Of course, one consequence of all this uncertainty, is the app development. Many app developers may feel reluctant to update and maintain their apps, if tomorrow the whole app will be no longer useful, due to the screen reader being discontinued. New apps may not be developed, even if there does exist the needed expertise, causing users not to have the optimal solutions in place. That way, the screen reader will loose its stand, more people will leave it behind and find better solutions otherwise, and eventually the product can be discontinued.
OK, so staff can reassure us all, the screen reader will be continued. Yet, for how long? Nice that we recently have received updated versions, and as such, the product is up-to-date by now. But further development - both in the AISquared lab, and among the many app managers - might be depending on further signals from the new owners. Investing a ton of hours in developing something, releasing it and following up all user feedback, could soon feel overwhelming, long as you do not know if things will be useful in a few months. Big issue is, that nothing man-made lasts forever. One day, maybe a total new system will present itself, causing most of us to leap for another screen reader. Not even sure if Jaws, ZoomText or even NVDA, will be the next one to take over the market. Sometimes you wonder how much longer Windows itself will be around. In general, I am pleased with the Window-Eyes screen reader, for one thing due to all the possibilities with easy-to-use and create apps. Yet, I do realize that the recent development of the way things are done, on the business side, makes us wonder what is going on. Very few times, all this kind of one business swallowing the other, has proven to be better for the customer. Not trying to be negative, but after all, such merging takes ttime, energy and loads of economic resources. And the end-result will often stand as a slimmed-down staff, that ends up with so much products to handle, that there will be less specialized advice to be had. David On 10/3/2016 2:15 AM, Sky Mundell via Talk wrote: > Hello Window-Eyes users. Sky here. I wanted to update you guys on What's > been happening at VFO Group, Particuarly in regards to Zoomtext, and > Window-eyes. In September, 2 editions of FSCast came out regarding JAWS 18. > One of the features that will be in JAWS 18 will be a talking mouse support. > The guys at VFO group has said that They have plans to put the talking mouse > support in Zoomtext, and make JAWS work with it. This made me laugh, as > first of all, Zoomtext already has Window-eyes in it, called Fusion, > secondly, Zoomtext, from my understanding, already has built in mouse > support already with Fusion. No menschen of Window-eyes or even Fusion. In > the next FSCast, VFO went into more details on JAWS 18 and Zoomtext. What is > going to happen is that in Zoomtext 11, JAWS and Zoomtext will be working > together. I can honestly tell you that they also plan to put in a talking > mouse support for MAGic, which will be released in 2017. This is not a good > sign, and besides, Zoomtext and JAWS, would cost a lot more to buy, than it > would cost to buy Zoomtext Fusion. At no point in the two FSCasts do they > menschen what's going to happen with Window-eyes. > > > > If you guys would like to take a look at the two FSCasts, go to > > > > > > http://podcast.freedomscientific.com/FSCast/episodes/FSCast131-JAWS_18_part1 > .mp3 > > > > > > > > and > > > > > > > > http://podcast.freedomscientific.com/FSCast/episodes/FSCast132-JAWS_18_part2 > .mp3 > > > > > > > > I also want to hear what the senior management from AI Squared have to say > on the future. > > _______________________________________________ > Any views or opinions presented in this email are solely those of the author > and do not necessarily represent those of Ai Squared. > > For membership options, visit > http://lists.window-eyes.com/options.cgi/talk-window-eyes.com/trailerdavid%40hotmail.com. > For subscription options, visit > http://lists.window-eyes.com/listinfo.cgi/talk-window-eyes.com > List archives can be found at > http://lists.window-eyes.com/private.cgi/talk-window-eyes.com > . > _______________________________________________ Any views or opinions presented in this email are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Ai Squared. For membership options, visit http://lists.window-eyes.com/options.cgi/talk-window-eyes.com/archive%40mail-archive.com. For subscription options, visit http://lists.window-eyes.com/listinfo.cgi/talk-window-eyes.com List archives can be found at http://lists.window-eyes.com/private.cgi/talk-window-eyes.com
