Hi Eric, yep I completely agree with you and understand your plite.
I was forced to close down the project due to two major factors. Lack of support regarding supply of equipment and a poorly run charities commission stating different rulings and then telling me that my project does not warrant Commission status, thus failing to grant registered numbers, etc. This project has helped a very small number of users (8 in all) and it's left me in a very serious situation which I've now resolved. The problem also exists wherever you are in the world. Funding for accessible equipment for the blind is non existant. Why? well from my years of experience in this matter, various charities set up conflicting guidelines and rulings which do not help the individual in need of the support. For over 12 years since I lost my sight completely, I had to apply for various grants. within 10 years, every grant (500+ in total) were rejected, all because of different factors by their own rulings, offerings of £100 to £250 towards a product and then not being able to apply to X amount of other charities (connected to the associated charity in question) due to ridiculous clauses. I use my iphone 3GS and macbook pro. the only reason I have these is through having to sell everything I owned including my old music gear from years ago to raise the funds for the kit needed, from there it's been a thing of taking on a few projects to raise cash for equipment I still have to rely on. internationally, we need to change the system and yes APPLE needs to help us out on this. They have developed products which openly and directly support blind and disabled users and yet we have to pay an absolute premium, as rightly said here, over 85% of blind people in the USA are out of work and cannot afford the equipment and services needed, the same here in the UK even though disability living allowance and other components aren't enough to cover costs of equipment. You're lucky if you get into a university to receive grants for equipment you need. In my case, through my education, the equipment I had to use failed me all the time, the wrong software, wrong hardware and operating systems which by their own admission were poorly managed and had huge issues. hence me taking on the matters in person and resolving them. a battle I don't want to entertain ever again. It's at this point where we as a nation of blind and visually impaired people make a stand and a change for the better. lew On 26 Mar 2012, at 10:22, Eric Oyen wrote: > I really wish there was a financing program for the blind when it comes to > mac hardware (laptops, desktops, iPad, iPhone). given that I (and a great > many others) am living on a disability income (more than 85% of the blind in > the US are), I find it nearly impossible to save up for any equipment. Hell, > I had to make my own Hackintosh and load it with a store purchased copy of > snow leopard. It cost me $30 for the OS and about $400 to assemble the > machine. at minimum, I would have to spend nearly twice that much for a > comparably equipped mac mini and almost $1500 or more for a reasonably > powerful macbook pro/air. given that I have to spend my money on medications, > rent and food, there is no way I can even save up for one at all. > > there used to be a "free macs for the blind" charity in Great Britain, but > the person running that organization was forced to give it up as there were > too many problems involved. We need something like that here in North > America, but I just don't see that happening. I tried to query Apple about > doing something like this and was given the polite brush off (thats nice kid, > here is a soda. now go over in the corner.). hell, they have $115 Billion in > CASH laying around they are not using. they could earn themselves a lot of > good publicity if they offered some macs to the blind at a vastly discounted > rate. it would also give them an in to a market they don't currently have. > > anyway, time for me to climb down off the soapbox. > > -eric > > On Mar 26, 2012, at 1:38 AM, Neil Barnfather - TalkNav wrote: > >> one thing that I can note that is not seeming to be mentioned is the fact >> that there ar certain Apps which are not available on iPhone / iPod Touch, >> yet, that are found on the iPad. >> >> The iPad from my prespective is purely for consumption, and I use it for >> news papers, which 4 of which are not found on the iPhone, and 5 are on the >> iPhone, but, only as reduced versions. >> >> >> >> >> Regards, >> >> Neil Barnfather >> >> Talks List Administrator >> Twitter @neilbarnfather >> >> TalkNav is a Nuance, Code Factory and Sendero dealer, as well as an Apple >> iOS, Macintosh and Android accessibility specialist. For all your >> accessible phone, PDA and GPS related enquiries visit www.talknav.com >> >> URL: - www.talknav.com >> e-mail: - serv...@talknav.com >> Phone: - +44 844 999 4199 >> >> On 24 Mar 2012, at 08:43, David Hole wrote: >> >>> hi folks. >>> I just wonder, and many here have asked, so I thought I'd ask you in >>> this group. >>> What's the benefit for blind people to have an iPad instead of an >>> iPhone? >>> I mean, as far as I can see, the difference is only the screen size... >>> Am I right? >>> Actually I'd like to have one myself, but I can't find any good >>> reasons to have it, since I have both an iPhone and a Mac. >>> Hope someone here can give me reasons to get one :p >>> Best regards David >>> >>> -- >>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >>> "MacVisionaries" group. >>> To post to this group, send email to macvisionaries@googlegroups.com. >>> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >>> macvisionaries+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. >>> For more options, visit this group at >>> http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en. >>> >> >> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "MacVisionaries" group. >> To post to this group, send email to macvisionaries@googlegroups.com. >> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >> macvisionaries+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. >> For more options, visit this group at >> http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en. >> > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "MacVisionaries" group. > To post to this group, send email to macvisionaries@googlegroups.com. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > macvisionaries+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en. > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "MacVisionaries" group. To post to this group, send email to macvisionaries@googlegroups.com. To unsubscribe from this group, send email to macvisionaries+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en.
