Hello to all of you:
That was well said Jonathan. It is very hard to make something to please
everyone, or furthermore, to combat the needs of everyone; but the staff at
HW are doing a fantastic job at trying to help all of us. So let's band
together and help each other in times of need, and let's be free to suggest
things to help all of us in the future.
Sincerely,
Jolena Foster
----- Original Message -----
From: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Sunday, April 30, 2006 10:18 AM
Subject: [Braillenote] Suggestions, Priorities, and Philosophy
Hi everyone, this is quite a long message in response to messages I've
just been wading through on the list, and I hope the information provided
herein is helpful.
Firstly, I'd like to talk about product suggestions on this list,
tolerance, respect for the diversity of our group, and courtesy. Some of
you may be familiar with a technique called brainstorming. In this
technique, people make suggestions in a safe environment, where people can
feel free to put something forward without criticism. I would like us to
take that same kind of approach when it comes to product suggestions. A
user is quite entitled to put forward an idea that they would find useful,
without the ceiling falling in on them by way of hostile replies. I
appreciate that this is a fine line, as product suggestions can be further
clarified by other users, but I think this list needs to be a place where
we respect that we all use our products in different ways.
Secondly, I would like to talk about the BrailleNote in the context of
people who are DeafBlind. The BrailleNote is not a Braille only device. It
is a Braille and speech device. For about 90% of our customers, a
combination of Braille and speech is the best way to get the job done.
Some people will listen to a document with synthetic speech, and then
perhaps stop to examine a passage in greater detail. Some will use Braille
extensively when editing their own work. A few of our customers never use
speech at all as a matter of choice, and an even smaller few don't use
speech because they can't. HumanWare is deeply concerned that appropriate
feature enhancements we add are useable by the DeafBlind community. In
fact, as someone who wears hearing aids now and has a degenerative hearing
condition that means I may even be a candidate for a cochlea implant one
day, it is something very dear to my heart. For example, we took care to
ensure that the installation process for new versions of KeySoft on
BrailleNote mPower is completely doable without speech, so a DeafBlind
person can perform it independently. When we add substantial features such
as the Database Manager, rewriting the Planner, and yes, the games, we
take a lot of time to ensure that they can be used only with Braille. Our
primary motivation in doing this is because we understand the extent to
which the BrailleNote family can increase independence and decrease
isolation for DeafBlind customers.
But does that mean that we shouldn't add features that the majority of our
customers can use, simply because a minority cannot? I think the issue
here is a question of balance. For example, there are only two features in
the entire product that are completely off limits to someone who is
DeafBlind. They are the Media Player, and the FM radio. I take the memo
Recorder out of the equation because if a DeafBlind person does have the
ability to speak, there may perhaps be a use for this. When you consider
that we are talking about two features out of the many features in the
Word processor, the Planner (which I agree we do need a vibrating alarm
for), the Address List, the E-mail system, the Browser, the Calculator,
the Database manager, the Games, GPS etc, I don't think it can be said
that we've somehow got the balance wrong.
For years, blind people have been dogged by having to carry too many
things around with them. Progressively, I want the BrailleNote to replace
as many of those devices as possible. it can already be the device on
which you write and read your documents, keep your appointments, browse
the web, and so much more, including listening to music and information
for those who can. Soon, it will replace even more devices.
Yes, it is true that DeafBlind people can't use two of the features in the
BrailleNote, but equally, it is true that some users choose not to use
other features not because they can't, but because they don't wish to.
This is always the dilemma faced in software development. One person's
essential feature is another's complete waste of time.
I can also assure list members, most thankfully, that the BrailleNote is
in no danger of going anywhere any time soon. In fact, the BrailleNote
mPower has exceeded our wildest expectations in terms of demand, for which
we are sincerely grateful.
So in closing, the BrailleNote will continue to be a product substantially
useable by the DeafBlind. We have never, ever issued a software release
with exclusively audio only features, nor will we ever do so in the
future. We always strive to achieve a balance in our releases that serves
our diverse user base as best we can. And I should also say that I will be
attending the American Association of the DeafBlind conference in June and
giving a presentation there, and am looking forward to talking about an
exciting future with attendees.
Hope this helps.
Jonathan Mosen
BrailleNote Product Marketing Manager
HumanWare
DDI: +1-925-566-9265
http://www.humanware.com
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