Thank you for sending this somewhat long email becauses it addresses many of the same feelings that I have had about our use of adaptive technology. I liken it to the feelings that sighted people have about Apple vs Ibm or palm vs pocket pc.
With regard to the braille note, I'm quite impressed with the crisp feel of the dots on the display. I'm an intense believer in braille literacy. Anything that encourages braille literacy should held in extremely high regard. R&D is expensive, guess who ultimately has to pay for it? I enjoy reading everyone's thoughts about the bn, no matter what they are. Regards ----- Original Message ----- From: "Beth Hatch" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Saturday, April 03, 2004 11:20 AM Subject: [Braillenote] Thoughts on Technology, Who Uses What and Why > > > Hi everyone, > > I've been lurking in the background concerning the discussion of the > BrailleNote, PacMate, and other technical opinions and issues on that > subject. I have no desire to flame the PacMate or the BrailleNote, since > I've used both of them and I've found both of the devices to be extremely > useful and helpful. I personally chose the BrailleNote because I love the > Braille support it provides. I am aware that the PacMate also has Braille > support but when I compared the two devices, in my opinion, the BrailleNote > was easier to use in straight Braille mode with no speech. When given a > choice, and I'm thankful with these devices we have one, I'll choose Braille > over speech any day. I use speech several hours of the day, but for > editing, reading, and other intensive endeavors, I prefer Braille when I can > get it. When I got my BrailleNote, at that time, the PacMate didn't even > have an integrated Braille display, so I didn't get to try one until I had > the opportunity to play with one at a convention. I do see the advantages > of using JAWS if that is your preferred screen reader, but not if you use > Window-eyes or some other means of accessing information like Linux. If you > don't use JAWS, the Pacmate has a steeper learning curve. > > While at school, or on the bus, I can use the BrailleNote without having to > wear a headset and I can carry on a conversation with someone and look up > information or add an address or phone number at the same time. I find that > during class lectures, I can read a copy of the lecture presentation which I > exported from PowerPoint to Word along with my sighted colleaguesin Braille > without having information overload trying to read the presentation on my > computer and my instructor talking at the same time. If I used the computer > on my desk, I would need to have an earphone on and listen to JAWS and the > instructor at the same time, to me that's both rude and an information > overload for me. > > Yesterday, I finished a homework assignment on the bus that required > a lot of reading. I wrote the assignment and spell checked it while I made > my way to school because I have an hour long bus trip to get there. When I > arrived, I hooked up my parallel cable to the networked laser printer and I > had my homework printed out to hand into the instructor. Normally of > course, I print these assignments at home but I was running short of time > and I was able to meet my deadline and get the job done. > > I mention this because I think some of the posts in this thread miss > the point of why we use and buy technology. In my humble opinion, the > issues that surround technology purchases cannot be placed in a easy to > understand pattern. I've been using computers since the early 1980's, I've > worked in the competitive technical fields of printer support and computer > training, as well as several jobs in access technology training. It saddens > me to see that blind people are getting on each other's cases about what we > use for technology. The issue should be whether the device, whether PacMate > or BrailleNote is user friendly, whether it meets your needs, whether you > can get good support, and that the product is cost effective and innovative. > I strongly disagree with users on this list who have said or implied that > the BrailleNote is for newbie computer users, or that the PacMate is for > "power users." Without bragging, I would expect that some would classify me > as a power user and I love my BrailleNote because it meets my needs because > I can use Braille to do what I need to do to succeed at work and at school. > I may quibble over whether blind people have problems with a GUI interface > simply because it's graphical. I believe the consistency of Windows, if the > menus and shortcuts are done well, that graphical interfaces can be just as > productive as non-graphical ones. A bad interface or a bad design can > happen in a text based or a graphical environment. Why should we pigeonhole > ourselves into graphical and text based users? We should be able to use all > the resources out there given available cost and equipment. Some of us > cannot afford a BrailleNote and a computer, so for this purpose, as long as > the job gets done, to me, it's irrelevant whether it's called a laptop, a > PDA, or a BrailleNote or a PacMate. > > I've been around computers for some time, someone somewhere is > always arguing with someone that their device, hardware, software is better > then some other. Think of Microsoft Word vs. WordPerfect, Internet Explorer > vs. Netscape, MSN Messenger vs. AOL Instant Messenger. The same holds true > for blindness technology: JAWS vs. Window-eyes, Kurzweil vs. Openbook, > BrailleNote vs. PacMate. Why must we categorize the choices others make and > then flame them for it? Shouldn't we constructively suggest improvements to > the technology we use rather then flame the makers of it? Human nature > shows that positive constructive feedback will go a long way towards > improving the technology rather then flaming the makers because of this or > that missing feature. Don't get me wrong, I'm a gadget hound with the best > of them!!! However, from my own experience taking support calls and dealing > with angry customers, although I'm asked to do my job for each and every > person who calls, I will be more willing to go out of my way to help someone > who is positive and nice to me rather then yelling and screaming at me on > the phone or over email. > > Finally, I'm writing this message quite simply, because I felt > resentful that someone would judge my computer abilities, or lack thereof, > simply because I chose a BrailleNote. So do these users think that a > graphical interface equals a power user? If you do, then I beg you to try > Linux, that will bring any new computer user to his or her knees and it's > text based!!!<smile> JAWS and Window-eyes cater to novice and power users. > I think it's dangerous for us as blind people to even infer, whether > intentional or not, that one is only a power user if one uses graphics, or > if we only use software that sighted people use. The object is to get > things done, to be able to produce coherent and readable documents and > products for blind and sighted people. What difference does it make if > someone uses a PacMate or BrailleNote, as long as your work is done on time, > productively, and that it looks good and sounds good to those blind and > sighted who must read and decipher your work? I think we are sometimes too > critical of each other!!! Technology should meet our individual needs, > technology should not control us!!! We decide what we need, how we use our > tools, and who will provide them. If something meets our needs, then we use > it, if it doesn't, then we provide constructive feedback or move on to > another product. It's not necessary to attack the product, other users, or > the choices others make since if we're not in their shoes, it's not fair > for us to generalize about their abilities and their motives. > > I made my decision after looking at all the competition, PacMate, Elba, and > all the other PDA's at the NFB convention exhibit hall. The best way to > identify problems and solutions is to actually use and evaluate the > equipment doing the things you would normally want to do with the devices, > like sending email, reading documents, writing documents, surfing the web, > etc. It is certainly good and laudable for people on this list to make > constructive suggestions for improvements or features, and I've noticed how > interested and concerned Pulsedata is in receiving this feedback and how > people from the company respond to technical support requests on and off the > list. I think it's too our advantage that they actually monitor this list > and take part in it, whether the comments are good or bad, they are not > censoring us, they are listening to our concerns. As someone who has been > involved in getting bug fixes and drivers out to customers, this is not an > easy or quick process. Shouldn't we channel our frustrations into finding > out what the troubles are, within business requirements of course, rather > then running our mouths off just because we're not happy? > > Look at the number of PDA devices for sighted people on the Market!! > There are pocket pc models, various Palm devices and on and on. I for one, > am glad of the competition, it gives all the manufacturers something to > strive for, to help blind people be productive. I consider myself a "power > user" as well as an intense GUI and JAWS user, and I still love my > BrailleNote and though I've tried the competition, I'm happy with the > decision I've made. Let's not generalize our own abilities onto others. > People make choices for all kinds of reasons that maybe we can't fathom from > our own personal experience. Let's find out why they make the choices they > do, and help all technology improve, rather then sniping on this list and > flaming people who just want to do their jobs and accomplish their life > goals. > > Sorry for the novel, but until we understand where each individual > is and try to meet them halfway, we shouldn't criticize the choices they > make, we should help new users, make suggestions for improvements to > existing technology, and put our heads together to improve new devices and > technology for the future in a constructive, calm, but determined manner. > > > Best Regards, > > > Beth > > > ___ > 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 >
