Hi Larry,
I for one applauded your efforts of trying a new setup and discovering
what would or would not work for you.
Computing, in spite of what some may feel to the contrary is a highly
individualized thing. Each person brings their specific needs experience
and yes frustration level to the experience, and I for one have never
thought the need to have multi-machines to meet your needs spoke to real
progress. Instead it strikes me as a sign of how much less satisfactory
computing has become.
As for your support experience with apple, i find that rate rather
ridiculous!
I cannot imagine real marketing research going into that rate being
rational for those seeking VO assistance from Apple. It would have been
far more practical to allow for a set number of support calls with your
registered copy before charging, and frankly the financial state of the
market being served should be considered too.
Granted Apple has always been head and shoulders above windows, but they
have a bit of selling to do to this new market, and a demonstrated
commitment to get the new users started within reason would only serve to
boost their popularity via word of mouth. As everyone knows that can be
the best kind of sales to generate.
Good luck with whatever choices you make,
Karen
On Tue, 27 Dec 2005, LARRY WANGER wrote:
Well, one of the very apparent differences between my past use of Windows based
screen readers and my new experience with VO is kind of surprising to me.
There just isn't support available from Apple.
Here is some background.
I've asked a few times about different programs that I could use to meet my
needs with my Mac and access to class newsgroups that I use in conjunction with
courses I take as well as insuring that I have access to normally used file
formats like Word, Excel and PowerPoint. You guys have offered some good
suggestions. I can use text edit for word documents. I should be able to use
iWork or Apple Works as well for many of these purposes but I've tested both
products, Made by Apple I might add, and neither works with VO. Additionally,
I was able to activate the Office 2004 test drive that came on my Mac and none
of the applications in that suite of programs was accessible either.
Beyond this, I called the University technical support line to ask what
programs they support for use with newsgroups on the Mac and they were able to
suggest Thunderbird and or Onterage which are available. I tried Onterage as
said with the Office suite and it would not work and could not get Thunderbird
to allow for access either.
Finally, out of frustration, I called Apple and tried to ask questions, thus
the subject line of this message. I was told that because I have the Apple
Care plan that I could get tech support but the questions I was asking about VO
are usage and therefore I would need to pay $199 to talk with someone.
Guys, this is beyond ridiculous. I've been patient and worked very hard to
make the Mac work for me. I really like it too but the bottom line here is
that the computer must meet my needs and it shouldn't be a project to make it
do so. I've spent now nearly 2 weeks with it and clearly know what I need it
to do. Unfortunately, I'm not getting it to do that. Many of you will argue
that I should be patient and keep working with it. However, the bigger issue
here is that for Apple to make it in the blindness community and to be a
mainstream product, they must realize that probably 99% of blind people...or
anyone else for that matter, won't have the patience and tech skills to
continue to work with it. It must be user friendly and ready to go right out
of the box and folks, it isn't!!!
Perhaps in the future the Mac will make it but its not working for me right
now. Someone made the argument that it's only been six months since VO has
been available and eventually it will get there. I'm sure this is the case but
that won't help me at this moment when I need it to work for me now. I'm
really unsure on what to do at this point but its clear that while I can use
the Mac to read and write Word documents, I can not work with Excel or
PowerPoint documents and I can not yet at this point subscribe or work with
newsgroups for my classes. Someone suggested using Snownews but remember, not
all of us understand this advanced garbage that was on the page there and I
could not even tell which version to download.
I'm trying to balance maintaining a clear overall picture of my experience here
which has been relatively good with the major short-falls that I find with some
specific issues I've got. Realize though that one buys a computer to perform
specific tasks for them. I clearly know what I need to do with it but the Mac
thus far is not allowing me to do so. I'm increasingly unhappy with it and may
in fact need to return this. I expect some of you to have some sharp reactions
to this.How could anyone go back to a PC after experiencing the Mac? I can see
that point but if the computer won't do what I need it to do and Apple wants
$200 each and every time I want to ask a question then what is the point. I
might as well keep paying Freedom Scientific or GW Micro the high price for a
screen reader and get support as part of that package. I fail to see how Apple
defines tech support verses user questions but maybe someone has some insight
on that as well?
Check out my blog at http://lsw999.blogspot.com/
Larry Wanger
Check out my blog at http://lsw999.blogspot.com/
Larry Wanger
