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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