What state do you live in?
Remember that not all states do things the same. In Minnesota we purchase
Apple computers, iPads, iTouch and (occasionally) an iPhone. And, the
reason we don't purchase many iPhones has nothing to do with policy of our
agency, The purchasing policies of the state in general make purchasing an
iPhone very complicated and difficult unless it is being purchased for use
by a state employee, and that employee must have a very good justification
if they want the state to buy them for use at work. It will usually require
fileing a "Reasonable Accomidation Request".
----- Original Message -----
From: "Eric Oyen" <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Monday, March 26, 2012 6:45 AM
Subject: Re: iPad, iPhone, Mac for the blind
second reply.
understand that all the other groups want in on this. some of them actually
have more resources they can draw on that we do not have.
I tried to petition the state here to allow me to continue my computer
skills training with a mac and was told they won't support that, even though
a number of fortune 500 companies use macs in house as their platform of
choice (EbAY, Yelp, and a few others). I have also been told that the
contracts the state has with freedom scientific precludes them from getting
hardware/software from any other vendor. so? this means I am being forced to
start training on a system that has some huge issues, doesn't work well and
generally gets crappier with each release. anyone try calling FS lately?
half their calls are routed to Mumbai, India. Don't even have me go into all
the problems that windows has (I am well experienced with windows and its
design flaws).
I want a system that is stable and "just works" and macs are as close to
that as anyone can ever get. all the downtime paid for by the state for
windows issues represents a non-trivial expenditure every year. last I
checked with a IT friend of mine in eBAY, their downtime with the mac
hardware was only about 2 days out of the entire year. hell, the windows
VM's failed far more often.
so here we are. I want something that will pay for itself in taxpayer
savings and less downtime and they want to justify their useless jobs.
guess I am getting punchy. haven't slept in 3 days.
-eric
On Mar 26, 2012, at 4:00 AM, Ricardo Walker wrote:
Hi,
The problem with what you say is, its not just blind people fighting for
that assistance. You have those with develop mental disabilities,
emotional disorders, motor disabilities, and the list goes on. And they
all want there share of the pie. So the same congressman you have wear a
blind fold for a year, will also be asked to sit in a wheel chair for a
year. Wear ear pluges for a year, etc.
Ricardo Walker
[email protected]
Twitter:@apple2thecore
www.appletothecore.info
On Mar 26, 2012, at 6:53 AM, Eric Oyen <[email protected]> wrote:
at least you had stuff to sell. I don't even have that. I would get about
$100 for this machine on the used market. the linux laptop even less. I
own very little, so having capital to work with just isn't happening.
I, too, have run into the bureaucratic quagmire of dealing with various
charities just to get assistance on some critical needs (medications,
etc). I would like very much to meet the lawyers that made this situation
and have them wear a blindfold for 1 year (you cannot take it off for
anything). have all the members of congress setup this way, all the upper
management of the US Government and all the lawyers for all the
charities. 1 year of blindness and there would certainly be a boatload of
changes for the better (such as public education, better accessibility,
better job training and a vastly more streamlined system of getting
things done.
I would congress read the 70,000 pages of regulations currently on the
books... IN BRAILLE. I think even reading the entire text of the
affordable care act in braille would scare the whole lot of them off the
hill.
hehe nice pipedream but it gives you an idea of just how much frustration
I go through EVERY DAY.
-eric
On Mar 26, 2012, at 2:39 AM, Lewis Alexander wrote:
Hi Eric,
yep I completely agree with you and understand your plite.
I was forced to close down the project due to two major factors. Lack of
support regarding supply of equipment and a poorly run charities
commission stating different rulings and then telling me that my project
does not warrant Commission status, thus failing to grant registered
numbers, etc.
This project has helped a very small number of users (8 in all) and it's
left me in a very serious situation which I've now resolved.
The problem also exists wherever you are in the world. Funding for
accessible equipment for the blind is non existant. Why? well from my
years of experience in this matter, various charities set up conflicting
guidelines and rulings which do not help the individual in need of the
support. For over 12 years since I lost my sight completely, I had to
apply for various grants. within 10 years, every grant (500+ in total)
were rejected, all because of different factors by their own rulings,
offerings of £100 to £250 towards a product and then not being able to
apply to X amount of other charities (connected to the associated
charity in question) due to ridiculous clauses.
I use my iphone 3GS and macbook pro. the only reason I have these is
through having to sell everything I owned including my old music gear
from years ago to raise the funds for the kit needed, from there it's
been a thing of taking on a few projects to raise cash for equipment I
still have to rely on.
internationally, we need to change the system and yes APPLE needs to
help us out on this. They have developed products which openly and
directly support blind and disabled users and yet we have to pay an
absolute premium, as rightly said here, over 85% of blind people in the
USA are out of work and cannot afford the equipment and services needed,
the same here in the UK even though disability living allowance and
other components aren't enough to cover costs of equipment. You're lucky
if you get into a university to receive grants for equipment you need.
In my case, through my education, the equipment I had to use failed me
all the time, the wrong software, wrong hardware and operating systems
which by their own admission were poorly managed and had huge issues.
hence me taking on the matters in person and resolving them. a battle I
don't want to entertain ever again.
It's at this point where we as a nation of blind and visually impaired
people make a stand and a change for the better.
lew
On 26 Mar 2012, at 10:22, Eric Oyen wrote:
I really wish there was a financing program for the blind when it comes
to mac hardware (laptops, desktops, iPad, iPhone). given that I (and a
great many others) am living on a disability income (more than 85% of
the blind in the US are), I find it nearly impossible to save up for
any equipment. Hell, I had to make my own Hackintosh and load it with a
store purchased copy of snow leopard. It cost me $30 for the OS and
about $400 to assemble the machine. at minimum, I would have to spend
nearly twice that much for a comparably equipped mac mini and almost
$1500 or more for a reasonably powerful macbook pro/air. given that I
have to spend my money on medications, rent and food, there is no way I
can even save up for one at all.
there used to be a "free macs for the blind" charity in Great Britain,
but the person running that organization was forced to give it up as
there were too many problems involved. We need something like that here
in North America, but I just don't see that happening. I tried to query
Apple about doing something like this and was given the polite brush
off (thats nice kid, here is a soda. now go over in the corner.). hell,
they have $115 Billion in CASH laying around they are not using. they
could earn themselves a lot of good publicity if they offered some macs
to the blind at a vastly discounted rate. it would also give them an in
to a market they don't currently have.
anyway, time for me to climb down off the soapbox.
-eric
On Mar 26, 2012, at 1:38 AM, Neil Barnfather - TalkNav wrote:
one thing that I can note that is not seeming to be mentioned is the
fact that there ar certain Apps which are not available on iPhone /
iPod Touch, yet, that are found on the iPad.
The iPad from my prespective is purely for consumption, and I use it
for news papers, which 4 of which are not found on the iPhone, and 5
are on the iPhone, but, only as reduced versions.
Regards,
Neil Barnfather
Talks List Administrator
Twitter @neilbarnfather
TalkNav is a Nuance, Code Factory and Sendero dealer, as well as an
Apple iOS, Macintosh and Android accessibility specialist. For all
your
accessible phone, PDA and GPS related enquiries visit www.talknav.com
URL: - www.talknav.com
e-mail: - [email protected]
Phone: - +44 844 999 4199
On 24 Mar 2012, at 08:43, David Hole wrote:
hi folks.
I just wonder, and many here have asked, so I thought I'd ask you in
this group.
What's the benefit for blind people to have an iPad instead of an
iPhone?
I mean, as far as I can see, the difference is only the screen
size...
Am I right?
Actually I'd like to have one myself, but I can't find any good
reasons to have it, since I have both an iPhone and a Mac.
Hope someone here can give me reasons to get one :p
Best regards David
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