No, I don't feel this was a move made to promote cells for FS, of course, that may or may not be the end result.
Based on the message posted from the blog, I'd say that the major reason for the move was job satisfaction. We have all heard the frustration expressed about not being able to provide features that have been asked for due to the limitations of the operating system. We just have to wait and see how HW will handle this, it was probably no shock to them, upper management usually has to give at least a month notice. I sincerely hope they find someone who will push the development of the Braille Note, I have used mine daily since I got it in January 2001, and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future. However, there may come a time when I will have to make changes, I hope it will be in the distant future. I hope we see improvements in service, and that development will continue to give us more options. When I bought the Braille Note Larry Lewis was the marketing manager, and I remember when he left, then a few weeks later they announced Jonathan's arrival. In a sense we have been there before and yet we have seen tremendous development with added features over the past couple of years. My concerns at the moment are for the service issues we keep hearing about,. Also, I hope someone will join the list soon who will assist with the technical questions that will inevitably arise with the next upgrade. I hope HW won't leave the Braille market to focus solely on Victor products and CCTVs but time will tell. I remember how shocked I was in 1996 when TSI announced it would no longer build Opticons, then they sold out the Optacon business to focus on low-vision products and eventually went under. I hope this will not happen to the Braille Note. For me, it works, I don't for the most part need access to mainstream applications from it, if I do, I can set it up to work with the computer. However, I also know my needs may change some day. As someone else said, a deal like this with the title doesn't happen overnight but, it isn't something that can be discussed before the contracts are signed, sealed and delivered. Rose Combs [EMAIL PROTECTED] -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Powers, Terry (NIH/OD/DEAS) [E] Sent: Friday, September 01, 2006 6:59 AM To: Braillenote List Subject: RE: [Braillenote] Jonathan Mosen Joins FS Good message Rose. I have a strange thought up my sleve. Do you think Jonathan might have done this, since he is so good at sales, to try to convince many of the BN users to chance to the open platform and buy a Packmate. It is almost like they might be using him to get more customers. Since he knows many of us, this would not be that hard to do. Terry Powers -----Original Message----- From: Rose Combs [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Thursday, August 31, 2006 8:58 PM To: 'Braillenote List' Subject: RE: [Braillenote] Jonathan Mosen Joins FS Someone, somewhere, and I don't remember who or the circumstances not even if it was an e-mail message or conversation said in February or there about that they thought he was maneuvering for a job in another company and in the states. I never gave it another thought until I saw this message and at first, the first time I saw it I almost thought it was a joke. Guess not, and now who will promote the Braille note. I still have no intention of trading products soon. You all realize, whatever he does for FS, we won't have much contact on any lists, unless he owns the list, FS does not encourage its employees to join lists and they don't create their own support lists, or at least not for Jaws. Isn't it odd, we probably many of feel betrayed and maybe even misled. It was only about three maybe four years ago that Larry Lewis left HumanWare and yet Jonathan is a good communicator, he may not have always said what some of us wanted to hear but we got answers. I cannot think of anyone who will follow him, hopefully the company has someone because I am still dedicated to the Braille Note, and will be until or unless future development seems to not take place at all. Rose Combs [EMAIL PROTECTED] -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Richard Ring Sent: Thursday, August 31, 2006 1:40 PM To: Braillenote List Subject: RE: [Braillenote] Jonathan Mosen Joins FS I'm shocked, completely shocked. -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Tom Lange Sent: Thursday, August 31, 2006 3:38 PM To: Braillenote List Subject: Re: [Braillenote] Jonathan Mosen Joins FS Hi, Very interesting news, and, I must say, somewhat of a surprise. I wonder how long this has been in the works. Tom ----- Original Message ----- From: "Richard Ring" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Braillenote List" <[email protected]> Sent: Thursday, August 31, 2006 12:17 PM Subject: [Braillenote] I thought some of you might like to read this. Hello PAC Mate Users, It is my great pleasure to announce that Jonathan Mosen has joined Freedom Scientific as Vice President of Blindness Hardware Product Management. The following press release is going out today. Best Regards, Brad Davis FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Media Contact: Brad Davis Blind/Low Vision Group 800-444-4443 or 727-803-8000 www.FreedomScientific.com <http://www.freedomscientific.com/index.html> Jonathan Mosen Joins Freedom Scientific (St. Petersburg, Florida, August 31, 2006) - Freedom Scientific's open platform approach to hardware and software has brought over another major voice in the field of access technology for the blind. Jonathan Mosen, previously of HumanWare, is the new Vice President of Blindness Hardware Product Management at Freedom Scientific's Blindness/Low Vision Group. Mosen said "Freedom Scientific's products emphasize the strengths of an open-platform approach to both hardware and software. This approach showcases the company's ability to leverage mainstream applications and technology elements to provide technology solutions for those that are blind in a timely manner." "I'm excited to be joining the Freedom Scientific team," Mosen said. "Freedom Scientific products enable blind people world wide to succeed in school, work, and the community. It's great to have the opportunity to shape the direction of Freedom Scientific's hardware products in close consultation with customers. I am especially excited to be on board with a company that is so clearly setting the pace for new product introduction and affordability in this industry." Mosen has been involved with blindness-related issues since the late 1980s and has been in the access technology field since 1999. He worked with the Association of Blind Citizens of New Zealand and the American Council of the Blind. One of his most significant contributions to blindness in New Zealand was his work to reform the Royal New Zealand Foundation for the Blind's constitutional framework to become the Foundation of the Blind. "It will be great to have the chance to work with some of the sharpest minds in the industry, both blind and sighted, to allow blind people to be more productive, more independent, and more efficient," Mosen said. "I've always admired the fact Freedom Scientific has blind people involved extensively in the company at all levels. This sits well with my own personal philosophy, that we, as blind people, must take control of our own destiny and improve the world." Brad Davis, Vice President of Hardware Product Management at Freedom Scientific, said he thinks it will be exciting to see Mosen apply his ideas and experiences in the less confining environment made possible by Freedom Scientific's use of mainstream applications. "Jonathan will help us make best use of both our hardware and software resources to bring solutions to a broader range of users," Davis said. Lee Hamilton, President and CEO of Freedom Scientific, said that Mosen has great rapport with users and that he looks forward to Mosen bringing his insight to Freedom Scientific's blindness products. About Freedom Scientific Freedom Scientific is the world's leading manufacturer of assistive technology products for those who are blind and vision impaired and products for the special education and learning disability markets. ________________________________________ Don't forget to check out: http://www.pacmategear.com ! _______ PMList mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://pacmategear.com/mailman/listinfo/pmlist_pacmategear.com To unsubscribe, send a blank email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] and don't forget to reply to the confirmation email! ___ To leave the BrailleNote list, send a blank message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] To view the list archives or change your preferences, visit http://list.humanware.com/mailman/listinfo/braillenote __________ NOD32 1.1734 (20060831) Information __________ This message was checked by NOD32 antivirus system. http://www.eset.com ___ To leave the BrailleNote list, send a blank message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] To view the list archives or change your preferences, visit http://list.humanware.com/mailman/listinfo/braillenote ___ To leave the BrailleNote list, send a blank message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] To view the list archives or change your preferences, visit http://list.humanware.com/mailman/listinfo/braillenote ___ To leave the BrailleNote list, send a blank message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] To view the list archives or change your preferences, visit http://list.humanware.com/mailman/listinfo/braillenote ___ To leave the BrailleNote list, send a blank message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] To view the list archives or change your preferences, visit http://list.humanware.com/mailman/listinfo/braillenote ___ To leave the BrailleNote list, send a blank message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] To view the list archives or change your preferences, visit http://list.humanware.com/mailman/listinfo/braillenote
