Hi Philip, Hmmm...I see your point. Yeah, it would be sort of hard to get a very precise count that way seeing as that is probably too general. I know that there are at least 300 VI users running Linux and perhaps Mac now, but how many that would purchase BGT or something like Q9 is anyone's guess simply by looking at the number of members on each accessibility list. For example, the Linux accessibility community isn't very centralized the way the Audyssey community is. Instead there is the Orca mailing list, Gnome Accessibility list, Speakup mailing list, Eamacspeak list, Vinux has its own community, etc. there are doubtless going to be several members on more than one list screwing up the results as you would have to have a way to filter out the repeats. Then, there is the matter of the type of users on those lists. Like every other mailing list you have the usual range of everything from the die-hard users to the mildly interested. I've been on and off the various Linux and Mac accessibility lists for years and I know there are a few die-hard Linux and Mac users that don't have Windows, don't want Windows, and wouldn't touch Windows with a barge poll. These die-hard users wouldn't necessarily show up on a list like Audyssey, since most accessible games are for Windows, but might be interested in games for Linux since that is their choice of operating system. There are also plenty of users like myself that aren't die-hards, but own and use both Windows and Linux or Windows and Mac OS side by side on their computer. They also might be interested assuming the Linux and Mac versions were of equal quality as the Windows release. Finally, you have, what I call, the mildly interested users. These are your typical members who sign up, ask a few questions, maybe gives Linux or Mac OS a try, and then leaves a short time later. Perhaps they didn't like it, changed their mind, whatever but they are not truly interested in the software so are the least likely to purchase. So definitely should be filtered out of the equation too. So you are right just getting the number of list members isn't very accurate. What we need to do is set up some kind of survey somewhere and then get in contact with the various lists announcing that it is open to Mac and Linux VI users. As this is something I am very interested in myself I'd love to help out with the project in anyway I can. Although, I intend to create some Linux games for my own personal reasons, seeing I am a Linux user, it would be very nice to see where we stand commercially with alternative platforms such as Linux and Mac. If there is some financially convincing reason to open up these platforms something like BGT could go a long way to resolving the problem of easily creating cross-platform games for Mac, Linux, and Windows using a single toolkit. I guess my real concern is not so much finding enough Linux or Mac users, but how many would actually purchase a game or related software product we create. Over the years I have met more than my fair share of both blind and sighted Linux users that are of the attitude "if it isn't free it isn't for me." Do to the fact Linux is a community driven project, is free, is open source, etc some Linux users are of the opinion that all software should be that way. Unfortunately, for them it is this very attitude that has given rise to the belief among commercial software developers and companies that a software product for Linux would not financially do well. However, there are Linux users out there like me who aren't quite so dogmatic about free and open source software. It is from this group I'd like to find out how many are willing to spend a little money to increase the catalog of accessible games for Linux. That's the true problem as I see it. And before I go I have one last thought on this particular subject. Even if the results don't indicate a real financial reason to create Mac or Linux versions now there certainly may come a day when that changes. One reason I personally use Linux is that it truly is a cheaper alternative to Windows. When you factor in the cost of upgrading Windows, your screen reader, Microsoft Office, etc that is quite a bit of money going out of our pocket each year. As the blind are largely unemployed in the United States, usually surviving on SSI and SSDI, we really can't afford to pay out hundreds of dollars to continue supporting Microsoft, Freedom Scientific, and all the rest. The more people who find out that they can save money by switching to a Mac or by installing Linux may choose to do so. Simple economics may force some of us who are living on disability income may have to consider cheaper alternatives. The other factor in why I chose to switch to Linux is I am beginning to see a shift in software accessibility. For example, Microsoft Office 2010 is far less accessible than previous versions of MS Office while Open Office for Linux is continuing to become more accessible. Visual C# 2010 is far less accessible than Visual C# 2008, but Monodevelop is improving accessibility wise. It is as though Linux software is taking a major step forward in terms of accessibility improvements while Microsoft and their products are reversing direction and backsliding. Perhaps the most important accessibility feature Mac OS and Vinux offer is the ability to install the entire operating system from scratch using speech or braille. With Windows the installation isn't accessible in any way, shape, or form unless you use an unattended script or upgrade from within Windows itself. I have a friend who just paid a tech something like $200 to upgrade from XP to Windows 7, because he was blind and didn't have any way to install Windows 7 from scratch himself. Were he running a Mac he could have simply purchased a copy of Snow Leopard, put it in the drive, booted the virtual desktop, and did the entire install using VoiceOver, or he could have used Vinux 3.0, and installed Linux with Orca from start to finish. It is my feeling that it is accessibility features like this that may eventually get the attention of more VI computer users once they find out about them, and that Windows is actually beginning to fall behind in terms of accessibility. The next generation of Mac OS and Linux may actually start pulling ahead of Windows in terms of accessibility, is also cheaper, and that is something to certainly think about for the future.
Cheers! On 8/29/10, Philip Bennefall <phi...@blastbay.com> wrote: > Hi Thomas, > > This is a good idea, but I think that the figures I would get from these > lists would be a bit too general unless therea re specific lists for Mac and > Linux audio games. Instead, what I think I might do is to post a survey on > the Blastbay website and of course on this list and a bunch of other > distribution channels, asking straight out whether people would purchase > either BGT or say Q9 if it were available for Mac or Linux. Now, considering > that I would have to purchase a Mac myself in order to even begin a port, I > would have to get a strong interest; at least 250 or 300 potential customers > for each platform if I am to take on such an endeavour. > > Kind regards, > > Philip Bennefall --- Gamers mailing list __ Gamers@audyssey.org If you want to leave the list, send E-mail to gamers-unsubscr...@audyssey.org. You can make changes or update your subscription via the web, at http://audyssey.org/mailman/listinfo/gamers_audyssey.org. All messages are archived and can be searched and read at http://www.mail-archive.com/gam...@audyssey.org. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the management of the list, please send E-mail to gamers-ow...@audyssey.org.
