Agree with all of this, and add the strategic possibility of developing a jump on design issues and their impact on accessibility.
Vaughan. -----Original Message----- From: Amanda Lee [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Wednesday, 15 January 2014 9:14 a.m. To: gw-info Subject: Re: GW Micro Announces Global Window-Eyes Initiative for users of Microsoft Office I would say that this was a very smart business decision. I also see this as being such a great insentive for software developers, provided they have Office 2010 or later which most corporations do, who are working to develop greater accessibility to screen readers in their products, that they will have access to a fullly developed Screen Reader. This can also put a Screen Reader into the hands of many who need both the productivity of a suite of business software applications and a Screen reader who couldn't ordinarily afford both as well. Thank you GWMicro and Microsoft. Amanda Lee ----- Original Message ----- From: "Chris H" <[email protected]> To: "gw-info" <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, January 14, 2014 2:59 PM Subject: Re: GW Micro Announces Global Window-Eyes Initiative for users of Microsoft Office Hi i don't think so, people will still buy retail copies of Window-Eyes just because they don't want or need Office. Regards Chris On 14/01/2014 19:44, Samuel Wilkins wrote: > I’d like to see Freedom Scientific try and beat that. However, I do > have a question about this. Won’t that reduce GW Micro’s finances > significantly? > > > > From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] > Sent: 14 January 2014 18:45 > To: [email protected] > Subject: GW Micro Announces Global Window-Eyes Initiative for users of > Microsoft Office > > > > > > Jan-14-2014 > > FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE > > Fort Wayne, Indiana (January 14, 2014) - GW Micro, Inc. > (www.gwmicro.com) is proud to make a revolutionary announcement. GW > Micro and Microsoft Corp. have partnered to make Window-Eyes available > to users of Microsoft Office at no cost. Window-Eyes is a screen > reader that enables people who are blind, visually impaired, or print > disabled to have full access to Windows PCs and makes the computer accessible > via speech and/or Braille. > > To better deliver Window-Eyes to the people who need it most, GW Micro > and Microsoft have collaborated on this global initiative, available > in over > 15 languages, to enable anyone using Microsoft Office 2010 or later to > also use Window-Eyes for free. Access to technology is critical to > people who are blind or visually impaired in order to have the same > opportunity to compete in the workplace. As such, this initiative > between GW Micro and Microsoft has the potential to reduce barriers > for millions of people who are blind or visually impaired around the world. > > As the population ages, technologies like Window-Eyes will become more > and more important as the number of people with age-related macular > degeneration and other retinal degenerative diseases increases. "This > significant change in the way we are doing business reflects the > changing perception of accessibility and also technology in general. > Rather than wait for the world to change, Microsoft and GW Micro are leading > the way," > said Dan Weirich, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for GW Micro. > Weirich believes this technology can help millions of people gain > access to their PC, and that providing it free of charge will open a > whole new world of assistive technology to many people. > > In light of the rapidly changing face of technology and specifically, > the changing face of assistive technology, the combined efforts of GW > Micro and Microsoft have the goal of providing accessibility to people > who are blind and visually impaired for the long term. > > Microsoft continues to take accessibility seriously. “By partnering > with GW Micro in this endeavor we are demonstrating Microsoft’s > ongoing commitment to provide all of our customers with the technology > and tools to help each person be productive in both their work and personal > lives.” > said Rob Sinclair, Chief Accessibility Officer for Microsoft. > > Eligible customers, using Microsoft Office 2010 or higher, will be > able to download a full version of Window-Eyes starting today at > www.WindowEyesForOffice.com. The website provides download > instructions as well as additional details about this offer. > > GW Micro, Inc. (www.gwmicro.com) has been a trusted pioneer in the > adaptive technology industry since 1990, and continues to lead with > innovative, customer driven solutions. > > > > Contact: > > Dan Weirich, VP of Sales and Marketing [email protected] > (260) 489-3671 > > > > ### > > > If you reply to this message it will be delivered to the original sender > only. If your reply would benefit others on the list and your message is > related to GW Micro, then please consider sending your message to > [email protected] so the entire list will receive it. > > GW-Info messages are archived at http://www.gwmicro.com/gwinfo. You can > manage your list subscription at http://www.gwmicro.com/listserv. > If you reply to this message it will be delivered to the original sender only. 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