[bookport] Re: NLS Beta Program

  • From: "Don Barrett" <donter@xxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: <bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Mon, 06 Nov 2006 19:22:58 -0500

That's good enough for me.  Thanks Larry, super glad to hear it.  Part of
the problem, and I will speak for myself only here, has been that we have
been hearing about a new BookPort for a couple of years now, and I suppose I
needed some assurance that it was really happening.  Again, thanks.  

"-----Original Message-----
"From: bookport-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx 
"[mailto:bookport-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of LARRY SKUTCHAN
"Sent: Monday, November 06, 2006 8:05 AM
"To: bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
"Subject: [bookport] Re: NLS Beta Program
"
"I'm sorry, I didn't realize we were appearing silent on this subject. 
"Let me assure that it is our intent to have a Book Port that 
"supports the new NLS format before NLS releases the books to 
"the public.
"
"
">>> donter@xxxxxxxxxxx Saturday, November 04, 2006 11:52:52 AM >>>
"Right, I just wish they would be a bit more forthcoming about 
"discussing it.
"Their silence seems unnecessary if they are truly getting 
"ready to support this medium.  My concern is that upper 
"management may be stalling things since current bookport sales 
"are probably good, and they don't want to do or say anything 
"that will stop sales and make folks want to wait for new units.
"That's very commercial thinking and ok for them, but not very 
"consumer oriented.  As blind consumers, we have the right to 
"be assured that a device such as the BookPort will support 
"what is a truly revolutionary step in digital book reading.  
"This is much bigger than Audible, and will change the way we 
"read talking books forever.
"
"I agree with you that it is unimaginable that they won't 
"support the NLS scheme, but as consumers, we have the right to 
"assurances on that front.
"APH's lack of information in this regard is quite 
"inappropriate in my view.
"Other vendors may be woefully ignorant about the NLS 
"developments, but APH isn't, and that makes their silence all 
"the more confounding.  
"
"Consumerism is like democracy; we have the right to question 
"the companies which sell us devices in the same way we have 
"the right to question the officials who serve us in 
"government, while at the same time maintaining the highest 
"level of respect for them and what they do.
"
"Don
"
""-----Original Message-----
""From: bookport-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
""[mailto:bookport-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Lou Kolb
""Sent: Saturday, November 04, 2006 11:02 AM
""To: bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
""Subject: [bookport] Re: NLS Beta Program "
""Yep, I'm with don here.  I had been concerned with the nls 
""aproach as well but now, as a beta tester  for the digital 
""talking books, I feel much better about how they're going 
""about things.  I think most folks will be quite pleased with 
""the end results.  Also, since APH which does their own 
""software work on the BP, by the Way, is also a dtb producer, 
"I "can't imagine that they won't come up with some solution to 
""accomodate those books.  Lou
""----- Original Message -----
""From: "Don Barrett" <donter@xxxxxxxxxxx>
""To: <bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
""Sent: Saturday, November 04, 2006 7:30 AM
""Subject: [bookport] Re: NLS Beta Program "
""
""> Bill, copyright is the main issue for the need for a 
""specialized format.
""> NLS has no choice or they wouldn't be able to publish 
""materials freely; "> Spring will do whatever APH pays them to 
"do.  I really have "to disagree "with "> your take on this.
"">
""> "-----Original Message-----
""> "From: bookport-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx "> 
""[mailto:bookport-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Bill "> 
""Sent: Saturday, November 04, 2006 6:14 AM "> "To: 
"bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx "> "Subject: [bookport] Re: NLS Beta 
"Program "> "
""> "As we all know, it is springer designs that designed, 
"modify "> "and manufacture the bookport.  It is up to them to 
"make any "> "hardware, firmware or software changes and no 
"doubt they can "> "make any changes to the unit that will meet 
"our needs.  APH "> "can certainly have some influence on 
"springer designs, and "> "have doubtless done so in the past.  
"But, they cannot dictabe "> "what changes are to be made.  The 
"real "culprit" here, I "> "think, is NLS.  Why would they come 
"out with a format for "> "their book download program or for 
"their new digital player "> "that is not currently widely used 
"such as mp3?  Is it because "> "they must be different or are 
"they just not living in the real "> "world.  Much money wasted 
"here I think.  Give APH credit when "> "credit is due.  I 
"think they've done a great job.
""> "
""> "BILL
""> "
""> "----- Original Message -----
""> "From: "Michael Bowman-Jones" 
"<mikebowmanjones@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> "> "To: 
"<bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> "> "Sent: Friday, November 03, 2006 
"7:41 PM "> "Subject: [bookport] Re: NLS Beta Program "> "
""> "
""> "> Greetings, Everyone.
""> ">
""> "> I alluded to this issue quite some type in another 
"message "> "indicating that "> "> NLS and DAISY could really 
"have an impact on the Bookport.
""> "However the
""> "> unit is modified, I hope that APH will give existing 
"customers a "> "> significant price decrease (free is better, 
"of course but "maybe not "> "> feasible) when this occurs.
""> ">
""> "> Michael
""> "> ----- Original Message -----
""> "> From: "Don Barrett" <donter@xxxxxxxxxxx> "> "> To: 
""Bookport" <bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> "> "> Sent: Friday, 
"November 03, 2006 5:08 PM "> "> Subject: [bookport] NLS Beta 
"Program "> "> "> "> "> ">> I've been off of the list for a bit 
"so if this has already "> "been covered, "> ">> someone please 
"straighten me out, but if not, it really is "> "time for it to 
""> ">> be "> ">> addressed directly by APH.
""> ">>
""> ">> As you know, the NLS beta program testing the facility 
"to "> "download and "> ">> read "> ">> digital books is 
"proceeding quite well.  I am told that the "> "site may be "> 
"">> available "> ">> to all NLS patrons sometime around the 
"middle of 2007.  Since the "> ">> handling "> ">> of these 
"materials by the BookPort will require hardware, "> "firmware, 
"and "> ">> software "> ">> changes, it would seem that time is 
"of the essence if the "> "Bookport is to "> ">> undergo a 
"redesign, pass all of the rigorous beta and other "> "testing, 
"and "> ">> make "> ">> a smooth transition to allowing its 
"owners to read "> "NLS-produced materials "> ">> in "> ">> 
"digital form when the site becomes available.  Can you all "> 
""shed any light "> ">> on "> ">> this?  I can just imagine 
"that when the NLS site goes live, "> "any device "> ">> that 
""> ">> is not ready to deal with those materials will suffer 
"much "> "negative press "> ">> to "> ">> say nothing of 
"decreased sales "> ">> and popularity.  Since the BookPort is 
"probably the "coolest device "> ">> invented "> ">> since the 
"electric coffee-maker, I would hate to see it "> "undergo such 
"a "> ">> bumpy "> ">> transition.  NLS implementation time 
"just is not that far "> "off, and I "> ">> believe "> ">> APH 
"has a responsibility to its customers to make a public "> 
""commitment to "> ">> support this reading system for the 
"blind which will be free and "> ">> available "> ">> to all 
"non-print reading citizens.  As I say, I may have "missed this 
""> ">> discussion, so if this has already happened, I will 
"gladly "> "back off, and "> ">> wait for it all to play out.
""> ">>
""> ">> On the other hand, APH has been alluding to a new unit 
"for "> "literally "> ">> years, "> ">> and given the true 
"closeness of the NLS implementation date "> "(perhaps half "> 
"">> a "> ">> year or there abouts to if all goes well), we 
"really need "> "the real deal "> ">> and "> ">> soon.  Please 
"what is going on.
""> ">>
""> ">> Don Barrett
""> ">>
""> ">>
""> ">>
""> ">>
""> ">> __________ NOD32 1.1786 (20061002) Information 
"__________ "> ">> "> ">> This message was checked by NOD32 
"antivirus system.
""> ">> http://www.eset.com
""> ">>
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