There are good reasons for not learning a computer. they can be very hard for some people. there might be medical reason. some people retire and don't want to have a thing to do with them when they leave the job. Etc.
________________________________ From: Katherine Moss [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Thursday, November 03, 2011 4:12 PM To: [email protected] Subject: RE: read easy I agree with part of this, but on the other hand, I also think that in this day and age, there is no excuse for not learning a computer. Computers are the way of the world now, and whoever disputes that will be one sorry person. From: David [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Thursday, November 03, 2011 5:04 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: read easy What I am curios about, is how easy this unit actually is. I do see your point Les, and if you are right, I guess it is fine for some people. What makes me reluctant here, is that I have been in and around asistive technology since the mid-70s. Sometimes even been the first person to start using new technology locally. And, the idea of making aunit, that will easily read to the blind, is simply nothing new. Kurtzweil has already been mentioned. Might I tell those of you, who are old enough to know what I am talking about, that I am still hanging on to my good old Optacon, from the T.S.I company. In most cases though, these kind of 'helpful' gadgets, do turn out to be rather tricky in use. From the little info GW has given, it sounds like you simply put your object in front of the unit, press a button, and job is done. Sorry, but honestly, I have a bit of a time in trusting that to the full. Likely I am wrong, and so would love to be corrected. Anyone who has tried to work with a scanner or the like, be in a specially designed format, or in a standard compute-based system, will know the many challenges. And, at least when you are working with a standard scanner, you have a particular surface to stick with, in the glass plate of your scanner. You know, that whatever sits outside that surface, will not be scanned. From what I get, there is little chance for the user with this new unit, to know what will actually be scanned. Believe me, I have been a teacher for the blind computer users for several years. Even teached blind students how to use a scanner, in the days when scanners was just for people that had won in some kind of lottery, or had some kind of backing from federal institutions. Young, and old. Many of them pretty newly lost their sight. Even with a hard-surfaced scanner, there is many challenges. And I do hold, that with no real good guidance as to what will be 'seen' by the unit, you might be even worse off. That would, in such a case, leave us with the fact, that either you need have enough sight left to see what you are doing, or you would have to go through a good chunk of learning. That is why, I do wonder if it really will hit the market of elderly people, who thinks a computer is too much to learn. After all - and this might differ quite a chunk from where you live - we are getting more and more into a world where you have no other choice but learn a computer. Locally here, it is extremely hard to pay your bills, if you don't do it through the net-services of your bank. And, for about fifteen years, we have had retired people running around with their cell phone, and even been ahead of the young ones on that part. OK, as I said, this might be different in other parts of the world. But I do know, that as time moves by, the computer will be more and more the thing you rely on. And those who gets retired today, will likely already know how to operate a computer. So, the learning curve of the computer-based systems, might at least grow somehow smaller down the road. Not saying that this would keep us from wanting a gadget like the new one of GW. Only saying, that it might change. A portable and easy-to-use equipment? Oh, you bet! That would be great. And if I happen to be wrong, in assuming that it is not all that easy to use after all, nothing could be better. Again, if this had been a unit costing a few hundred dollars, and being available to people all around the globe, I guess it would have been more of interest to the general user. That way, it could have become what it really should be: An additional equipment. As it stands, the user will somehow be left with a choice, go for this unit, or a PC. And, he might have more - and even more easy - use of his PC. If it is the amount of buttons that will make the choice, there is solutions on the market (for a far less price), that would leave you with whatever few keys to operate on your PC. I guess this discussion somehow got out of its dementions. I am just curios to know, how easy this unit actually will turn out to be, and I was quite interested to know, what would justify for me to spend that amount of money. Well, the latter part of my curosity has already been firmly answered. I do see, that it hardly will be any benefit to me. Then we only have to see, how helpful, and easy, it will turn out to be in usage. Guess, if not gW could shed more light on this, that only time and the market, will tell. Enjoy it, whoever wants to try it. And if anyone can prove me wrong, I am all ears. ----- Original Message ----- From: Les Gordon<mailto:[email protected]> To: [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> Sent: Thursday, November 03, 2011 6:05 PM Subject: read easy hey everyone, i think one big reason gw is selling this product, is for many people the simplier a product is to use the better. i can see this being of great benefit for older people that have a difficult time learning new technology. or it can even be a time factor this can be of great benefit. les Cd/Dvd Duplication & Custom Printing Customer Service Les Gordon Phone: (267)329-8150 email: [email protected]<mailto:[email protected]> web: http://www.cdrdvdr.com If you reply to this message it will be delivered to the original sender only. 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