Hello to all: There is no question that often developer's time is better spent in development rather than in list monitoring. This is true as long as there is not a complete disconnect between developers and users.
However, it is equally true that the best lists out there and the best support come from lists that are directly managed and monitored by company personnel who are responsible for driving product improvements and bug fixes. This is certainly how all Pronto lists work. It is also how GW Micro lists work as another example. There seems to be a significantly greater distance between Humanware staff and participants on this list than is the case on other lists I use. Perhaps this is just my perception and I would be happy to learn otherwise. Chris On Wed, 6 Apr 2011, Terri Pannett wrote: > That's the most lame-brained excuse I ever heard! Besidess, this man is in > New Zealand, not Canada, where the HumanWare headquarters is located! > > The fact is HIMS and GW Micro take the time to respond to their lists. No > apologies or recriminations were necessary on those lists. I understand why a > company wouldn't want to give away information until a new product comes out, > but the excuse "I don't have time," is really no excuse at all. This man in > New Zealand doesn't have the time to respond to us, but what about the other > employees--the ones based in Quebec? What's their excuse? > > Terri Amateur Radio call sign KF6CA. > ----- Original Message ----- From: "Alex Bec" <[email protected]> > To: "David Meador" <[email protected]>; "Josh Gregory" > <[email protected]>; "Greg Stilson" <[email protected]>; "Lucia > Gomez" <[email protected]> > Cc: <[email protected]> > Sent: Tuesday, April 05, 2011 1:46 PM > Subject: RE: [Braillenote] our concerns > > > Hi David, Josh, > > I won't comment on the projects that keep the R&D team very busy as this > is not my role, and I fully understand the commercial reasons for not > advertising too much of what is being developed until it's almost ready > to be released. > > I will however just say here again, that I (and other staff members) > read and follow the discussions on the braillenote list on a very > regular basis. If I don't step in the discussions, it's mostly a > question of lack of time available to do so, and also because of > confidentiality reasons that would dictate too much of what I could or > couldn't say and restrain my comments. On top of that, typical internet > discussion syndrome implies that some people will misinterpret things > being said, escalate things, requiring follow up, corrections, > explanations, even apologies, etc... and it ends up being a full time > job, and a very depressing one for that matter. > > Some users are very skilled and knowledgeable to contribute to those > discussions and help others, and it's great to have that help for > everyday issues. However, when a juicy problem arises through the > braillenote list, it doesn't get unnoticed, and usually ends up being > investigated in the R&D. > The tech support channels are of course usually a better way to report > issues. > > As this had been suggested already in the past, we'll look at improving > that communication channel. > > Best regards, > Alex > > > --------- > Alex BEC > Software Design Engineer > HumanWare > > Christchurch, New Zealand > S: alexandrebec > IP phone: 344 > www.humanware.com > ........................................................................ > ........................................ The power is in your hands > > > > > -----Original Message----- > From: David Meador [mailto:[email protected]] > Sent: Monday, 4 April 2011 6:02 a.m. > To: Josh Gregory; Greg Stilson; Lucia Gomez; Alex Bec > Cc: [email protected] > Subject: re: [Braillenote] our concerns > > Dear Josh, > > You've written a respectful request. For me, I'm wanting the > Note-taker to grow up and become a PC, especially for browsing > the internet. Perhaps that's impossible with today's BrailleNote > firmware software interfaces. But at the very least, Humanware > tech people owe us the courtesy of a periodic response to our > discussion points and questions. > > David > > > > Beyond Vision > Nashville, TN 615-385-0784 > www.davidmeador.com > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: Josh Gregory <[email protected] > > To: [email protected], > [email protected],[email protected] > > Date sent: Sun, 03 Apr 2011 02:20:12 -0400 > > Subject: [Braillenote] our concerns > > > ?Hello, > > My name is Joshua Gregory. I use a BrailleNote Mpower with a 32- > > cell braille display running KeySoft 8, build 21. I am writing > > this letter on behalf of myself as well as the BrailleNote list. > > I, as well as the list, am concerned that if certain features > > are not introduced to KeySoft, such as better word support, or an > > SDK, that the BrailleNote will no longer be as competitive in the > > blindness PDA market as it is today in just a matter of a few > > years or so. For instance, the Braille Sense products from HIMS > > now have an SDK available for programmers interested in writing > > programs for the Braille Sense, with the upcoming 6.0 firmware > > release from HIMS. We, as BrailleNote users, do not yet have > > this available to us and we would like to see this implemented. > > With this, we could write games for the BN, such as uno, and also > > write programs that we could all benefit from. > > We are also concerned with the absence to response from hw > > staff to questions posed on the list. While many people on the > > list are able to answer most of the questions posed there, we as > > a collective group strongly feel that more communication would be > > valuable to feel a company presence on the list. > > I strongly hope that this letter will be taken into > > consideration to both better the braillenote line of products and > > to make us bn users feel a presence from the company on very > > critical issues. > > Thank you. > > Sincerely, > > Joshua Gregory, > > Eleventh Grader at the Maryland School for the Blind > > > ___ > > Replies to this message will go directly to the sender. > > If your reply would be useful to the list, please send a > > copy to the list as well. > > > To leave the BrailleNote list, send a blank message to > > [email protected] > > To view the list archives or change your preferences, visit > > http://list.humanware.com/mailman/listinfo/braillenote > > > ___ > Replies to this message will go directly to the sender. > If your reply would be useful to the list, please send a > copy to the list as well. > > To leave the BrailleNote list, send a blank message to > [email protected] > To view the list archives or change your preferences, visit > http://list.humanware.com/mailman/listinfo/braillenote > > > __________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature > database 6017 (20110405) __________ > > The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus. > > http://www.eset.com > > > > > ___ > Replies to this message will go directly to the sender. > If your reply would be useful to the list, please send a > copy to the list as well. > > To leave the BrailleNote list, send a blank message to > [email protected] > To view the list archives or change your preferences, visit > http://list.humanware.com/mailman/listinfo/braillenote > ---------------------------------------- Christopher Gray, President Bay Area Digital Promoting good health with great technology 870 Market Street, #653 San Francisco, CA 94102 Phone: (415) 217-6667 fax: (415) 962-2520 Email: [email protected] ___ Replies to this message will go directly to the sender. If your reply would be useful to the list, please send a copy to the list as well. To leave the BrailleNote list, send a blank message to [email protected] To view the list archives or change your preferences, visit http://list.humanware.com/mailman/listinfo/braillenote
