I just read this story about Peter Lundblad, a programmer recently hired by Google. The reason why I’m featuring him on my blog is because Peter is blind. I’m blessed to have a pair of good eyes, and I couldn’t possibly imagine even typing an email, if I was blind.
From the article:
“I was trained as a finger typist. I know from the feel of the keys if I’ve made a mistake typing. When looking at code, I prefer Braille.” Lundblad uses a device that presents each line of code on the screen in Braille for him to read by touch.
“I was 13 years old in 1989 when I got my first computer. Then a few years later, the Internet came along. It was a revolution. I could search for whatever I wanted, instead of going to the library to see what books they had in Braille.
What a touching story, and as a technologist, the lesson to be learned here is that while most of us are fortunate and take many things in life for granted, we should always remember the Peter Lundblad’s of the world — and make our technology accessible for them too. How different would Peter’s life be, had the Internet not been accessible in Braille?
I am reminded of a quote I read in Entrepreneur yesterday,
People are always blaming their circumstances for what they are. I don’t believe in circumstances. The people who succeed are the people who look for the circumstances they want. And if they can’t find them, they make them.
– George Bernard Shaw
I admire his resilience in overcoming such a challenge, and hope I never forget that I cannot give up.