nvaccess/nvda
Jan 2025 – Mar 2026
13 Months active
Languages Used
C++MarkdownPythonPowerShellYAMLSConstructCCtypes
Technical Skills
AccessibilityC++ DevelopmentMicrosoft Word IntegrationPython DevelopmentScreen ReadingUIA (UI Automation)
Michael Curran
PROFILE
Michael Curran
Over thirteen months, contributed to the nvaccess/nvda repository by delivering twenty features and resolving sixteen bugs, focusing on accessibility, build automation, and cross-platform compatibility. Developed enhancements such as Word heading collapse reporting, real-time Braille feedback in Excel, and 32-bit SAPI synthesizer runtime support, using Python, C++, and Windows API integration. Improved localization workflows, streamlined CI/CD pipelines, and modernized Windows API bindings for 64-bit and ARM64 compatibility. Addressed stability and packaging issues through code refactoring, robust error handling, and dynamic build tooling. The work emphasized maintainable code, reliable releases, and expanded accessibility for screen reader users across diverse environments.
Overall Statistics
Feature vs Bugs
56%Features
Repository Contributions
51Total
Bugs
16
Commits
51
Features
20
Lines of code
4,923,346
Activity Months13
Your Network
39 peopleSame Organization
@nvaccess.org2
Work History
March 2026
3 Commits • 2 Features
Mar 1, 2026March 2026 monthly summary for nvda development focusing on business value and technical achievements: Key features delivered: - NVDA Installer Footprint Reduction: Build-time pruning of the _synthDrivers32 directory to include only .py and .dll files, excluding lib exp and pdb files. This reduces installer size and download/install time without changing functionality. Commit: d804c42fb1827c2865796b6dbd18dd6b55cdcba3. - SynthDriverHost build hardening: Added build-time security signing for the 32-bit synthDriverHost executable and enabled dynamic version/publisher metadata injection for traceability. Commits: aba8e88d818ba9f2c7427f89815e30df1ebb4e69; 01b0001ba47b455804403a9aee8a5beaf5c5fe43. Major bugs fixed (packaging, security, and metadata): - Fixed packaging bloat by excluding non-essential files from the 32-bit synthDriverHost runtime packaging, preventing unnecessary files from being shipped and ensuring consistent behavior across builds. (Related commit: d804c42fb...) - Resolved unsigned and misreported version metadata issues by implementing signing in dist and dynamic version/publisher injection, improving trust and traceability. Commits: aba8e88d...; 01b0001b... Overall impact and accomplishments: - Reduced distribution size and faster installation, enabling quicker deployments and improved user experience. - Strengthened release security and traceability through code signing and dynamic version metadata, increasing trust and supportability. - Demonstrated robust build engineering: automated signing, correct versioning, and validated via local and try builds. Technologies/skills demonstrated: - Python packaging (py2exe), build tooling enhancements, and integration with scons for signing. - Build-time code signing, dynamic metadata injection, and version/publisher management. - End-to-end testing practices (local builds, try builds) to validate packaging and executable integrity.
3 Commits • 2 Features
Mar 1, 2026March 2026 monthly summary for nvda development focusing on business value and technical achievements: Key features delivered: - NVDA Installer Footprint Reduction: Build-time pruning of the _synthDrivers32 directory to include only .py and .dll files, excluding lib exp and pdb files. This reduces installer size and download/install time without changing functionality. Commit: d804c42fb1827c2865796b6dbd18dd6b55cdcba3. - SynthDriverHost build hardening: Added build-time security signing for the 32-bit synthDriverHost executable and enabled dynamic version/publisher metadata injection for traceability. Commits: aba8e88d818ba9f2c7427f89815e30df1ebb4e69; 01b0001ba47b455804403a9aee8a5beaf5c5fe43. Major bugs fixed (packaging, security, and metadata): - Fixed packaging bloat by excluding non-essential files from the 32-bit synthDriverHost runtime packaging, preventing unnecessary files from being shipped and ensuring consistent behavior across builds. (Related commit: d804c42fb...) - Resolved unsigned and misreported version metadata issues by implementing signing in dist and dynamic version/publisher injection, improving trust and traceability. Commits: aba8e88d...; 01b0001b... Overall impact and accomplishments: - Reduced distribution size and faster installation, enabling quicker deployments and improved user experience. - Strengthened release security and traceability through code signing and dynamic version metadata, increasing trust and supportability. - Demonstrated robust build engineering: automated signing, correct versioning, and validated via local and try builds. Technologies/skills demonstrated: - Python packaging (py2exe), build tooling enhancements, and integration with scons for signing. - Build-time code signing, dynamic metadata injection, and version/publisher management. - End-to-end testing practices (local builds, try builds) to validate packaging and executable integrity.
March 2026
February 2026
6 Commits • 4 Features
Feb 1, 2026February 2026 monthly summary for nvda (nvaccess/nvda): Key features delivered: - 32-bit SAPI synthesis control enhancements: pitch changes for capital letters, rate boost, JSON-based command handling, and clamping of pitch/rate/volume for reliability. - Localization of 32-bit SAPI synth driver settings: uses translated strings and synchronizes language settings to provide localized feedback in the user’s language. - Audio handling improvements for 32-bit synthDrivers: audio routing to NVDA for playback to enable audio ducking and compatibility with secure add-ons; introduced WavePlayer service and related proxies for streaming control. - Packaging and versioning enhancements for 32-bit synthDriverHost: dynamic version and publisher information, signing, and exclusion of unnecessary pdb/lib/exp files to reduce footprint. Major bugs fixed: - NVDA 32-bit SAPI speech cancellation stability: asynchronous synthDriver notifications to NVDA eliminate freezes during speech cancellation, improving responsiveness. Overall impact and accomplishments: - Substantial increase in reliability and user experience for 32-bit SAPI integration, with improved pitch/rate accuracy for capital letters, language-appropriate feedback, and safer audio handling in add-on environments. Cleaner distribution pipeline enhances maintenance, signing, and deployment of the 32-bit host. Technologies/skills demonstrated: - 32-bit SAPI integration, JSON-based command handling, and robust value clamping. - Cross-process communication and asynchronous notification patterns (RPYC) for responsive behavior. - Audio streaming and ducking control via WavePlayer service, plus proactive handling for secure add-ons. - Localization/internationalization, dynamic build tooling (py2exe, scons) and distribution workflows for signed executables. - Testing and validation strategies including end-to-end scenarios across languages and synthesizers.
February 2026
6 Commits • 4 Features
Feb 1, 2026February 2026 monthly summary for nvda (nvaccess/nvda): Key features delivered: - 32-bit SAPI synthesis control enhancements: pitch changes for capital letters, rate boost, JSON-based command handling, and clamping of pitch/rate/volume for reliability. - Localization of 32-bit SAPI synth driver settings: uses translated strings and synchronizes language settings to provide localized feedback in the user’s language. - Audio handling improvements for 32-bit synthDrivers: audio routing to NVDA for playback to enable audio ducking and compatibility with secure add-ons; introduced WavePlayer service and related proxies for streaming control. - Packaging and versioning enhancements for 32-bit synthDriverHost: dynamic version and publisher information, signing, and exclusion of unnecessary pdb/lib/exp files to reduce footprint. Major bugs fixed: - NVDA 32-bit SAPI speech cancellation stability: asynchronous synthDriver notifications to NVDA eliminate freezes during speech cancellation, improving responsiveness. Overall impact and accomplishments: - Substantial increase in reliability and user experience for 32-bit SAPI integration, with improved pitch/rate accuracy for capital letters, language-appropriate feedback, and safer audio handling in add-on environments. Cleaner distribution pipeline enhances maintenance, signing, and deployment of the 32-bit host. Technologies/skills demonstrated: - 32-bit SAPI integration, JSON-based command handling, and robust value clamping. - Cross-process communication and asynchronous notification patterns (RPYC) for responsive behavior. - Audio streaming and ducking control via WavePlayer service, plus proactive handling for secure add-ons. - Localization/internationalization, dynamic build tooling (py2exe, scons) and distribution workflows for signed executables. - Testing and validation strategies including end-to-end scenarios across languages and synthesizers.
January 2026
3 Commits • 1 Features
Jan 1, 2026January 2026 performance highlights focused on sustaining accessibility runtime for legacy synthesizers and hardening upgrade paths to ensure robust configurations during platform evolution. Key features delivered and major builds: - Delivered 32-bit SAPI4/SAPI5 Synthesizer Compatibility Runtime, re-enabling 32-bit SAPI4 support and introducing a dedicated runtime with a compatibility layer to bridge legacy synthesizers into the 32-bit runtime. - Implemented cross-architecture build and runtime infrastructure for 32-bit synthDriver host, including WASAPI integration, separation of synth-related Python modules, and 32-bit synthDrivers to support SAPI4 and 32-bit SAPI5 scenarios. - Added 32-bit synthDriver host runtime components (including _bridge and RPYC IPC) and required Windows bindings (GetCurrentProcessId) to enable reliable process management. - Demonstrated end-to-end testing for 32-bit SAPI4 and SAPI5 scenarios (TrueVoice, MS Mike Mary Sam, David, eSpeak bridge), validating behavior with NvDA launcher across standard and secure desktop contexts. Major bugs fixed: - Configuration profile upgrade safety: added safe key retrieval to upgrade from schema 20 to 21, preventing KeyError when synth keys were missing and ensuring profiles load correctly. Overall impact and business value: - Maintains continuity of accessibility for users relying on legacy 32-bit synthesizers, enabling a smoother upgrade path and reducing user-visible regressions during platform evolution. - Improves resilience of user configurations during schema migrations, reducing error rates and support incidents related to missing synth settings. Technologies and skills demonstrated: - Cross-architecture build automation, Windows platform APIs (GetCurrentProcessId, Job objects), and WASAPI integration. - Inter-process communication via RPYC, Python packaging for 32-bit host runtime, and multi-process lifecycle management. - Robust config upgrade handling and end-to-end validation across NVDA components.
3 Commits • 1 Features
Jan 1, 2026January 2026 performance highlights focused on sustaining accessibility runtime for legacy synthesizers and hardening upgrade paths to ensure robust configurations during platform evolution. Key features delivered and major builds: - Delivered 32-bit SAPI4/SAPI5 Synthesizer Compatibility Runtime, re-enabling 32-bit SAPI4 support and introducing a dedicated runtime with a compatibility layer to bridge legacy synthesizers into the 32-bit runtime. - Implemented cross-architecture build and runtime infrastructure for 32-bit synthDriver host, including WASAPI integration, separation of synth-related Python modules, and 32-bit synthDrivers to support SAPI4 and 32-bit SAPI5 scenarios. - Added 32-bit synthDriver host runtime components (including _bridge and RPYC IPC) and required Windows bindings (GetCurrentProcessId) to enable reliable process management. - Demonstrated end-to-end testing for 32-bit SAPI4 and SAPI5 scenarios (TrueVoice, MS Mike Mary Sam, David, eSpeak bridge), validating behavior with NvDA launcher across standard and secure desktop contexts. Major bugs fixed: - Configuration profile upgrade safety: added safe key retrieval to upgrade from schema 20 to 21, preventing KeyError when synth keys were missing and ensuring profiles load correctly. Overall impact and business value: - Maintains continuity of accessibility for users relying on legacy 32-bit synthesizers, enabling a smoother upgrade path and reducing user-visible regressions during platform evolution. - Improves resilience of user configurations during schema migrations, reducing error rates and support incidents related to missing synth settings. Technologies and skills demonstrated: - Cross-architecture build automation, Windows platform APIs (GetCurrentProcessId, Job objects), and WASAPI integration. - Inter-process communication via RPYC, Python packaging for 32-bit host runtime, and multi-process lifecycle management. - Robust config upgrade handling and end-to-end validation across NVDA components.
January 2026
December 2025
1 Commits • 1 Features
Dec 1, 2025Monthly summary for 2025-12 focused on delivering a core improvement to the translation pipeline for the nvda repository, with a concrete fix that cleans up translation inputs and enhances documentation localization quality.
December 2025
1 Commits • 1 Features
Dec 1, 2025Monthly summary for 2025-12 focused on delivering a core improvement to the translation pipeline for the nvda repository, with a concrete fix that cleans up translation inputs and enhances documentation localization quality.
October 2025
2 Commits • 1 Features
Oct 1, 2025Month 2025-10 Monthly summary: Focused on stabilizing Windows sessions, automating localization workflows, and strengthening CI/CD practices. Delivered a Windows 64-bit session stability fix that prevents freezes during lock/unlock by normalizing window handle returns, ensuring compatibility and eliminating infinite loops. Automated XLIFF regeneration via GitHub Actions using a PAT, keeping translations current without SSH credentials. Strengthened CI/CD with PAT-based authentication and expanded developer-facing documentation and testing coverage. This month’s work improves product reliability, localization quality, and release velocity, delivering tangible business value for users and maintainers.
2 Commits • 1 Features
Oct 1, 2025Month 2025-10 Monthly summary: Focused on stabilizing Windows sessions, automating localization workflows, and strengthening CI/CD practices. Delivered a Windows 64-bit session stability fix that prevents freezes during lock/unlock by normalizing window handle returns, ensuring compatibility and eliminating infinite loops. Automated XLIFF regeneration via GitHub Actions using a PAT, keeping translations current without SSH credentials. Strengthened CI/CD with PAT-based authentication and expanded developer-facing documentation and testing coverage. This month’s work improves product reliability, localization quality, and release velocity, delivering tangible business value for users and maintainers.
October 2025
September 2025
15 Commits • 2 Features
Sep 1, 2025September 2025 delivered a major modernization of Windows API integration in nvda, consolidating Windows API calls into the winBindings module to improve stability, maintainability, and 64-bit compatibility, while advancing cross-architecture support. The release also introduced robust crash handling and lifecycle improvements for 64-bit Windows, including 64-bit crash dump generation and safer timer/handle management, reducing crash surfaces in production. Additional reliability work fixed dead-key handling, protected-process stability, and architecture-related compatibility efforts to restore smooth operation on ARM64/AMD64 systems and legacy Windows consoles. These changes collectively reduce crashes, improve enterprise stability, and establish a stronger foundation for future performance and feature work.
September 2025
15 Commits • 2 Features
Sep 1, 2025September 2025 delivered a major modernization of Windows API integration in nvda, consolidating Windows API calls into the winBindings module to improve stability, maintainability, and 64-bit compatibility, while advancing cross-architecture support. The release also introduced robust crash handling and lifecycle improvements for 64-bit Windows, including 64-bit crash dump generation and safer timer/handle management, reducing crash surfaces in production. Additional reliability work fixed dead-key handling, protected-process stability, and architecture-related compatibility efforts to restore smooth operation on ARM64/AMD64 systems and legacy Windows consoles. These changes collectively reduce crashes, improve enterprise stability, and establish a stronger foundation for future performance and feature work.
July 2025
4 Commits • 1 Features
Jul 1, 2025July 2025 focused on delivering accessibility enhancements, stability improvements, and language-support accuracy for nvda in nvaccess/nvda. Key features and fixes were implemented to boost end-user productivity, improve release reliability, and refine language handling across synthesizers and contexts.
4 Commits • 1 Features
Jul 1, 2025July 2025 focused on delivering accessibility enhancements, stability improvements, and language-support accuracy for nvda in nvaccess/nvda. Key features and fixes were implemented to boost end-user productivity, improve release reliability, and refine language handling across synthesizers and contexts.
July 2025
June 2025
2 Commits • 1 Features
Jun 1, 2025Concise monthly summary for 2025-06 highlighting delivered features, fixed issues, and overall impact for nvda development in nvaccess/nvda.
June 2025
2 Commits • 1 Features
Jun 1, 2025Concise monthly summary for 2025-06 highlighting delivered features, fixed issues, and overall impact for nvda development in nvaccess/nvda.
May 2025
5 Commits • 2 Features
May 1, 2025May 2025 performance summary for nvda: Delivered accessibility and UX improvements across Word-to-PDF math reading and documentation, fixed critical UX edge cases, and strengthened the Crowdin workflow. The work advances business value by improving document accessibility in common workflows, reducing support overhead, and enabling smoother translations. Highlights include targeted MathML support for Acrobat PDFs, improved translation/remote access docs, and robust handling for user cancellation and Chrome/Edge checklist parsing.
5 Commits • 2 Features
May 1, 2025May 2025 performance summary for nvda: Delivered accessibility and UX improvements across Word-to-PDF math reading and documentation, fixed critical UX edge cases, and strengthened the Crowdin workflow. The work advances business value by improving document accessibility in common workflows, reducing support overhead, and enabling smoother translations. Highlights include targeted MathML support for Acrobat PDFs, improved translation/remote access docs, and robust handling for user cancellation and Chrome/Edge checklist parsing.
May 2025
April 2025
4 Commits • 1 Features
Apr 1, 2025April 2025 (nvaccess/nvda) — Focused on stabilizing the English docs build and localization pipeline. Delivered one bug fix to the docs regeneration workflow, experimented with a translation refresh trigger (added then reverted), and migrated the Crowdin synchronization to end-of-build pushPackagingInfo to ensure latest strings are uploaded consistently. These changes improved build reliability, reduced translation latency risk, and strengthened end-to-end content delivery for users and contributors.
April 2025
4 Commits • 1 Features
Apr 1, 2025April 2025 (nvaccess/nvda) — Focused on stabilizing the English docs build and localization pipeline. Delivered one bug fix to the docs regeneration workflow, experimented with a translation refresh trigger (added then reverted), and migrated the Crowdin synchronization to end-of-build pushPackagingInfo to ensure latest strings are uploaded consistently. These changes improved build reliability, reduced translation latency risk, and strengthened end-to-end content delivery for users and contributors.
March 2025
2 Commits • 1 Features
Mar 1, 2025March 2025 performance summary: Delivered two high-impact changes in the nvda repository (nvaccess/nvda) that advance accessibility and usability in Chromium-based workflows. The math-content image fix reduces misclassification of non-math images, improving screen reader reliability for math-laden content. The browse mode native selection enhancement enables accurate text selection and copying in Chromium 134+, aligning with user expectations and preserving formatting. Together, these changes enhance WCAG compliance, reduce friction for assistive technology users, and strengthen NVDA's compatibility with modern browsers.
2 Commits • 1 Features
Mar 1, 2025March 2025 performance summary: Delivered two high-impact changes in the nvda repository (nvaccess/nvda) that advance accessibility and usability in Chromium-based workflows. The math-content image fix reduces misclassification of non-math images, improving screen reader reliability for math-laden content. The browse mode native selection enhancement enables accurate text selection and copying in Chromium 134+, aligning with user expectations and preserving formatting. Together, these changes enhance WCAG compliance, reduce friction for assistive technology users, and strengthen NVDA's compatibility with modern browsers.
March 2025
February 2025
3 Commits • 2 Features
Feb 1, 2025February 2025, nvda repo nvaccess/nvda: Focused on CI reliability, localization workflow, and build performance. Key accomplishments include AppVeyor deployment rules cleanup to unblock automated deployments, Crowdin translation management integration with new l10nUtil commands for downloading/uploading translations and a Crowdin API client (with docs updates), and build optimization for l10nUtil by switching from Nuitka to py2exe and relocating sources to the 'source' directory to speed up builds. These changes improve deployment reliability, streamline localization updates, and reduce build times, delivering faster, more maintainable releases.
February 2025
3 Commits • 2 Features
Feb 1, 2025February 2025, nvda repo nvaccess/nvda: Focused on CI reliability, localization workflow, and build performance. Key accomplishments include AppVeyor deployment rules cleanup to unblock automated deployments, Crowdin translation management integration with new l10nUtil commands for downloading/uploading translations and a Crowdin API client (with docs updates), and build optimization for l10nUtil by switching from Nuitka to py2exe and relocating sources to the 'source' directory to speed up builds. These changes improve deployment reliability, streamline localization updates, and reduce build times, delivering faster, more maintainable releases.
January 2025
1 Commits • 1 Features
Jan 1, 2025Month: 2025-01 | Repository: nvaccess/nvda. Focused on delivering accessibility improvement by adding Word Heading Collapse Reporting, enabling NVDA to announce when a Word heading is collapsed with speech and Braille output. This supports Word 16.0.18226+. No major bugs fixed this month. Impact: improves navigation and productivity for screen reader users, strengthens Word accessibility compatibility, and contributes to broader accessibility goals. Technologies/skills demonstrated: accessibility API integration, cross-application testing, Word-specific scenarios, commit-based development and traceability.
1 Commits • 1 Features
Jan 1, 2025Month: 2025-01 | Repository: nvaccess/nvda. Focused on delivering accessibility improvement by adding Word Heading Collapse Reporting, enabling NVDA to announce when a Word heading is collapsed with speech and Braille output. This supports Word 16.0.18226+. No major bugs fixed this month. Impact: improves navigation and productivity for screen reader users, strengthens Word accessibility compatibility, and contributes to broader accessibility goals. Technologies/skills demonstrated: accessibility API integration, cross-application testing, Word-specific scenarios, commit-based development and traceability.
January 2025
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Quality Metrics
Correctness96.4%
Maintainability91.6%
Architecture90.6%
Performance86.8%
AI Usage22.8%
Skills & Technologies
Programming Languages
CC++CtypesMarkdownPowerShellPythonSConscriptSConstructYAML
Technical Skills
Bug Fixing Code Maintenance Code Modernization Code Organization Cross-platform Development Debugging HID Protocol Refactoring Software Development Software Refactoring Windows API ctypesAPI IntegrationAPI developmentAccessibility
Repositories Contributed To
Overview of all repositories you've contributed to across your timeline