I'm a little puzzled by this.
I'm not sure where I encouraged folks to become experts, advanced
users, or anything of the sort. I encourage folks to expand their
knowledge certainly, but as far as I know I've never advocated that
everyone should be an expert, it's neither practical nor desirable.
If I've given this impression, I apologize, and will certainly
attempt to not do so in the future. I'm certainly able to program my
own solutions in some cases, but I don't recomend everyone else do
that, most folks just don't have the knowledge or desire to be a
programmer, and I'm wondering where I'd given the impression I
thought so.
But in any case, keeping on topic here, I agree completely that Apple
needs to hear not only that vo is being used, but how it's being
used. It's likely we could give them ideas on how it's usefulness
can assist folks with visual impairments. It's a shame companies
don't have a [EMAIL PROTECTED] email address so we could give
them positive feedback regularly, but the reality is that most folks
don't bother. When something works, it's status quo. Only when it's
broken, or not working as expected does the emails begin moving
around. If we could let apple know they've done a great thing here,
it might help to raise the priority of vo development in their minds.
On Apr 2, 2006, at 3:18 PM, Karen Lewellen wrote:
This is a critically important point.
Apple has no way of measuring the success here, and the amount of
complaints is certainly no way to this, even less would be the
numbers of people who stop by a booth at a conference.
There are thousands, perhaps even millions of vision challenged
people out here who do not even know the technology is out there,
Could not even conceive affording the windows options, and contrary
to travis's idea have no interest in, nor should they, in becoming
a computer expert to achieve results. Show apple that there is a
real market, and perhaps they will not need to do this.
Marketing is everything, and like it or not there are still many
misconceptions, and to be honest a lot of them are perpetuated by
so called blind community organizations about the audience for this
product.
If apple does not hear from those in the real mainstream, not those
who are able to reprogram their computers, but the average consumer
who looks a lot like the regular apple customer save that their
vision works differently, they will have no motivation for
continuing effort here.
The feel good notion is no way to run a business, profit, market
share, ETC. can be.
We have a job crisis in this country and there are millions of
people who can fill this need if the technology is there and
affordable, without the continuous need to be upgraded tweaked,
and pampered into working....like with windows.
Can you imagine how beneficial it would be for apple's profits to
be able to outfit who is or was the largest employer of the
disabled, the federal government, with voice over? That translates
into real numbers, and if informed that the market things it
possible, perhaps with some real numbers to show apple that there
is a market here they may continue to take vo seriously.
Given the outrageous prices for adaptive technology in general,
someone must have marketing information to support such rates. Why
not give apple the proof that they can make money on vo if they
just put in the effort. better still why not help them with that
effort sharing some of the wisdom many here have demonstrated based
on their own work with the product?
There is a wide ocean between apple and their real market for vo.
It is up to those here who have a vested interest in its continuing
to help bridge that ocean.
Karen
On Sun, 2 Apr 2006, John Denning wrote:
Let me just say for a last time. First I never said that Apple
intended to cease development of access technology, or VO in
particular. What i said was that i heard that the priority has
been lowered, less resources will be devoted in the future to VO.
if this is true it is cause to be concerned. If there is any
chance that it is true it might be wise to send feedback to apple
indicating interest in the Universal Access technology. I'd
suggest that such contact not be to the accessibility, but rather
a more general contact. I think all the people on the access team
are interested in continued support.
Apple really doesn't have any means to know how many people are
utilizing the UI technology. They can gauge by the number of
support calls on any given topic. But if customers don't give
feedback apple has no way to really know. It's not like we had to
register UI to use it. They just know they sold Tiger.
I'm sorry that some of you get so upset when someone says
something you don't agree with. Your life must either be hell,l or
sheltered.
You all want me to give names. But funny thing is I see mentions
by others of "this apple rep told me." Or "that apple rep assured
me." Where are the names? Do you know how many people on the
development team for UI? And their names?
This isn't a matter of knowing something someone else doesn't
know. It's a matter of letting apple know we believe in the
technology, we want it, and we see a bright future for it. I don't
believe apple realizes what they really have with it. Apple is
focused on the media industry. They have been for years. And they
do a fantastic job in it. I don't believe they realize how many us
us visually impaired computer users are out there, and how are
willing to look at something other than JFW.
What they do so however is all the press going around blasting VO
and saying things that are down right not true. Positive feedback
never hurts, even if it isn't needed.
On Apr 1, 2006, at 10:41 PM, John Panarese wrote:
JD's source certainly might have other information, but it seems
difficult
to believe that VO will stop being developed,
- JD -
John Denning
AIM: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
A+ MCSA MCSE
And glad to be a Mac snob again!
Roswell, GA
My very old web site: www.jdenning.net
