If we are going to be fair about this discussion, VFO can't just throw the Window-Eyes code into JAWS. I also think it is reasonable to keep in mind the fact that they really wanted ZoomText so probably didn't give a lot of thought about Window-Eyes. It's likely nobody cried at VFO over the idea of Window-Eyes being discontinued, and I think Freedom Scientific's lawsuits were unjustified and clearly a means to crush competition. However, a case can easily be made that NVDA did quite a lot to cut into business that would have gone to Window-Eyes as well. Don't get me wrong, I'm not criticizing NVDA, it wasn't their intent, but a good free screen reader cut into perspective Window-Eyes customers more than JAWS customers because Window-Eyes had worked hard to work with customers on a budget. The Office offer, the Lease to Own approach, and the slightly lower price was aimed at individuals rather than agencies. As nice as those programs were, it was easier for many of those people to go to NVDA which has become a respectable screen reader.
It is really hard these days to make a claim that any screen reader is the best. It depends so much upon on how one uses it. I have moved to JAWS because there are programs that I use at work for which JAWS works well, as did Window-Eyes, but where NVDA did not work well. There are still things about Window-Eyes that I like better, but I am getting used to the different way JAWS handles certain things. Certainly, many people will find that NVDA does everything they need. I find JAWS more responsive in some instances, but that isn't going to be important to everybody. In short, certainly I will continue to miss some of the things that Window-Eyes did, but one can manage to make the change if one has to. What I hope to never forget are the people who were behind Window-Eyes, the developers and the customer support people. I will always believe that if finances and market pressures would have been different than what they were and if Window-Eyes had gotten a few breaks along the way, Window-Eyes would have emerged as the superior screen reader. We are in a changing environment. JAWS is going to have to change some if NVDA continues to gain strength and if Microsoft continues to make improvements to Narrator. It costs somebody a good deal of money to keep screen readers stable and up-to-date, whether it is SMA's donations, or corporate funding in the case of Microsoft. Those who say NVDA is free are not being honest with themselves. It means someone else is paying for their ability to have a free screen reader, even if there is some voluntary efforts involved. We should be thankful this is the case but we need to also be aware of it. I used Window-Eyes on the job for almost twenty years, and some have used JAWS longer. To work efficiently in an employment setting, one needs a very stable program, and changes cut into ones productivity. I am some concerned about what will be happening over the next five or ten years, because I don't think we have finished with changes to access technology. Best regards, Steve Jacobson -----Original Message----- From: Talk [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Dennis Long via Talk Sent: Wednesday, October 11, 2017 3:31 PM To: 'Window-Eyes Discussion List' <[email protected]> Cc: Dennis Long <[email protected]> Subject: RE: Window-eyes and Jaws, thoughts I think reserving Judgment until after the jaws 2018 cycle is complete and jaws2019 is out. You don't know what they have planned for the year. They may have had the first features planned for a while possible before the got window Eyes. -----Original Message----- From: Talk [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Charles Adkins via Talk Sent: Wednesday, October 11, 2017 6:41 AM To: Window-Eyes Discussion List Cc: Charles Adkins Subject: Re: Window-eyes and Jaws, thoughts let me make one thing clear, I am not bitter. I am not sure about what merge is being talked about, Window-eyes was dropped, not merged with Jaws. My point was Vfo had the chance to retain the best of Window-eyes and jaws in both technology and people and produce one hell of a screen reader unlike anything the world has ever seen and they chose not to do that, they just trashed their "compeditor" completely like they never existed. Sent from my iPhone > On Oct 11, 2017, at 5:05 AM, Rod Hutton via Talk <[email protected]> wrote: > > Hi Josh, > > As for Office support in NVDA, as I am subscribed to Office 365, and > will be for the foreseeable future, I will be using NVDA to navigate it should Window-Eyes no longer suffice. > I've been keeping my ear to the ground, though, and I know that Office support for NVDA is a high priority. > We'll keep everyone posted. > As I've said, I will not be using the offering of the enemy of GW Micro. > > Best, > > Rod > > -----Original Message----- > From: Talk > [mailto:[email protected]] On > Behalf Of Josh Kennedy via Talk > Sent: October 10, 2017 6:11 PM > To: Window-Eyes Discussion List <[email protected]> > Cc: Josh Kennedy <[email protected]> > Subject: Re: Window-eyes and Jaws, thoughts > > oh well then maybe I will just stay with NVDA and I may not bother > buying jaws, not sure yet. I heard jaws has better microsoft office > support than NVDA does. But maybe that is no longer true? > > > >> On 10/10/2017 1:33 PM, net bat via Talk wrote: >> you might as well junk it now. >> 2018 release will be in about 2 weeks. >> f s has had the same 27 years as window eyes had and it still >> doesn't work as good. >> i can't even pay my credit card with it. a web page that is suppose >> to be jaws compatible doesn't work. >> window eyes works fine. >> money talks. if gwmicro was the one that had all the money it would >> of been f s that would be out of business now. >> >> -----Original Message----- From: Bob Tinney via Talk >> Sent: Tuesday, October 10, 2017 7:01 AM >> To: Chuck Adkins via Talk >> Cc: Bob Tinney >> Subject: Re: Window-eyes and Jaws, thoughts >> >> Chuck, >> >> >> I agree with you! My s m as were carried over from W E, but when I >> have to pay for an upgrade, Jaws will disappear from my computer. >> >> Bob, K8LR, [email protected] >> >>> On 10/10/2017 8:33 AM, Chuck Adkins via Talk wrote: >>> Well, I've been using Jaws for a while now and I must confess the >>> Window-eyes was the much better product both in speed, browsing, >>> usability, layout, and so much more. Like on the Ohio Lottery >>> Website, when reading the pick 5 Jaws will not scroll down >>> continuously down the page like NVDA, Narrator, and Window-eyes do. >>> I also find Window-eyes synthesizer support was much better. I am >>> not whining, I am just bemoaning the fact that a company got by with >>> trashing a product completely, borrowing or using nothing from the >>> product they trashed and acting like Window-eyes never existed, not >>> to mention charging so much for the product. Don't give me that >>> similar stuff, because I've found webpages where Jaws just doesn't >>> work and NVDA and Narrator do. >>> >>> So why won't I just shut up? I will, just wanted to point out in my >>> view what I've realized, and hopefully NVDA, Narrator and others >>> will be able to say Thank You to VFO for pushing us to a day when a >>> 2 thousand dollar screen reader is no longer need. >>> >>> Thanks for reading, I'm now shutting up. >>> _______________________________________________ >>> 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/tinneyb%40char ter.net. >>> 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/netbat%40comca st.net. >> 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/joshuakennedy2 01%40comcast.net. >> 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 > > -- > sent with mozilla thunderbird > > _______________________________________________ > 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/rod_hutton%40h otmail.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/cadkins6739%40 gmail.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/dennisl1982%40 gmail.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/steve.jacobson %40visi.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
