Re: Macs and a Viable Alternative for State Agencies to Consider

[Greg Kearney]

Apple need to hire me if I'm going to do all this.

Greg
On Jun 19, 2007, at 12:11 , John Panarese wrote:

Hi Greg,

Perhaps, between the application additions and all the other things you do, you might want to talk about creating a database of some kind that lists the advantages of the Mac over Windows from the perspective of the blind user? I know you have all that time on your hands. *smile* Please don't kill me ....

Take Care

John D. Panarese
Managing Director
Technologies for the Visually Impaired, Inc.
9 Nolan Court
Hauppauge, NY 11788
Tel/Fax, (631) 724-4479
Email, [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Internet, http://www.tvi-web.com

AUTHORIZED DISTRIBUTORS FOR PORTSET SYSTEMS LTD, COMPSOLUTIONS VA, PREMIER ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGIES, INDEX, PAPENMEIER, REPRO-TRONICS, DUXBURY, SEROTEK AND OTHER PRODUCTS FOR THE BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED

AUTHORIZED APPLE BUSINESS AGENT
MAC VOICEOVER TRAINING


On Jun 19, 2007, at 1:53 PM, Greg Kearney wrote:

I can be pointed out to agencies that the cost of a Mac for a blind user is quite a bit less than for a PC. The ongoing cost to keep WindowEyes or JAWS up to date is also much greater for a Windows computer than for a Mac which will get VoiceOVer update as part of the OS update which runs less than half of a typical Jaws update price alone.

Greg
On Jun 19, 2007, at 11:22 , John Panarese wrote:

Hi Christopher,

One of the things I have done is direct folks to the Mac Visionaries website and list. I agree that there should possibly be a resource created that defines reasons for blind users for switching from Windows to the Mac. However, regardless of how well organized such an effort might be, there is still going to be entrenched resistance to the Mac. I encounter it often, and it's pretty much like trying to get someone to use a car over a horse and buggy or turn from putting square wheels on their cart. At least, you might have more success in those situations than getting some state agencies to even consider a Mac over a PC at the moment. The movement has to grow and gain a lot more strength and momentum.

Take Care

John D. Panarese
Managing Director
Technologies for the Visually Impaired, Inc.
9 Nolan Court
Hauppauge, NY 11788
Tel/Fax, (631) 724-4479
Email, [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Internet, http://www.tvi-web.com

AUTHORIZED DISTRIBUTORS FOR PORTSET SYSTEMS LTD, COMPSOLUTIONS VA, PREMIER ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGIES, INDEX, PAPENMEIER, REPRO- TRONICS, DUXBURY, SEROTEK AND OTHER PRODUCTS FOR THE BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED

AUTHORIZED APPLE BUSINESS AGENT
MAC VOICEOVER TRAINING


On Jun 18, 2007, at 10:27 PM, CHRISTOPHER PEPPEL wrote:

Hi Everybody,

I think that we need to come up with a list of reasons why blind people should switch to the Mac. You can find plenty of reasons why sighted people should switch, but what about the blind? Yes, Voiceover is certainly one

compeling reason, but I am sure there are many more.

Chris Peppel


-----Original Message-----
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED]

[mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Richard Gardenhire

Sent: Monday, June 18, 2007 4:48 PM
To: discuss@macvisionaries.com

Subject: Macs and a Viable Alternative for State Agencies to Consider

Josh, I changed the subject line a bit to ask about another argument

that has been used by our agency here in Alaska.  Are there any

statistics that show a percentage increase or decrease in the number of blind and visually-impaired people--professional or otherwise, who have

made the switch from Windows to Macs, with the development of
Voiceover?  I would be curious as to what percentage, on a national

scale, for example, use their Macs for their professional line of work?

According to what I have been told by people who work in the Alaska

school districts, for instance, the Matanuska-Susitna Valley districts

use more Macs, per capita, of any community in Alaska, including
Anchorage; however, that number is changing as more bush and rural

schools are using them in their schools. The number of blind students

being exposed to the Mac and VoiceOver is increasing, but that's a

slow, painstaking work in progress, because our counselors are heavily influenced by Windows screen manufacturers to continue pushing their products. Our school districts here in Alaska are facing budget cuts,

as are a lot of school districts throught the country, and our

Anchorage store gets inquiries from Division of Voc Rehab, asking how viable VoiceOver is? In fact, one of the counselors for the blind set up an appointment to meet with me on behalf of a client who they are

serving, who wants to use his computer for his vending business, as

well as music. At last count, I know of eight, blind/visually- impaired Mac users in the state of Alaska--three in Anchorage, one in Juneau,

two on the Kenai )pronounced Keen Eye0 Peninsula, and three in
Fairbanks.  That number has probably changed, for the upcoming

University of Alaska-Anchorage fall enrollment. I would be curious to

know how other states are faring?  Richie Gardenhire, Anchorage,
Alaska.  I stand corrected; there are only two, in Fairbanks, and a

student in the Fairbanks School District who is learning to use one.

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