Yes, working more closely with users could be an advantage. To be honest, though, I don't much care if they ever release an sdk now, for two reasons. First, I'm so discouraged and put off by hw's attitude and products nowadays that I'll not be buying anything else from them in the future and plan to use my apex as long as I can only because it is such an expensive piece of equipment. Second, I have given up hope that they will ever release an sdk at all. They have told us for years that it is being considered/worked on, but more important matters keep their people busy. Apparently, these more important tasks are pushing an upgrade with a single feature and not fixing any bugs at all.
On 5/31/12, Joseph Lee <[email protected]> wrote: > Hi, > I think, for sake of time and space, I'd like to offer jwo > questions that convention attendees should ask HW (in my opinion) > and for us to ponder for a while: > * What is better - stability in long term or useful features in > short term? Although useful features would make Apex an > attractive solution, from usability perspective, it is better > that we have a stable product to make Apex a dependable platform > (and I'm sure majority of bugs could have been fikxed with > stability). > * Wouldn't partnerships yield more fruits - since KeySoft is > driven by user requests, bug reports and keeping up with current > standards, I believe more user partnerships with HW could help > both parties in the end (not only from usability with reports and > suggestions, but also allowing users to contribute useful gifts > to other users in the form of user-written KeySoft extensions). > As for responses from company (and from users), we do have > occasional posts from HW staff (when matters that require > clarification arises). However, the trend is that users are > filling the role of tech support here (if they have useful > solutions or ideas), and we do now have a situation where > "experts" are located at key parts of the world (including "next > generation experts" like Aine, I'd say). > But to keep the content relevant to the subject, the above two > questions are things that I think even users may wish to ponder > from time to time and ask at conventions (for both ACB and NFB, > as well as other exhibit times and locations). > Thanks. > Cheers, > Joseph > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Aleeha Dudley <[email protected] > To: Lanie <[email protected] > Date sent: Thu, 31 May 2012 13:14:23 -0400 > Subject: Re: [Braillenote] more braillenote feedback suggestions > > Hi, > I have seen these issues only if I accidentally press a thumb > key while switching tasks. I don't think I've encountered it > without the press of said thumb key. > > > Aleeha > > On May 31, 2012, at 1:06 PM, Lanie <[email protected]> wrote: > > I'm sorry if some of you are getting this twice. I got a > delivery failure, so I don't think it went through. Another > thing that should be fixed is the way in the middle of writing or > after switching to another application, the BrailleNote often > deletes the text out of a plain Braille or Microsoft Word file. > Has anyone else had this happen? I had it just a few minutes ago. > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: Snow Bunny <[email protected] > To: [email protected] > Date sent: Thu, 31 May 2012 12:07:28 -0400 > Subject: Re: [Braillenote] more braillenote feedback suggestions > > Also, have a Humanware staff presence on this list. Beth > Original message: > In addition: > 1. Fix the massive number of minor to serious bugs that have > plagued > users for years. For instance, KNG speech defaults to rate 6 > when > reading in other languages, keymail often corrupts its own > database, > wireless connectivity is spotty to useless in many situations, > you > can't paste from the clipboard or use spellcheck in webpage edit > fields, keychat menu items have no shortcut or the shortcut > fails to > activate the item, popups in keyweb still take far too long to > move > through, deleting characters often makes the cursor jump... > need I go > on? > 2. Add promised features: multi-tasking, bluetooth object > exchange, > docx support (which, need I remind you, the Victor Reader has > had for > a couple years), unit conversion for keyplus, and so on. > 3. Offer more than one feature in each (very expensive) > upgrade, or > lower/toss out the upgrade price. > 4. Be more vocal with us, the paying customers, about > developments and > patches. I realize many companies don't make upcoming features > public, > but it would be nice to hear that the people at hw are still at > least > updating keysoft, instead of adding an open-source pdf > conversion tool > and not fixing anything. > 5. Fix long-standing pronunciation errors. For instance, the > abbreviations mr, ms, mrs, dr, st, and so forth should not end a > sentance, even though they are followed by a period. Other > words are > still broken, like "wasted". The pronunciation dictionary needs > a > major overhaul, while we're on the subject: it should support, > at > least, spaces and numbers, though regular expressions would be > ideal. > Failing that, the interface just feels old and awkward. > > On 5/31/12, Jessica Brown <[email protected]> wrote: > I would like to add that It would be good if the bn supported > flash player. I have found that many sites are not accessible > on > the bn because you need flash player to use them. Also, an sdk > would be good so that people outside of hw can make programs for > the bn. Just some ideas for people who will be going to the > conference. > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Matthew J" <[email protected] > To: <[email protected] > Date sent: Thu, 31 May 2012 14:18:12 +0100 > Subject: [Braillenote] more braillenote feedback suggestions > > Ok, here's a quick list off the top of my head. Considering the > bn is sucha > lackluster product, I could undoubtedly think of many more given > time: > > > > 1: tables and footnotes in documents need to be made far more > accessible > > 2: language support: writing in multiple languages is a chore, > reading in > them in anything but the word processor is almost impossible > > 3: Imap support, better syncing with outlook contacts and the > ability to > import CSV contact files or some other format of contacts. > Keymail must be > made far more intuitive and less clunky, this must include the > reading of > html e-mail natively. > > 4: the reading of secured pdfs > > 5: updating the internet explorer engine to something less > prehistoric > > 6: the use of more IM protocols and the upgrade to the XMPP > protocol in use, > so that facebook, msn, ETC, can be made useable from keychat, as > no one uses > google talk. > > 7: the ability to read Excel spreadsheets. > > 8: a twitter client along the lines of the one the braille sense > clients > have would not go amiss. > > 9: better compatibility with windows 7 64 bit and windows 7 in > general for > networking, syncing ETC. > > 10: .docx support! > > > > I can personally attest to every problem on this list and also I > know quite > a few people who would quite happily use an apex if it fixed > some > of these > issues. I think humanware does not realize how offputting these > defects are > to a large number of young, technically-able users who are > choosing hims or > a mainstream solution. Outside of England, the use of Braille > note's in > Europe is very low because of the language support issue, for > example. > > Anyway, just my 2p worth, > > MJ > > ___ > Replies to this message will go directly to the sender. > If your reply would be useful to the list, please send a > copy to the list as well. > > 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 > > > ___ > Replies to this message will go directly to the sender. > If your reply would be useful to the list, please send a > copy to the list as well. > > 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 > > > > > -- > Have a great day, > Alex (msg sent from GMail website) > [email protected]; http://www.facebook.com/mehgcap > > ___ > Replies to this message will go directly to the sender. > If your reply would be useful to the list, please send a > copy to the list as well. > > 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 > > ___ > Replies to this message will go directly to the sender. > If your reply would be useful to the list, please send a > copy to the list as well. > > 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 > > > ___ > Replies to this message will go directly to the sender. > If your reply would be useful to the list, please send a > copy to the list as well. > > 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 > > > ___ > Replies to this message will go directly to the sender. > If your reply would be useful to the list, please send a > copy to the list as well. > > 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 > > ___ > Replies to this message will go directly to the sender. > If your reply would be useful to the list, please send a > copy to the list as well. > > 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 > > -- Have a great day, Alex (msg sent from GMail website) [email protected]; http://www.facebook.com/mehgcap ___ Replies to this message will go directly to the sender. If your reply would be useful to the list, please send a copy to the list as well. 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
