Hi Eric.  I have been listening to your situasionand I know you don't want to 
go by way of windows so I have another suggestion.  I have some friends who 
live in Texas and they say that the job oppurtunities for computer users are 
endless and not only that but  you can have a lot of help there in buying 
computers and learning them as well.  I know that isn't where you live but it 
might be something to look in to.  They get a lot of help there and schooling 
is free if you wanted to do that.  
On Mar 28, 2012, at 5:16 AM, Eric Oyen wrote:

> that financing comes with a hitch: one cannot be on a debt management plan 
> when applying. that is where I am now. any application that gets approved 
> will through the 3 years of work trying to pay off a credit card. 
> 
> -eric
> 
> On Mar 27, 2012, at 11:12 AM, Sarai Bucciarelli wrote:
> 
>> You can get Apple products for 0 interest for 12 months if you apply for 
>> their credit card.
>> On Mar 26, 2012, at 11:07 PM, Pam Mathers wrote:
>> 
>>> Hi Eric.  I know  lot of people who cannot afford Imac but can afford a 
>>> windows.  A lot of blind people I know have window eyes or jaws.  Some of 
>>> them get used ones and others can get them by putting so much money down a 
>>> month.  You might have to go by way of windows for now which I understand 
>>> is just as good only different.
>>> On Mar 26, 2012, at 5:39 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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