Here's my opinion regarding your anti-competitive statement.
FS burned their own britches with Microsoft a long time ago, as they
have with so many developers, by getting them to do things that would
only work with the shark and no other screen-reader. So they deserve
being black-listed as they have been by many developers who realized
after the fact that they were swindled into wasting time and money
thinking they were making their products accessible to all screen-reader
users when in reality they had been conned into making their products
accessible only to Jaws users.
I also think it's a smart move on Microsoft's part because they have
worked closely with Doug and the gang at GW for years and have come to
see and respect their integrity in that GW wants to help developers make
their products accessible to all screen-readers. Therefore, why reinvent
the wheel, like Apple did, and spend a fortune to put screen-reader
developers out of business and lock us all into one option, take it or
leave it. Blind people are not individuals. They're all the same. So a
one size fits all approach will serve their pathetic needs, needs we
only address mainly due to federal funding laws.
Conversely, Microsoft is essentially saying this is the screen-reader we
believe in. Therefore we are going to partner with GW Micro and endorse
the use of Window-Eyes.
In my view it's a win win situation. It's virtually another free
screen-reader for Windows. And like with NVDA, the no cost price tag is
an illusion. The income stream is simply being redirected.
Regards,
Tom
On 1/14/2014 8:01 PM, Vaughan Dodd wrote:
Jim: good points as so often.
I wonder if a certain litigious player in this industry is shrieking
anti-competitive?
Presumably - Microsoft will find it easier to work with one screen reader
developer than with three or more!
I would like to hope that Microsoft 's commitment to blind persons' access to
its products will progress by leaps and bounds - a small player like GW still
has its challenges to negotiate with a big player like Microsoft.
So - although I think the pricing arrangements seem too generous in favour of
people who do not want to buy Window-eyes, in the end - this will all have been
done according to a business arrangement satisfactory to both players.
Vaughan.
Vaughan.
-----Original Message-----
From: Jim Grimsby JR. [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Wednesday, 15 January 2014 12:41 p.m.
To: 'Solomon Mekonnen'
Cc: [email protected]
Subject: RE: GW Micro and Microsoft Partnership
Yes I agree. I am not surprised though. I was thinking Microsoft would try
to buy gw micro a partner ship is cool. Enjoy that nice big paycheck that I am
sure Microsoft has givin you. Btw people rest assured that Microsoft is paying
gw micro and stop asking them to provide information that is none of our
concern. I hope with this partnership Microsoft will bring some of the talent
pool to window-eyes and we might see better apps for more programs and of
course touch. Office is a start but if I was a guessing man at some point I
think it will be extended to windows it self.
I just got a venue tablit with Microsoft office home and Student on board. So
if I didn't already have a copy of window-eyes I would have been able to
install this new offer and away we go. Is there any plans to include
window-eyes directly in the office install? This way if a user gets a pc with
office home or a trial on it window-eyes will already be on the pc? just
think about it get a new pc with office on it and you don't even need to use
narrator to install what ever just fire up window-eyes and away you go. Now
you people who talk to me about not upgrading eat your
words.
This is wonderful news.
-----Original Message-----
From: Solomon Mekonnen [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Tuesday, January 14, 2014 11:48 AM
To: Peter Duran; gw micro ([email protected])
Subject: Re: GW Micro and Microsoft Partnership
I concur!
At 02:28 PM 1/14/2014, Peter Duran wrote:
Congratulations Dan and Doug and all the GW staff! What a coup! It's
hard to fathom all the ramifications of this joint venture between GW
Micro and Microsoft. You guys are the best!
Peter Duran
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