[access-uk] Re: guide from software express

Hi Brendan,

I agree with all you say, but what bothers me more, is the price of Guide.
It's about 400 quid, and I have had people, even of the older generation,
who have literally hit Guide's limitations, and come to us to buy
Window-Eyes.  So having bought Guide, at 400 quid, they then outgrow it, and
some people do you know, and then have to shell out another 500 quid for
Window-Eyes, or even more for JAWS.  This is a heavy investment for anyone,
if they are going to hit its limits.  With a "real" screen reader, you will
not easily outgrow it, because it grows with you.  One can hardly say this
of Guide, which is, at best, just a few self-talking applications.

All the best

Steve

-----Original Message-----
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of
Brendan Magill
Sent: 29 August 2007 18:58
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] Re: guide from software express

Hi Graham,

I first saw Guide a couple of years ago and I've learned a good deal 
about it in the interim.

One of the things which bothers me is that, by its provision of 
alternatives to the standard Windows applications, it must inevitably 
duplicate a lot of what Microsoft and other large software developers 
have already done.  This means that, based on the potential market for 
Guide, the package is likely to be less well tested and therefore less 
reliable than standard Windows applications.  It is also likely to 
render things like web pages in a different way to the standard browsers.

Another concern is that, by doing everything in a nonstandard way, as 
opposed to using standard Windows applications, Guide is 
segregationalist in its basic philosophy.  Surely, it must be better for 
those of us who are VI to use standard applications wherever this is 
possible?  Guide users will not know about how the rest of the world 
uses computers and it will be difficult for Guide users to get support 
from their sighted friends.

I understand that the target market for Guide is the older generation of 
computer users, often people whose vision has deteriorated with age.  
Whilst it is less likely that these people will have to use other 
computers which have mainstream software on them, this is not an excuse 
for them having something so different.

Just a few thoughts.

Cheers,

Brendan.

-- 
BRENDAN MAGILL
Business, Employment &
Disability Consultancy

8 York Place
Worcester
WR1 3DR
England

Phone: +44 (0)1905 28286
Fax:   +44 (0)870 127 7856

Web:   www.magill.co.uk

** To leave the list, click on the immediately-following link:-
** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe]
** If this link doesn't work then send a message to:
** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
** and in the Subject line type
** unsubscribe
** For other list commands such as vacation mode, click on the
** immediately-following link:-
** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=faq]
** or send a message, to
** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the Subject:- faq



** To leave the list, click on the immediately-following link:-
** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=unsubscribe]
** If this link doesn't work then send a message to:
** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
** and in the Subject line type
** unsubscribe
** For other list commands such as vacation mode, click on the
** immediately-following link:-
** [mailto:access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=faq]
** or send a message, to
** access-uk-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with the Subject:- faq

Other related posts: