Hi everyone,
I hope you're all doing well.
Let me quickly introduce myself. My name is Abdullah, writing to
you from Pakistan. I'm 25 years old, and a lifelong technology
enthusiast. Professionally, I work as a Web Developer and DevOps
Engineer, so Linux has been part of my daily workflow for quite
some time, though mostly in a headless, server-side environment.
I regularly manage Debian-based LEMP stacks (Linux, NGINX,
MariaDB, PHP-FPM), handle deployments, maintain Docker containers,
and oversee several web applications and services. So, I’d
consider myself an intermediate Linux user in the server context.
However, I’ve been a Windows user for over 20 years, from Windows
98 all the way to Windows 10, which I currently use with NVDA
2024.1.2. For a long time now, I’ve wanted to transition to Linux
for personal desktop use, not just on remote servers.
I truly admire Linux for its freedom, flexibility, and licensing
model, and I feel it's time to make the switch, but I’m aware that
as a blind user, this change will come with new challenges,
especially around accessibility, desktop environments, screen
readers, shortcuts, and overall UX.
That brings me to my main reason for reaching out.
I’d love some guidance, mentorship, or a roadmap on how to start
this transition. Specifically:
- Which distro(s) are most accessible for blind users?
- How different is the desktop experience compared to Windows + NVDA?
- Which screen readers or tools should I get familiar with?
- What should I learn first? Are there any key tutorials or beginner-friendly resources?
- How do you handle common tasks like file management, software installation, and system settings with a screen reader?
- Any must-know keyboard shortcuts or accessibility hacks?
If there are any detailed guides, blog posts, or
YouTube videos you recommend, I’m all ears. I’m ready to invest
the time to learn and would really appreciate your help.
Looking forward to your kind insights, experiences, and
suggestions. Thanks in advance for supporting a fellow blind
techie!
Cheers,
Abdullah Zubair
Pakistan
Web Developer & DevOps Engineer
(Blind Linux Enthusiast-in-Transition 😉)