Chris, your point is valid but there is something truly liberating about
buying a Mac and having the screen reader work right out of the box without
having to pay another 3 or 4 figure price to make the computer meet our
needs. You do have a point about Apple not having a great incentive to
support products other than its own. That's why I purchased Vmware Fusion
and installed it on the Mac. I then got Windows 7 installed on the machine
and I can in either platform. I know some can't afford this option either so
I feel fortunate I can do so. If I were on a limited budget, I'd start with
a Mac and build from there. And if the person writing the earlier post feels
ill used by GW Micro, they have more options now than they have had before.
A couple of years back, the Mac wasn't useful at all by blind folks.
I'm a mere computer user so my opinion is worth even less than yours. Smile.
Randy Black
-----Original Message-----
From: Christopher Chaltain [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Wednesday, September 01, 2010 7:55 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: RE: [GW-Booksense] Re: GW Micro Responds to the Future of Screen
Readers Discussion Panel Questions
I'm not sold on the idea of a screen reader being included in the OS,
although I admit Apple has done a good job. My problem with this approach is
that there's no incentive for Apple to support anything other than Apple
products. What if I want to use Firefox instead of Safari or a media player
other than iTunes or a third party email client or PIM or so on.
I also think JAWS and Window Eyes are vastly more robust than Narrator. I
would not have the job I have today if it wasn't for JAWS and or Window
Eyes.
Since the original poster doesn't talk about the changes they'd like to see,
or how they could make Window Eyes better, it's impossible to know what
they're talking about. After working in the software development field for
almost 25 years, I'm certain GW Micro has some talented and dedicated
programmers working on Window Eyes. I'm also certain they've overcome quite
a few technical challenges in the years they've developed and supported a
Windows based screen reader. I'm sure someone could come in and make some
superficial changes on top of the base that's already there, but that's
doing a disservice to the years of development that's already gone into
Window Eyes.
Although I'm sure GW Micro has some business savvyness, I wouldn't go as far
to use the terms "exploit" or "conspiracy".
Just my $0.02, if it's even worth that much.
--
Christopher
[email protected]
-----Original Message-----
From: Kim Lingo [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Wednesday, September 01, 2010 5:30 PM
To: [email protected]
Subject: [GW-Booksense] Re: GW Micro Responds to the Future of Screen
Readers Discussion Panel Questions
Then why haven't you come out with something better and cheaper?
Kim Lingo
At 03:01 PM 9/1/2010, you wrote:
>"GW Micro believes that having a free screen reader as part of the
>operating system does a disservice to Blind computer users."
>
>I thought this to be a hypocritical viewpoint. Somewhat charlatanistic.
>It is highly prejudicial to exclude low income users, or encourage
>an over priced payment plan like some sort of layaway. The price is
>highly debatable. It's seems to have to many zeroes.
>I think it's a typo, but no one seems to see it. (pun intended)
>The program itself is not even practical, nor signifigantly better
>than the windows narrotor for common use.
>
>Perhaps I should write the Obama administration to see what he
>thinks about GW micros position on affordable pricing of screen
>readers for the blind/disabled.
>If the president tested Window Eyes head to head with "real"
>software for the blind, he would have to "keep it real" and tell you
>exactly as I have. If not then we have a conspiracy on our hands,
>where the blind are being held back on purpose for extra
>profits. Or possibly for backdoor code abilities that rely on
>accessibility to mask their true intent.
>I will not allow exploitation of the blind, in any case.
>
>Window Eyes could be much better within a couple months of work.
>I mean several times better than it is right now. I know this for a
>fact because I am a developer that has done it. I'd crumple WE, and
>throw it in the trash if I were blind.
>GW probably knows it too, but keeps it secret from the users,
>because they just don't want to spend the time required to fully
>wrap their heads arround it. Or they can't, yet still want to enjoy
>the positive cash flow. The price shows the greed, not crafsmanship.
If you reply to this message it will be delivered to the original sender
only. If your reply would benefit others on the list andyour message is
related to GW Micro or the BookSense, then please consider sending your
message to [email protected] so the entire list will receive it.
To manage your subscription to gw-booksense, visit:
http://www.gwmicro.com/listserv
If you reply to this message it will be delivered to the original sender only.
If your reply would benefit others on the list andyour message is related to GW
Micro or the BookSense, then please consider sending your message to
[email protected] so the entire list will receive it.
To manage your subscription to gw-booksense, visit:
http://www.gwmicro.com/listserv
