I'm mostly a research bum. I work on projects at universities that are big on being interesting but poor on the pay scale. I don't need a salary so I can afford to just do cool stuff which is a fun way to live. On Nov 4, 2009, at 9:41 AM, anouk radix wrote:
> > Hello, well because laptops are so differently priced 3 years warranty > is not enforced here I think, another problem is that of course macs > are even more costly then they already are in the states because I > think they must literally translate that dollar price into euros. But, > imho especially the mac pros and macbook pros should at least come > with 3 years warranty on parts. > Out of curiosity and ot: What work do you do? > Greetings, Anouk > On Nov 4, 2009, at 2:27 PM, erik burggraaf wrote: > >> >> Hi anouk, >> >> We have some of these similar problems here with our equipment >> funding. Unfortunately the nature of the computer market is this. >> The average consumer wants to spend as little as possible on a >> computer, even if that means they will be buying a new computer >> once a >> year. Consumers who want a high end computer that will last them 3 >> years are a niche market. This is especially when you consider that >> businesses who buy in bulk take the mass market approach. Those guys >> are even worse. Sure, They may buy 1000 computers every year or two, >> But they want to get a $600 computer for $400, and they still want >> fat >> warrantees on them. When you build things cheep to undercut the >> other >> guys so you can sell more units and kater to the market, you get >> oodles of breakdowns and have to spend a bundle on service if you >> cant >> convince the buyer to just go out and get a new one. >> >> People like us who want well built systems to last us absorb the cost >> of servicing the cheep laptops. This is much the same principal as >> voiceover. Every one who buys a mac contributes to the development >> of >> voiceover, even though %95 of mac users have no infernal use for it >> what-so-ever. >> >> There is not a company here in north america who has a standard >> laptop >> warrantee longer than one year, for all the reasons stated above. >> Even Asus, which puts 3 years standard on it's desktop componants and >> builds superb quality laptops here, only provides one year on their >> laptop systems. So our funding has to last for 5 years. The best >> warrantee we can do is 3 years. And we will be lucky if we still >> have >> a nice computer at the end of the day because they are just built >> cheep. It's a real tough situation for resellers and funding >> authorizers, and it's terribly frustrating for clients. >> >> Here in North America, Apple is pretty competative with products lit >> dell studio and some of the mid range asus stuff. The real money >> saver of an apple is the bsiness of not having to provide a screen >> reader. Unfortunately we're duel booting windows on these products >> and providing jaws or window-eyes any way because many of our people >> already have so much money invested that they don't want to just >> ditch >> their abominably high priced windows kit. So that kind'a defeats the >> purpose a bit but it will get there. >> >> Best, >> erik burggraaf >> A+ certified technician and user support consultant. >> Phone: 888-255-5194 >> Email: [email protected] >> >> On 2009-11-04, at 3:49 AM, anouk radix wrote: >> >>> >>> Hello, I know that there are some unattached braille display >>> developers around, meaning that their braille displays are not >>> linked >>> to screenreader software to windows. Lately I have been thinking >>> about >>> how cool it would beif they could do a package deal on their braille >>> display and a mac laptop. In the netherlands if you are a >>> schoolgoing >>> child or a student you get both a laptop, a screenreader and a >>> braille >>> display from the state (actually the uwv, a company run by the >>> state) >>> if you are a working person then your employer can ask the uwv for a >>> screenreader and a braille display and if you need stuff for home >>> use >>> you need to ask your insurance company. So it owuld be really >>> beneficial for the uwv to have an option like the mac that would >>> be a >>> lot cheaper then the options by optelec (bc640+hal) or freedom >>> scientific (i think their braille display is called focus and they >>> of >>> course develop jaws) plus probbably a toshiba laptop. At least the >>> free developers could spread the know how about the mac system and >>> maybe translate stuff provide dutch support etc. I was planning to >>> write some people about this when I suddenly realized something. 1. >>> apple seems to be the sole distributor of macbooks etc and most >>> importantly 2. the very meager standard warranty and very high price >>> to buy more. If you get a laptop as a blind student in nl then you >>> have to use it for at least 3 years before you ask for a new one, >>> after 3 years you can ask for a new laptop and sometimes even a new >>> braille display although that term used to be 5 ears. So it is >>> common >>> practice for companies to deliver the laptop with 3 years of >>> warranty >>> so that has to be included in the total price. >>> I really hope that in the future apple iwll include more then 1 year >>> of warranty because on a lot of proiducts in europe you have AT >>> LEAST >>> 2 years warranty as standard and at no extra cost. >>> Greetings, Anouk >>> >>>> >> >> >>> > > > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "MacVisionaries" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
