyes main window is the status bar. The status bar lists the name of the logged in user followed by the number of unread notifications, messages, friend requests as well as the number of upcoming events.
If you are brand new to Facebook, one of the first tasks you will likely want to perform is a search for friends, colleagues, organizations, pages, or events with which to connect. GWSocialEyes enables you to do this via the "Find" dialog from the application's View menu or by pressing Control-F.
When the Find dialog opens, your keyboard focus is placed in the "Search For" edit box. Enter the name of a friend, page, location, etc. you wish to find. Next, Tab to the "In" combo box where you can select the category in which GWSocialEyes will search. GWSocialEyes can look through events, friends, groups, pages, places, posts, and users. Once you have selected a category, Tab to and activate the "Go" button.
Once a search has begun, your focus will land in a list of results. You can use your Up and Down Arrow keys to move between all of the items which matched your query. To open an item to act upon it, either press Enter or activate the "Select" button. The options available in the details dialog for the item you selected will depend on the item's type. As an example, you might see options to initiate chats, post to walls, or add friends when the item is a post, whereas you will see options for an item's location, time, description, etc. when the item is an event. Use your Tab and Shift-Tab keys to navigate the details of any search result, and activate the appropriate item(s) as desired.
When you have finished viewing the details of a search result, click the "Close" button or press Escape to return to the "Find" dialog. From here you can continue reviewing the results of an existing search, initiate a new search, or close the window to return to the GWSocialEyes main window.
Reviewing your friends' Facebook activity is very simple. From the GWSocialEyes main window, Tab to the "Status" list, and use your Up and Down Arrow keys to move through the updates. As you move, your screen reader will voice details about the person's name and information about his or her update. Press Enter on any of the items to open a dialog displaying more details about the status update (discussed below). Notice that the final item in the status list is labeled "More." Pressing Enter on this item will cause GWSocialEyes to retrieve an additional page of updates, and once completed, your focus will be placed at the beginning of the new updates. In this manner, you can read as many or as few updates as you wish. Note, too, that GWSocialEyes will automatically add new updates to the top of the status list as they are published.
You can also perform actions on a status item (such as opening a dialog box to review the text of the message, open more details, like the post, etc.) by accessing its context menu with the Applications key or Shift-F10. Each action (commenting, liking, etc.) is discussed next.
If you enjoy a person's status update, link, or other content in a post, it is possible to let the poster and your friends know by "liking" the update. To like a post:
If you would also like to add comments in addition to liking the post, it may be more appropriate to open the post's details window first. To like a post via the details window:
GWSocialEyes makes it very easy to not only review someone's post but also review any comments that have been made and add your own thoughts. To post a comment:
Just as you can like someone's posts, it is also possible to like comments made to that post. When you find a comment that you wish to publically like within a post's details window, either click the "Like Comment" button or activate the item's context menu via the Applications key, select "Like," and press Enter.
You can review the text of any message by either pressing the Review Status hotkey (Control-D), or by activating the context menu on a selected list view item, and choosing the Review Status menu item. The selected item's message text is displayed in a stand alone dialog for easy perusal.
Whenever a post is presented in a dialog, such as when reviewing a post or a message, you can activate any available link putting your cursor anywhere in the link address, and pressing enter.
GWSocialEyes makes it very easy to share what's on your mind with Facebook. To post a status update:
If you wish to post an update from anywhere in Windows, you may also open the new status dialog by pressing the new status hot key (Control-Windows-N by default), and follow the steps listed above.
In addition to status updates, GWSocialEyes enables you to share other types of content such as links, photos, and videos with other Facebook users. The steps for each type of post are described in more detail below.
To share a link:
Please note that it is possible to share only one piece of content at a time. For example, a post may contain a link, photo, or video, but it cannot contain any combination of these items.
To share a photo:
Please note that it is possible to share only one piece of content at a time. For example, a post may contain a link, photo, or video, but it cannot contain any combination of these items.
To share a video:
Please note that it is possible to share only one piece of content at a time. For example, a post may contain a link, photo, or video, but it cannot contain any combination of these items.
As in real life, Facebook events are representations of things which happen. For instance, an event could be somebody's birthday party, a concert, a conference, or anything that has a date, time, and which people can attend. To locate an event, you can use the search command described earlier in this guide. To view a list of all events to which you have subscribed, open the "Events" from the GWSocialEyes View menu.
The events dialog is very straight-forward. It first contains a list of all events to which you have subscribed, a "Select" button to access details of the selected event, and a "Close" button to return you to the GWSocialEyes main window.
When you access an events' details by pressing the "Select" button, you will be presented with a dialog box displaying the event's name, its description, owner, location, time, list of attendees, posts, comments, and a button to add a comment. Note that due to Facebook API limitations, you cannot use third-party programs like GWSocialEyes to accept or decline event invitations.
Just as you can search for friends and add them on Facebook, other people can request to add you as a friend. When a friend request is received, GWSocialEyes will alert you, and you can then manage the request at your leisure.
The "Friend Requests" dialog accessible from the View menu displays a list of all pending friend requests, a "Manage" button to manage the selected request, and a "Close" button to return you to the main GWSocialEyes window. Assuming you have a friend request in the list, simply use your Arrow keys to select it, and activate the "Manage" button. An embedded web page will then open where you can accept the request, ignore it, or block the user from finding you again in the future. You will need to use your screen reader's web page navigation commands to manage the request from this point. When finished, you will be returned to the list of pending requests.
Facebook messages act very much like email. That is, you can converse with one or more people without having to both be online at the time. GWSocialEyes gives you full control over sending, receiving, and reading your messages.
All message management is handled in the "Messages" dialog located in the GWSocialEyes View menu. Once opened, your keyboard focus is placed in a list of your messages. By default, GWSocialEyes will display only unread messages, though this behavior can be customized in the options dialog described later. Each entry in the message list displays the sender's name, whether the message is new (or unread), and the date and time the conversation was last updated. Click the "Select" button or press Enter to open the details for the selected conversation.
When the conversation dialog first opens, your keyboard focus is placed in a list containing all of the conversation's messages. You can use your Arrow keys to review the conversation history, and if you wish, Tab to the "Write a Reply" edit box to continue the thread. Press the "Reply" button to send the reply when you are finished typing. When you are satisfied, press the "Close" button to return to the GWSocialEyes main window.
Like email messages, Facebook also allows you to converse with your friends in real time when you are both online. Facebook chats are handled in the same manner as other instant messaging services you might have used previously (such as Skype via GWConnect, AOL Instant Messenger, MSN, Yahoo, etc). The key difference between Facebook chats and messaging is that the former allows for instantaneous text chatting between two people when they are online, while the latter will function even if both parties are not signed in to Facebook.
Before you can chat with your Facebook friends, it is necessary to login to the Facebook Chat service itself. To do this:
To initiate a chat with one of your friends:
Once you are in a chat dialog, you can type messages to your friends, and if they are online, the message will be received shortly after you press Enter or click the "Send" button. GWSocialEyes will also cause your screen reader to speak any incoming and outgoing messages from your friends. The program will also open chat windows for any incoming messages, if necessary. When you have finished your conversation, click the "Close" button or press Alt-F4 to return to the main GWSocialEyes window.
As you interact with your friends on Facebook, they are likely to respond to you in some way. For instance, someone might send you a message, another friend may like a post you wrote, or a colleague might comment on one of your recent status updates. When someone performs an action which involves you, Facebook will send you notifications. These notifications are accessible on the Facebook web site as well as in programs like GWSocialEyes.
The "Notifications" dialog located in the GWSocialEyes View menu will display a list of all of your new (or unread) notifications. Simply use your Up and Down Arrow keys to review the notification, who is notifying you, the date and time it occurred, and optionally any extra details. if you would like to act on the notification (such as commenting on someone's comment to a post), press the Select button. Or, you can choose to mark the currently selected notification as read or mark them all as read by activating the appropriate buttons in the window. When you are finished, press the "Close" button to return to the main GWSocialEyes window.
Note: GWSocialEyes will show only unread notifications by default. You can configure whether GWSocialEyes also lists previously read items in the notification window in the options dialog described later.
Your Facebook timeline is composed of your posts, photos, videos, likes, comments, and other similar activity. You can manage your timeline by accessing the "Timeline" item from the GWSocialEyes View menu. Once opened, GWSocialEyes will retrieve a list of your most recent activity. Use your Up and Down Arrow keys to traverse your timeline, and if you would like more details regarding a specific item, press Enter or click the "Select" button. Note that due to Facebook API limitations, it is currently not possible to remove items from your timeline.
When you have finished, press the "Close" button or press Escape to return to the GWSocialEyes main window.
Facebook groups are similar in many ways to mailing lists. That is, you can add people to a group, and each member will be alerted when someone posts or comments on an existing post. While Facebook does not allow third-party programs like GWSocialEyes to create or administer groups, it does allow you to view existing group subscriptions and interact with them.
All group-related functions are accessible via the "Groups" item under the GWSocialEyes View menu. Once opened, your keyboard focus lands in a list of all of the groups of which you are a member. GWSocialEyes shows the name of the group and the count of unread posts it contains so that you can quickly determine which groups have new topics for you to read. Once you locate the group you want to read, press Enter or activate the "Select" button.
Once a group's details have been selected, you will be placed in a window which allows you to read individual posts, add comments, read more details about each post, and obtain general information about the group (its name, description, owner, etc). When you have finished interacting with the group, press the "Close" button to return to the list of groups. From here you can view another group or click the "Close" button to return to the GWSocialEyes main window.
In Facebook terminology, a "like" refers to pages, people, organizations, musicians, and similar material you have liked on the web site. It does not, however, encompass day-to-day posts or comments you have liked. To view the list of content you have liked, open the "Likes" option from the GWSocialEyes View menu. Once opened, you can traverse the list with your Up and Down Arrow keys. Press the "Select" button to read more details about the item and, if appropriate, read the page's wall and post comments. When you have finished reading the information or your "likes," press the "Close" button or the Escape key to return to the main GWSocialEyes window.
The GWSocialEyes options window, accessed via the Tools menu from the main window, allows you to customize how the application behaves. Each option is briefly described below.
Run GWSocialEyes when Windows starts (R) - Controls whether or not GWSocialEyes will start automatically when Windows starts. (default unchecked)
Include profile images (requires restart) (I) - When this option is checked, Facebook user profile images will be included as icons in all GWSocialEyes list views (where appropriate). This option can be disabled to increase performance. (default checked)
Minimize on close (M) - If the main GWSocialEyes window is closed with this option checked, GWSocialEyes will minimize to the Windows Notification Area or System Tray instead of exiting when you press Alt-F4. (default unchecked)
Warn me before exiting (W) - If this option is checked, GWSocialEyes will prompt whether you want it to shut down when you close the main window. (default checked)
Include read messages (I) - If this option is checked, all messages (not just new messages) will be included in the View -> Messages dialog. (default unchecked)
Use standard edit boxes (U) - Checking this option will cause message text to be presented in standard edit box controls rather than rich edit box controls. Check this option if your screen reader encounters problems reading the GWSocialEyes rich edit controls. (default unchecked)
Include read notifications (I) - If this option is checked, all notifications (not just new notifications) will be included in the View -> Notifications dialog. (default unchecked)
Mark notifications as read when opened (M) - When this option is enabled, notifications will be marked as read when they are opened. This will cause them to be removed from the notification list automatically. (default unchecked)
Display popup when status messages arrive (D) - Enabling this option causes a popup window containing the message text of the latest status message to be displayed at the specified position on the screen. (default unchecked)
Include my own updates when notifying (N) - When this option is enabled, notification announcements and tones will be played for all status updates, including your own. (default checked)
Use custom notification sounds (U) - When this option is enabled, you can configure GWSocialEyes to use your own sounds to indicate various notifications. Each sound has a Browse button for selecting a custom sound file, and a Test button for testing the custom sound. (default unchecked)
Like sound (L) - The sound played when a status message is liked.
Comment sound (C) - The sound played when a comment is added to a post.
Status sound (S) - The sound played when a new status message arrives.
Message sound (M) - The sound played when a new inbox message arrives.
Notification sound (N) - The sound played when a new notification arrives.
Friend request sound (F) - The sound played when a new friend request arrives.
Username (U) - Your Facebook chat username. This information is retrieved automatically from Facebook and cannot be modified.
Password (P) - Your Facebook password. This is the same password used to sign into the Facebook service. Note that chat services will not be available until a valid password has been entered.
Save chat histories (s) - When this option is enabled, incoming and outgoing chat messages are saved automatically. (default unchecked)
Include timestamps (I) - When this option is enabled, incoming and outgoing chat messages displayed in the history window will include the dates and times they were sent. (default unchecked)
Open Chat Histories (O) - Activating this button will cause Windows Explorer to open to the directory containing all your chat histories.
Main window (M) - Pressing this hotkey will cause the main GWSocialEyes window to gain activation.
New status (N) - Pressing this hotkey will open the new status dialog.
Both hotkeys have respective Set buttons, where you can set the key and modifiers to be used as a hotkey.
Filters (C) - A list view of checkable items representing all available filters. If an item is checked, the filter is active. If the item is unchecked, the filter is inactive. Pressing the space bar on an item toggles it's enabled state.
Add (A) - Activating this button displays the Filter dialog, which lets you choose a filter type and value for creating a new filter.
Edit (E) - Activating this button displays the Filter dialog, populated with the information of the selected filter, allowing you to edit existing filters.
Remove (R) - Activating this button will remove the selected filter.
The GWSocialEyes program will be updated periodically to add new features, enhance stability and address specific issues identified by GW Micro and the GWSocialEyes user community. When GWSocialEyes is launched, it will check for new updates over the Internet. If a GWSocialEyes program update is found, the update will be applied automatically without requiring any user interaction. Once the update is successfully applied, a message box will be displayed prompting you to restart GWSocialEyes to begin using the newly installed version. GWSocialEyes will check for updates once per hour while running. You can also check for updates manually by selecting the Check for Updates item in the Help menu.
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