[access-uk] Re: How good is the KNFB reader
- From: "Steve Nutt" <steve@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 4 Feb 2009 10:19:38 -0000
Hi Barbara,
Just to add what you said, if you reduce the price too much, and hence the
wages of the lead programmer, he'll go somewhere else. These people who
produce specialist software, are brilliant programmers. I have had the
privilege of watching Marcus Groeber who writes Talks at work and being with
him while he was making tweaks to it, and it was fascinating to watch.
What I am saying here, is that if these brilliant programmers don't get paid
the going rate, they'll simply find a mainstream programming job.
So now, because the market for this stuff is potentially quite small, and
they have to recoup their R and D costs, that is why the price of this stuff
is so high. Added to that, particularly in the US, most blind tech if I can
call it that, is purchased by state or government agencies unlike here.
This is also true of parts of Europe.
So while it sells at that price, I am afraid it is unlikely to reduce.
I am not endorsing high prices, on the contrary, Talks is a fine example of
access tech that does so much at a reasonable price, but I am saying why I
believe the prices are so high.
All the best
Steve
-----Original Message-----
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of
Barbara Wilson
Sent: Wednesday 4 February 2009 08:57
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] Re: How good is the KNFB reader
My thoughts Eleanor that while being blind does cost, we do get benefits
such as DLA to assist with those costs. On top of this some blind people
still expect things for free or at a non-profit cost. And the fact that we
are blind is not the responsibility of the software/hardware developers, so
we can't expect them to create products and not make money from them. While
the world can be an unfair place, that's life I am afraid.
Barbara
Get listed, network or find a business at an online directory of businesses
owned and run by disabled people and associated support and advisory
organisations:
www.barkingbabs.co.uk
----- Original Message -----
From: "Eleanor Burke" <eleanorburke@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, February 04, 2009 8:52 AM
Subject: [access-uk] Re: How good is the KNFB reader
> My family do not have to purchase special access equipment to read etc and
> yet blind people do have to spend out money. Guess we will not put the
> world to rights here but no harm in airing our views.
> Eleanor
>
> -original message-
> Subject: [access-uk] Re: How good is the KNFB reader
> From: "Karl Proud" <karl@xxxxxxxxxxx>
> Date: 04:02:2009 6:24 am
>
> What has the amount of disability benefits got to do with pricing.
>
> Surely, if the piece of kit is overpriced no one will buy it and they will
> drop the price. I don't understand why access technology should be priced
> by non profit making standards.
>
> I have just upgraded my Jaws and bought an SMA and yes I now need a long
> lie
> down in a quiet room, but it's my choice - could have gone elsewhere.
>
> You get your stick free - what else do you want? <smile>
>
> Karl
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Ibrahim Gucukoglu" <ibrahim_gucukoglu@xxxxxxxx>
> To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Wednesday, February 04, 2009 5:02 AM
> Subject: [access-uk] Re: How good is the KNFB reader
>
>
> Hi James.
>
> While I appreciate that it is an everyday practical tool for some, price
> is
> certainly one of the biggest issues in access technology. Of course
> different people have different needs, but access tech needn't be
> expensive.
> As I said to you and as others will surely agree, talks, mobile speaks and
> wayfinder are all invaluable tools to all mobile phone users yet they
> don't
> cost £695 or even close to that. Even if you were to buy a wayfinder and
> talks or mobile speaks symbian license, the most you would ever pay would
> be
> £350, just over half the price of KNFB reader. While I agree that KNFB
> reader is surely a wonderful tool, I think it is about time that the price
> of such tools should be evaluated to take in to consideration the number
> of
> visually impaired people who can ill afford it. To hammer the point home,
> I
> believe code factory do a couple of tools for Symbian phones including a
> colour detector, bar code scanner and even a daisy player and neither of
> these cost as much as the KNFB software. Also, £695 is the average
> monthly
> take for someone on disability benefits. Jackie was certainly right when
> she said about access technology pricing being an emotive issue.
>
> All the best, Ibrahim.
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "James Scholes" <james@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> To: "Edward Green" <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Tuesday, February 03, 2009 10:51 PM
> Subject: [access-uk] Re: How good is the KNFB reader
>
>
>> Hi,
>>
>> While I agree with you all about the ridiculous price of the KNFB Reader,
>> just think how much use you would get out of it? I know people who use it
>> for all their reading needs, not just when they're out and about. So, I
>> think before you go talking about how much it costs, just think, would I
>> use it? If the answer is an outright yes, then the price shouldn't be an
>> issue as it is an invaluable tool to most people.
>>
>> James Scholes
>> http://www.jls-radio.com
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> Sent by Edward Green on Tuesday, February 03, 2009 at 10:19 PM
>>
>> Hi,
>>
>> I have to agree with Ibrahim for the unreasonable cost of the KNFB
>> Reader.
>>
>> This is brought home by the fact that Abbyy, the producers of Fine
>> Reader,
>> make a program for Symbian phones that will scan business cards and OCR
>> them
>> for £10. It's a pity that they haven't expanded this to scan larger
>> documents.
>>
>> This would require the makers of KNFB Reader to reassess their pricing
>> policy.
>>
>> Ed
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf
>> Of
>> Peter Beasley
>> Sent: 03 February 2009 13:22
>> To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> Subject: [access-uk] Re: How good is the KNFB reader
>>
>> I no that Jackie But there are a lot of us who don't have a job or are
>> retired who have no sighted assistance.
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Jackie Cairns" <jackie.cairns@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>> To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>> Sent: Tuesday, February 03, 2009 12:59 PM
>> Subject: [access-uk] Re: How good is the KNFB reader
>>
>>
>> Hi Peter
>>
>> I don't want to get into that, and it wasn't what Barry originally
>> posted to enquire about.
>>
>>
>> Jackie Cairns
>> Braille Support Adviser
>> Email: Jackie.Cairns@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> Sight and Sound Technology
>> Welton House North Wing
>> Summerhouse Road
>> Moulton Park
>> Northampton
>> NN3 6WD
>> Telephone: 01604 798024
>> Fax: 01604 798090
>> Web: www.sightandsound.co.uk
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf
>> Of Peter Beasley
>> Sent: 03 February 2009 12:52
>> To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> Subject: [access-uk] Re: How good is the KNFB reader
>>
>> Pity more of us can't aford it.
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Jackie Cairns" <jackie.cairns@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>> To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
>> Sent: Tuesday, February 03, 2009 12:40 PM
>> Subject: [access-uk] Re: How good is the KNFB reader
>>
>>
>> Hi Barry
>>
>> Wearing my user hat, I think it's a great piece of kit. There are many
>> occasions where I just can't be bothered to turn on the PC, or I've just
>> turned it off and discover I need to scan something. The phone is great
>> for that, and you can wear headphones for private listening.
>>
>> Like most things, there is a knack to using it, and once you grasp the
>> concept of holding the phone above your document so that it takes a good
>> picture of the text, then it really is very good.
>>
>> For what it's worth, I bought the original K-NFB Reader Classic long
>> before I worked here, and was always interested in the phone version
>> when it came out just before I started working for Sight and Sound, so
>> I'm not advertising, merely giving you an honest user perspective as I
>> see it. Honestly, it's one of my very favourite things.
>>
>>
>> Jackie Cairns
>> Braille Support Adviser
>> Email: Jackie.Cairns@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> Sight and Sound Technology
>> Welton House North Wing
>> Summerhouse Road
>> Moulton Park
>> Northampton
>> NN3 6WD
>> Telephone: 01604 798024
>> Fax: 01604 798090
>> Web: www.sightandsound.co.uk
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf
>> Of Barry Hill
>> Sent: 03 February 2009 11:52
>> To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> Subject: [access-uk] How good is the KNFB reader
>>
>> Hi all
>>
>> Although I do get quite a lot of information by email before meetings
>> that I attend, there are the inevitable last minute documents that are
>> handed out. I've read up on the KNFB Reader, but the blurb is by the
>> makers and distributors, those with a vested interest.
>>
>> So, I was wondering what anyone who is actually using it thinks of it's
>> performance. Does it read documents accurately? Is it quick and easy
>> to use? Is it intrusive?
>>
>> Many thanks
>>
>> Barry
>>
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>>
>> James Scholes
>>
>> E-mail: james@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
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>> --
>> Message sent at 10:48:22 PM GMT on Tuesday, February 03, 2009
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