Hi Andy, First, it appears you have partially misunderstood my recent comments. I am not asking that my notetaker emulate, in exact functioning and methods of operation, a sighted person's PDA at all. I am asking, however, that it possess functionality that is in line with the PDA enjoyed by my sighted peers. Obviously, a sighted person's PDA would be almost completely useless to us, even if a portable version of a screen reader were installed. Many of these devices include input methods, such as touch screen displays or pen-based capabilities, which are totally inaccessible to a blind person. Obviously, either a Braille or QWERTY-style keyboard is necessary for us to supply input to such a device.
When VR is covering your ticket in full or in part on this equipment, some of the issues I raise may not be such a big deal. I think they should be for everyone, but, well, when it's mostly not your money going into the purchase, you're simply not going to be as invested in the process. But, well, I scraped together the funding to purchase my BrailleNote with certain expectations for the future. Those expectations haven't really come to pass, and I pretty much feel let down by the entire experience. Even VR clients or those receiving funding for these purchases ought to be treating them with the same seriousness as though the money were coming out of their own pocket. They need to be asking at least the following questions: 1. Since this product is for serious business (education, employment...) I am going to be depending on its availability and functionality more and more as I integrate it into my day-to-day workflow. It is not a toy. When it fails, as all such devices will do at some point, or when I need a hardware upgrade to obtain additional functionality, I need to have zero or minimal downtime. If my SonicWALL firewall goes down, I receive a advance-exchange RMA replacement by 10:30 the next morning. I provide a credit card to secure this RMA and promise to send the broken product back to SonicWALL within 30 days. I should be able to do the same with my assistive technology hardware if I have a maintenance agreement. True, I didn't elect to purchase such an agreement on my BN, but it wasn't justifiable because I was told there was no such advance-exchange RMA replacement program. That should have been a red-flag right there; I should have simply held off on the purchase. I was informed that there were possibilities to make advance-exchange arrangements, but I never had the confidence that this would really turn out to be the case. 2. Promise features and functionality need to come through and there shouldn't be any misrepresentation of functionality. At the time of my BN purchase, I worked in the NOC of a regional Internet service provider. I was told, or was at least under the impression that, the BN included a terminal emulator. I had plans to be able to use the BN's serial port to connect with devices such as the console management interfaces of routers, servers and the like. When I learned the truth from additional extensive real-world experience, the lack of the terminal program, I was hugely disappointed. Similarly, I was disappointed when I learned that the promised Microsoft E-Book reader deal fell through. OK. Well, that's enough here... These are just some thoughts for all to ponder. BTW, I am no longer locked into NFB's philosophy or that of anyone else. I just look out for the true best interests of blind people... Darrell Shandrow - Shandrow Communications! Technology consultant/instructor, network/systems administrator! A+, CCNA, Network+! Check out high quality telecommunications services at http://ld.net/?nu7i All the best to coalition forces carrying out Operation Iraqi Freedom! ----- Original Message ----- From: "Andy Baracco" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "Braillenote List" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Thursday, October 23, 2003 9:13 PM Subject: Re: [Braillenote] Upgrade my BrailleNote or do something else? > Hi Darrell, > > Considering your extensive background in access technology, and your > grounding in NFB philosophy, i have difficulty understanding your comments > of the last few days. As one who has worked in the access tech field for > years, you certainly know why access tech for the blind costs more than the > technology used by sighted folks. And as one who has been through an NFB > rehab center, you know all about alternative techniques. For a sighted > person, mobility equals a car. Blind folks have to find other ways to get > around. Thus there is no reason why a PDA for the blind has to look or act > like a sighted person's PDA, as long as it gets the job done. If you > really want to emulate a sighted person that bad, then you know which > device to get. If your concern is getting your work done in an efficient > and blind friendly environment, then you know which device to get. > Personally, I have a PC at home, and one at work. I use my note taker when > I am mobil. it is not necessary that my note taker resemble my computer, > or a sighted person's PDA for that matter. I have seen demonstrations of > how you can instantly transfer data between the Packmate and a sighted > person's PDA, and have even been told that guys and girls can exchange > phone numbers this way, but in my 54 years on this earth, no girl has yet > asked me to beam her my phone number, and my wife wouldn't let it happen > anyway. (SMILE)! > > Andy > > > > ___ > To leave the BrailleNote list, send a blank message to > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > To view the list archives or change your preferences, visit > http://list.pulsedata.com/mailman/listinfo/braillenote
