Last I heard, he had started a company, Henter Math. Not sure if
that still is the case.
Take Care
John Panarese
On Aug 14, 2009, at 5:45 PM, hank smith wrote:
>
> what is he doing these days? any one know?
> On Aug 14, 2009, at 7:08 AM, Daniel Crone wrote:
>
>>
>> I remember the early jaws days. I knew that Ted Henter and all the
>> people there really gave their all. Seems that when a company is
>> small, it is easy for it to keep its focus.
>> On Aug 14, 2009, at 5:56 AM, Chris Hofstader wrote:
>>
>>> Hi,
>>>
>>> I couldn't agree with you more as regards Apple and its efforts
>>> toward universal access.
>>>
>>> I understand the feeling you must have when the kid went off to
>>> school with a new talking iPod as, when I worked at HJ/FS, i was
>>> well aware that every new copy of JAWS that went out the door
>>> probably meant that someone got a job, is starting in college or
>>> furthering their scholastic life with a good tool. This was pounded
>>> into our heads by Ted Henter to whom every customer was special.
>>> Things became less satisfying in the FS days as, when Ted was in
>>> charge, he would virtually shut down the software engineering
>>> department until we fixed a bug or two for a single customer who had
>>> trouble doing his job. Now it's all about monthly/quarterly revenue
>>> figures than about the end user. It's sad but I neither own the
>>> company nor do I work there anymore.
>>>
>>>
>>> As regards other companies who make somewhat accessible items, the
>>> community should reward them in proportion to the number of features
>>> we can use versus those we cannot. If a product is 25% accessible
>>> for people with vision impairment, then we should give them a 25%
>>> pat on the back while handing them a list of the 75% of the features
>>> that they need to improve.
>>>
>>> Often, especially on iPhone and Windows Mobile, a program will be
>>> accessible, at least in part, because the API gives a lot of
>>> automatic accessibility so some of the software out there will b
>>> usable by default. I think the authors of such software should be
>>> contacted and applauded even if they didn't know they made an
>>> accessible application as it may help convince them to work with the
>>> community in the future to ensure their accessibility continues.
>>>
>>> Some companies or groups within a company are virtually hostile to
>>> our requests for accessibility. I have found that the entire
>>> product line from Intuit works very poorly with any and all screen
>>> readers but no matter how many emails and phone calls later, they
>>> refuse to give the screen reader authors even the tiniest crumb.
>>> Intuit and companies like it may require the stick as all of the
>>> carrots we've supplied were spit back out.
>>>
>>> cdh
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On Aug 13, 2009, at 12:07 PM, patrickneazer wrote:
>>>
>>>> Hello Chris and all:
>>>>
>>>> Yes, I am a fan of more carrots and less stick if possible. Sticks
>>>> are easy to make though I do not know anyone who enjoys being hit
>>>> by one no matter how worthy or just the cause (grin).
>>>>
>>>> The best way to accomplish what is desired is to reward apple for
>>>> their innovation with both financial and public support.
>>>>
>>>> As a trainer there is nothing cooler than showing a parent a
>>>> talking ipod, having them purchase one for their child, having the
>>>> child take it to school and the child being queen or king for the
>>>> day and possibly longer (grin).
>>>>
>>>> That is priceless and customer loyalty will be established forever
>>>> (grin).
>>>>
>>>> And just think, people thought it just played music (grin).
>>>> On Aug 13, 2009, at 10:01 AM, Chris Blouch wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> It would also be nice, albeit unmeasurable, that Apple would be
>>>>> rewarded for implementing universal design. I could then point to
>>>>> it as an example of what happens when a company does things right.
>>>>> I have lots of examples of when companies do things wrong (Target,
>>>>> PriceLine, Ramada and recently CVS). I'd like more carrot and less
>>>>> stick when I do presentations to developers or at conferences.
>>>>>
>>>>> CB
>>>>>
>>>>> Chris Hofstader wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Hello Chris the Other,
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I agree with your thoughts on universal design. Six or seven
>>>>>> years ago we found that a lot of rehab counselors were
>>>>>> downloading daily content from audible.com and listening on a PAC
>>>>>> Mate as they went from client to client in their cars. this, I
>>>>>> suppose, was a bit of accidental universal design.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Apple seems to have really figured it out in the iPod Shuffle
>>>>>> where the product can be used by almost everyone straight out of
>>>>>> the box and no features are inaccessible to any portion of a
>>>>>> large universe of potential users.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I hope that Apple's leadership on this front will drag along
>>>>>> other mainstream players and that we'll start to see the
>>>>>> blinkosphere expand along with the universe.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> cdh
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> On Aug 12, 2009, at 11:40 AM, Chris Blouch wrote:
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> With most mainstream popular products there is huge value in not
>>>>>>> only the thing itself but in the universe that surrounds it. The
>>>>>>> iPod being a case in point. There are jillions of add ons and
>>>>>>> public shared community knowledge which extending the value and
>>>>>>> uses far beyond what maker originally envisioned. This is the
>>>>>>> mainstream or universal access argument. If you can simply make
>>>>>>> an existing thing accessible you get the universe that goes with
>>>>>>> it for free. The VictorReader Stream may be a fine product, but
>>>>>>> being a niche product it will never have the vast array of
>>>>>>> cases, docking stations, FM tuners, chargers etc. Adding a
>>>>>>> screen reader to a PC is another big example which connected
>>>>>>> another audience to a large existing universe of tools.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> One of my favorite authors was Isaac Asimov who wrote a lot
>>>>>>> about robots, including some basic tenants about behavior and
>>>>>>> form. He postulated that they would have to be human form to
>>>>>>> work with the universe of existing devices and objects that were
>>>>>>> designed for our use. To make a robot that could only interface
>>>>>>> with special robot tools was doomed to failure in the long run.
>>>>>>> I think this idea can have application in accessible technology.
>>>>>>> Creating helper devices (tools) that work for all folks, not
>>>>>>> just blind, deaf, low cognition, ambulatory or whatever will
>>>>>>> bring the greatest long term success.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Of course everybody's favorite example of universal design is
>>>>>>> curb cuts which not only make places wheelchair accessible but
>>>>>>> are also great for baby strollers and shopping carts. I even
>>>>>>> know one guy who uses Voiceover on his laptop read off long
>>>>>>> reports while he is driving to work. Why not? Universal design
>>>>>>> goes both ways and I'm sure he wouldn't have sprung for Jaws
>>>>>>> just to do that.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> CB
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Chris Hofstader wrote:
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> No! If we expect mainstream companies, like Apple for
>>>>>>>> instance, to follow the philosophy of universal design, then we
>>>>>>>> need to make sure they know how they can improve for our
>>>>>>>> segment of the universe.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> With Apple, we compared VO to JAWS; iPod to Zen Stone and
>>>>>>>> Victor Stream and iPhone to Mobile Speak on the AT side and the
>>>>>>>> LG with its built in "accessibility."
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> As there is a universe of products, we need to measure them
>>>>>>>> against each other. Navigon, in my opinion, has a number of
>>>>>>>> things it does much better than the AT solutions (will show up
>>>>>>>> in a blog entry soon) but Mobile Speak does some other things
>>>>>>>> better. For instance, if one wants to use an iPhone, Navigon
>>>>>>>> is just about the only solution. It also costs a whole lot
>>>>>>>> less and, in my opinion, is vastly more precise.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> All technology needs to be compared on a reasonably level set
>>>>>>>> of criteria applied to all solutions, mainstream or blind guy
>>>>>>>> ghetto.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> cdh
>>>>>>>> On Aug 12, 2009, at 7:19 AM, patrickneazer wrote:
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Hello Krister and all:
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> I would have just written I agree in this message though that
>>>>>>>>> would chew up unnecessary bandwidth and not really explain
>>>>>>>>> anything and no I am not taking a shop at the moderators with
>>>>>>>>> that statement because I actually agree with the policy. I am
>>>>>>>>> not usually a get it off my chester though ...
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> I do believe that when critiques are made against mainstream
>>>>>>>>> products and the evaluative measure for the critique is how it
>>>>>>>>> measures up to a community specific product, that is like
>>>>>>>>> comparing apples to oranges. What it also does is defeat the
>>>>>>>>> purpose of mainstream developers wanting to make things
>>>>>>>>> accessible. Why go out and make things accessible when what
>>>>>>>>> seems to be wanted is a blind specific product that already
>>>>>>>>> exists for $70.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> I personally am tired of the argument that navigon is good for
>>>>>>>>> the $70. Navigon is a good app that actually is accessible.
>>>>>>>>> Now, I and others might have to access the information in a
>>>>>>>>> manner which is new or initially uncomfortable though that
>>>>>>>>> does not make the product inaccessible or poorly designed.
>>>>>>>>> What it does make the product is open to individual
>>>>>>>>> evaluation.In short, it is perfectly acceptable for a product
>>>>>>>>> to fit one persons needs, not fit a second persons needs, and
>>>>>>>>> still be both a good product which can always be improved.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Opened myself up for trouble (grin).
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> On Aug 12, 2009, at 5:12 AM, Krister Ekstrom wrote:
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> Ok, Il moderatore, i know this is off-topic somewhat but i as
>>>>>>>>>> they say
>>>>>>>>>> in online business promoting mails, have to get it out of my
>>>>>>>>>> chest
>>>>>>>>>> before i explode! I think it's a bit unfair to compare
>>>>>>>>>> standard gps
>>>>>>>>>> solutions with those made strictly for blind folks and if
>>>>>>>>>> Navigon as a
>>>>>>>>>> standard gps solution makes a very good job of helping us
>>>>>>>>>> around the
>>>>>>>>>> place, it's great! What really would've been great would be
>>>>>>>>>> if someone
>>>>>>>>>> could do a podcast of a navigon session so that one may here
>>>>>>>>>> it in
>>>>>>>>>> action, rather like people have done with Wayfinder access
>>>>>>>>>> and Mobile
>>>>>>>>>> geo.
>>>>>>>>>> /Krister
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> 11 aug 2009 kl. 14.10 skrev Chris G:
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> Hi,
>>>>>>>>>>> FYI Humanware Trekker is not using the Sendero SDK.
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> Chris
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> On Tue, 11 Aug 2009 10:01:26 +0100
>>>>>>>>>>> william lomas <lomaswill...@googlemail.com> wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> what will the update in december contain for navigon?
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> On 10 Aug 2009, at 18:50, Chris Hofstader wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> EI don't do podcasts. I will write some blog entries on
>>>>>>>>>>>>> this stuff
>>>>>>>>>>>>> soon (www.blindconfidential.blogspot.com).
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> Of those available to blinks, Wayfinder is the one I know
>>>>>>>>>>>>> the least
>>>>>>>>>>>>> about as I only used it for a month or so about a year
>>>>>>>>>>>>> ago. Almost
>>>>>>>>>>>>> all of the players in the AT biz are using the same
>>>>>>>>>>>>> Sendero engine.
>>>>>>>>>>>>> So, Humanware, Nuance, Freedom Scientific, Code Factory
>>>>>>>>>>>>> are all
>>>>>>>>>>>>> about
>>>>>>>>>>>>> the same underneath but have different UI that one can
>>>>>>>>>>>>> pick from.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> Just based on my minimal experience with Navigon, though,
>>>>>>>>>>>>> I would
>>>>>>>>>>>>> suggest you stick with Wayfinder/Access until they put out
>>>>>>>>>>>>> an update
>>>>>>>>>>>>> expected in December. Navigon is fine if you don't
>>>>>>>>>>>>> already have
>>>>>>>>>>>>> something but I wouldn't scrap your current solution quite
>>>>>>>>>>>>> yet.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> These opinions are mine and mine alone and are the result
>>>>>>>>>>>>> of messing
>>>>>>>>>>>>> around with Navigon for less than two days and I've been
>>>>>>>>>>>>> using
>>>>>>>>>>>>> Mobile
>>>>>>>>>>>>> Geo very frequently since it came out and it is my
>>>>>>>>>>>>> favorite but that
>>>>>>>>>>>>> is likely because it is the one with which I'm most
>>>>>>>>>>>>> familiar.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> cdh
>>>>>>>>>>>>> On Aug 10, 2009, at 9:40 AM, william lomas wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> can you do a podcast on navigon so ican hear it? at
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> present i am a
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> wayfinder user and want to "hear" how it compares
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> On 10 Aug 2009, at 14:09, Chris Hofstader wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Hi,
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> While I have had and enjoyed my iPhone for about a month
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> and a
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> half, I
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> hadn't, before yesterday, needed to switch between
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> running tasks.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Specifically, I was following directions to our local
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> YWCA using
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Navigon yesterday. I received a phone call and, after
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> hanging
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> up, I
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> couldn't figure out how to get back to Navigon to look
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> at some
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> things. Navigon continued giving me directions but I
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> could not
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> get
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> back to its interface where VoiceOver reads the street
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> names and
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> such.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I looked in the iPhone manual and searched on "task
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> switching" and
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> "background task" using VO's search facility as well as
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> the one in
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Preview and didn't find anything. I can't believe that
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> this would
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> be
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> too difficult but I can't find it in the manual given
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> the search
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> criteria I can think up.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Any help will be appreciated. I'm going back into the
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> manual to
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> see
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> what I might be able to find.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Happy Hacking,
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> cdh
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> --
>>>>>>>>>>> Chris G <cgrabowsk...@gmail.com>
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Take good care and I wish you enough.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Love
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> Me
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Take good care and I wish you enough.
>>>>
>>>> Love
>>>>
>>>> Me
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>
>>
>>
>>>
>
>
> >
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