[Athen] [EXT]Re: PDF remediation help

[Metzessible]

I think this auto-tag "feature" is specifically intended for use with Adobe
Experience Manager, as that's what uses Adobe Sensei the most. They're
calling it "Smart Tagging (link:
https://business.adobe.com/products/experience-manager/assets/smart-tagging.html).
The caption for that photo is for a File photo, so chances are it's in the
metadata of the file. I haven't inspected it myself.

On Fri, May 19, 2023 at 12:44 PM <info at karlencommunications.com> wrote:


> I just read a post on LinkedIn by Matt May, the Adobe Accessibility lead.

> He is not well and taking time to recuperate.

>

>

>

> Not sure what the status of accessibility is in his absence.

>

>

>

> Cheers, Karen

>

>

>

> *From:* athen-list <athen-list-bounces at mailman12.u.washington.edu> *On

> Behalf Of *Philip Kiff

> *Sent:* Friday, May 19, 2023 11:05 AM

> *To:* athen-list at u.washington.edu

> *Subject:* Re: [Athen] [EXT]Re: PDF remediation help

>

>

>

> Another quick follow-up on this.

>

> I just tested the Demo using a two-page PDF newsletter generated by Canva

> - which generally produces absolutely horrendous PDF files. And I tested

> the AutoTag output from my version of Adobe Acrobat Pro and compared it to

> the output from the Demo API.

>

> First thing to note is that I am not given the option of using Adobe Cloud

> for AutoTag when I attempt to use the AutoTag feature in Adobe Acrobat Pro.

> I selected not to use the cloud because I want to be able to compare the

> outputs.

>

> Next thing to note is that the output from the AutoTag built in to Acrobat

> has gotten much better recently. Even just a few months ago, it was not

> worth my time to start remediating a Canva file with Autotag. But today,

> the file it output on its own was a good starting point.

>

> Comparing the output from Acrobat Pro to the Cloud Demo, I notice a few

> differences. One significant difference in this file is that the built-in

> Acrobat Autotag does not correctly tag any annotations (hyperlinks).

> Whereas the Adobe AutoTag API Demo does a pretty good job of generating

> proper Link/Reference tags. Also, the AutoTag API Demo actually creates a

> root <Document> tag like it is supposed to, instead of putting everything

> inside a <Section> tag.

>

> I would say that if you have a choice, right now, and you don't mind the

> loss of privacy/security with uploading files to Adobe, then I would

> recommend using the AutoTag API Demo instead of using the built-in Adobe

> Acrobat Autotag feature.

>

> Phil.

>

> On 2023-05-19 08:10, Philip Kiff wrote:

>

> A couple corrections and a re-interpretation after re-reading things this

> morning.

>

> The media release was from May 17, the day before GAAD, not on May 18.

>

> Adobe isn't claiming they are going to release a stand-alone version of

> the PDF Accessibility Checker . I must have heard that somewhere else, but

> wherever I heard it, it doesn't sound like that's true based on the media

> release. I'm not quite sure what the release is saying about the checker -

> I think Adobe needs someone with clear language training to help write

> their media releases!:

> "The PDF Accessibility Checker, available in Acrobat via an API, will

> enable organizations to quickly and easily evaluate the accessibility of

> existing PDFs at scale."

>

> So the PDF Accessibility Checker will probably also be an API connecting

> to a cloud-based function? And when you use it in Acrobat, it will use the

> cloud-based API, instead of running locally on your computer using code run

> by Acrobat. It's too bad that they are calling it "PDF Accessibility

> Checker", since that will mean it gets confused with the per-existing free

> PAC (PDF Accessibility Checker) tool.

>

> I guess we'll see.

>

> Phil.

>

> On 2023-05-19 01:31, Philip Kiff wrote:

>

> So I found Adobe's media release [1] from yesterday (GAAD, May 18) that

> sparked the Forbes and other article (links at end of emal).

>

> Adobe has a page in their Developer documentation area [2] with more info.

>

> They have a free demo [3] (requires login) where you can test it out.

>

> I think that what Adobe are announcing is the new API aimed at developers,

> not just a new iteration of the Auto-Tag feature that has been built into

> Adobe Acrobat Pro for many years.

>

> Adobe seems to be suggesting that this API is partially driven by their

> so-called "AI" branded as "Sensei". It is not clear to me that the AutoTag

> feature in Acrobat Pro runs  the exact same code as that in their (new?)

> API. Leaving aside the misleading marketing language around the phrase

> "artificial intelligence", I have the impression that Acrobat Pro's AutoTag

> feature depends entirely on code run locally on your computer, whereas the

> AutoTag API will run somewhere in Adobe's Cloud. Maybe the results will be

> similar. Who knows.

>

> Is that different than the AutoTag in the "new Acrobat" that you're

> talking about Bevi?

>

> Like Bevi and Susan, I find the AutoTag feature currently included in

> Adobe Acrobat Pro to be mediocre. Though I often still use it as a starting

> point when I am remediating files.

>

> But I can see a value in having an API that developers can incorporate

> into their own PDF generation processes or when trying to automate

> large-scale remediation efforts on collections of files. There are already

> some other document accessibility companies that offer automated solutions

> for remediation of PDF files in bulk, I think, so I expect this signals

> that Adobe has decided to enter into this business market more aggressively.

>

> There are two other items worth noting that appear towards the end of

> Adobe's press release. This fall, they plan to release a stand-alone PDF

> accessibility checker and they plan to include the AutoTag feature in the

> free Adobe Reader instead of it requiring the purchase of the expensive and

> overpriced Adobe Acrobat Pro. I'll be curious if the accessibility checker

> will be a new product that checks against a full set of WCAG or PDF/UA

> criteria to compete with offerings from CommonLook and PAC, or if it will

> simply be a stand-alone version of the rudimentary Accessibility Check

> feature currently built into Adobe Acrobat Pro.

>

> [1] Media Release:

>

> https://news.adobe.com/news/news-details/2023/Media-Alert-Adobe-Scales-PDF-Accessibility-With-Adobe-Sensei-AI/default.aspx

>

> [2] Developer AutoTag API page:

>

> https://developer.adobe.com/document-services/apis/pdf-accessibility-auto-tag/

>

> [3] Demo Sign Up:

> https://acrobatservices.adobe.com/dc-accessibility-playground/main.html

>

> Phil.

>

> Philip Kiff

> D4K Communications

>

> On 2023-05-18 18:45, chagnon at pubcom.com wrote:

>

> We’ve been testing the new Acrobat for a year or so, and keep testing the

> AutoTag feature.

>

> It gets better with every new edition, but it’s been around for a few

> years and we still can’t depend on it for much.

>

>

>

> It did do one PDF just ok, sort of: it was a one-page document with one

> heading and several paragraphs of body text. Tagged the title at the top of

> the page as <H5>, which from our testing seems to be the default heading

> tag AutoTag uses for the first heading.

>

>

>

> Duh.

>

>

>

> It seems to be sales hoopla from Adobe in honor of GAAD day. Time will

> tell if we actually get anything of substance from Acrobat.

>

>

>

> Sure wish Adobe would focus on making a more accurate PDF from MS Office

> and InDesign so that we don’t have to remediate the PDF after it’s made,

> but maybe that’s asking too much!

>

>

>

> *— — —*

>

> Bevi Chagnon  *| *Designer, Accessibility Technician* |*

> Chagnon at PubCom.com

>

> *— — —*

>

> *PubCom: Technologists for Accessible Design + Publishing*

>

> consulting • training • development • design • sec. 508 services

>

> *Upcoming classes* at www.PubCom.com/*classes*

> <http://www.pubcom.com/classes>

>

> *— — —*

>

> Latest blog-newsletter

> <https://mailchi.mp/e694edcdfadd/class-discount-3266574> – *Simple Guide

> to Writing Alt-Text

> <https://www.pubcom.com/blog/2020_07-20/alt-text_part-1.shtml>*

>

>

>

> *From:* athen-list <athen-list-bounces at mailman12.u.washington.edu>

> <athen-list-bounces at mailman12.u.washington.edu> *On Behalf Of *Susan

> Kelmer

> *Sent:* Thursday, May 18, 2023 4:53 PM

> *To:* enews at toptechtidbits.com; Access Technology Higher Education

> Network <athen-list at u.washington.edu> <athen-list at u.washington.edu>

> *Subject:* Re: [Athen] [EXT]Re: PDF remediation help

>

>

>

> To quote from the article:

>

>

>

> “For example, before using the new Adobe API, a global financial firm

> spent more than 9 hours to make each individual presentation slide deck

> accessible. With Adobe’s new API, the firm has automated 70–80% of that

> process.”

>

>

>

> Should we tell them?  Should we tell them that had they just created the

> file correctly in the first place, it would have taken only a few minutes,

> and no 9 hour remediation would have been required?

>

>

>

> NINE HOURS?   What the heck were they doing?  Oh yeah, they were using

> Adobe to fix an Adobe file.  That works.

>

>

>

> /sarcasm

>

>

>

> *Susan Kelmer *

>

> Alternate Format Production Program Manager

>

> Disability Services

>

> Health and Wellness Services

>

> *T* 303 735 4836

>

> *www.colorado.edu/disabilityservices

> <http://www.colorado.edu/disabilityservices> *

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

> *Due to the nature of electronic communication, the security of this

> message cannot be guaranteed. If you’ve received this email in error please

> notify the sender immediately and delete this message. *

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

> *From:* athen-list <athen-list-bounces at mailman12.u.washington.edu> *On

> Behalf Of *Top Tech Tidbits

> *Sent:* Thursday, May 18, 2023 2:49 PM

> *To:* chagnon at pubcom.com; 'Access Technology Higher Education Network' <

> athen-list at u.washington.edu>

> *Subject:* Re: [Athen] [EXT]Re: PDF remediation help

>

>

>

> Here’s some additional information released by Forbes:

>

>

>

> Adobe Wants To Help Make PDF Documents More Accessible With AI-Based

> Auto-Tag API | May 17, 2023 | Steven Aquino | Forbes

>

>

> https://www.forbes.com/sites/stevenaquino/2023/05/17/adobe-wants-to-help-make-pdf-documents-more-accessible-with-ai-based-auto-tag-api/?sh=5d0d4855b24c

>

>

>

> *Aaron Di Blasi, PMP*

>

>

>

> Publisher (2020-Present)

>

> *Top Tech Tidbits*

>

> The Week's News in Adaptive Technology

>

> https://toptechtidbits.com 🌐

>

>

>

>

>

> *From:* chagnon at pubcom.com <chagnon at pubcom.com>

> *Sent:* Thursday, May 18, 2023 2:09 AM

> *To:* 'Access Technology Higher Education Network' <

> athen-list at u.washington.edu>

> *Cc:* enews at toptechtidbits.com

> *Subject:* RE: [Athen] [EXT]Re: PDF remediation help

>

>

>

> Hi Aaron,

>

>

>

> I don’t know why the article is being posted as news. It’s grossly out of

> date and is from the Microsoft news network portal.

>

>

>

> Adobe's New AI Automates PDF Accessibility Tags

>

>

> https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/other/adobe-s-new-ai-automates-pdf-accessibility-tags/ar-AA1biX4V

>

>

>

>    1. The photo captions reference software releases in 2013, “Adobe

>    announced Monday, May 6, 20*13*…” and the rest is pure nonsense.

>    2. The AutoTag feature has been in Acrobat Pro for quite a few years.

>    It’s had marginal improvement every year, but overall still sucks at

>    correctly tagging a document, separating text from graphics, and creating a

>    logical reading order. We teach our clients and students how to use it only

>    when there’s no better way to remediate a bad PDF.

>

>

>

> We’re beta testers for Adobe and I don’t see anything substantial on the

> horizon for Acrobat anytime soon, other than an overhaul of the user

> interface (which is getting bad reviews). We still have hope for the

> future, however.

>

>

>

> I’m chalking up this news release as stale and inaccurate.

>

>

>

> *— — —*

>

> Bevi Chagnon  *| *Designer, Accessibility Technician* |*

> Chagnon at PubCom.com

>

> *— — —*

>

> *PubCom: Technologists for Accessible Design + Publishing*

>

> consulting • training • development • design • sec. 508 services

>

> *Upcoming classes* at www.PubCom.com/*classes*

> <http://www.pubcom.com/classes>

>

> *— — —*

>

> Latest blog-newsletter

> <https://mailchi.mp/e694edcdfadd/class-discount-3266574> – *Simple Guide

> to Writing Alt-Text

> <https://www.pubcom.com/blog/2020_07-20/alt-text_part-1.shtml>*

>

>

>

> *From:* athen-list <athen-list-bounces at mailman12.u.washington.edu> *On

> Behalf Of *Top Tech Tidbits

> *Sent:* Wednesday, May 17, 2023 5:52 PM

> *To:* 'Access Technology Higher Education Network' <

> athen-list at u.washington.edu>

> *Subject:* Re: [Athen] [EXT]Re: PDF remediation help

>

>

>

> Per recent discussions, this article was just released 8 hours ago. I

> think we should expect a number of updates from Adobe regarding PDF

> accessibility, remediation and AI in the coming months.

>

>

>

> Adobe's New AI Automates PDF Accessibility Tags

>

>

> https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/other/adobe-s-new-ai-automates-pdf-accessibility-tags/ar-AA1biX4V

>

>

>

> *Aaron Di Blasi, PMP*

>

>

>

> Publisher (2020-Present)

>

> *Top Tech Tidbits*

>

> The Week's News in Adaptive Technology

>

> https://toptechtidbits.com 🌐

>

>

>

> _______________________________________________

>

> athen-list mailing list

>

> athen-list at mailman12.u.washington.edu

>

> http://mailman12.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/athen-list

>

>

>

> _______________________________________________

>

> athen-list mailing list

>

> athen-list at mailman12.u.washington.edu

>

> http://mailman12.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/athen-list

>

> _______________________________________________

> athen-list mailing list

> athen-list at mailman12.u.washington.edu

> http://mailman12.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/athen-list

>

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman12.u.washington.edu/pipermail/athen-list/attachments/20230519/4af961c5/attachment.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image001.png
Type: image/png
Size: 8916 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://mailman12.u.washington.edu/pipermail/athen-list/attachments/20230519/4af961c5/attachment.png>