Hi Hussein, I don't know what screen reader that was, but System Access and NVDA are the only ones to my knowledge that could be run from a USB pen drive without installing anything, because they don't use any interceptors at all. All the best Steve -----Original Message----- From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf Of Hussein Patwa Sent: Sunday 3 January 2010 16:28 To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [access-uk] Re: Internet radio Hi Iain, I quite agree, and this is a major frustration for me as well. I recently attended a screen reader demonstration at our local Society for the Blind. I knew most of the information I needed beforehand, but thought I would go along anyway. The manufacturer had their local representative here, but also fortunately someone from HQ. As the USB pen drive version of the software was the main feature they were touting, I asked the rep if I could really just literally walk up to any computer in any location, plug in my drive and use it straight away. The rep said yes. Now, having just witnessed two ladies from a local college asking the same question and finally getting a completely opposite answer, I made as if I hadn't heard that conversation and pushed the issue. Being versed in IT as I am, I asked the rep how this could be. Surely using the pen with computers connected to corporate networks, internet cafes or academic institutions would encounter rights issues? Surely they wouldn't just leave the systems logged on with admin previlages, and thus this would cause a problem when installing the screen reader's interceptor. Now given this is probably going to be the most common question asked by potential customers, I was surprised when the rep had to go and ask the woman from HQ for the answer. He really didn't come across as knowing much about the product, was constantly having to quote from printed literature and I have my doubts as to whether he had even used the software or spoken to anyone that had. To cut a long story short, when I finally presented my impressions to the woman from HQ and the rep, they grudgingly agreed the info they were giving out was misleading and that, had I placed an order there and then, I could have bought the software under false assumptions. But it proved my point about people selling goods with little more knowledge than that gained by reading the packaging. Often the customer knows more about the product than those selling it. So yes, I can sympathise with you. What's even worse is that we depend on those selling us the goods often considerably more than sighted peers, as we have issues readily accessing information (such as needing to access it electronically and having problems reading printed materials). I'm not saying that we expect sellers or marketers to be fountains of knowledge, but they should at least be able to tell us about the features we're paying for. There's nothing worse than bying something, and then either finding it does more than you thought which is good, or finding it doesn't do half the things you thought it would, an dhaving paid an exhorbitant price for it. _______________________________________ Have a pleasant day, Kind Regards and Best Wishes, Hussein. Hussein Patwa Tel: 0789 47 595 62 (UK) Tel: +44 (0)122 4433 954 (SIP) Skype: patwaspotterfan2 GoogleTalk: thewanderingwriter Web: www.patwanet.co.uk My Blog: http://patwaspotterfan.livejournal.com Find me on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=510013486 Please note: For security reasons calls from witheld numbers may not be connected. Please release your number so it can be viewed prior to calling. Contact your telephone service provider for advice on how to do this if required. All calls may be recorded for fact verification. DISCLAIMER: This e-mail and any attachments may contain confidential or sensitive information and are intended solely for the stated recipient(s). Copying or distribution in any form is not permitted without the prior consent of the sender. If you have received this message in error, please delete it and any attachments from your system and notify the sender immediately. Thank you for your co-operation. Protect our trees; Do not print unless absolutely necessary. Save paper by deleting sections of the message which are not relevant. > -----Original Message----- > From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On > Behalf Of Iain Lackie > Sent: Sunday, January 03, 2010 10:11 AM > To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx > Subject: [access-uk] Re: Internet radio > > My only experience of the Sonata was seeing it at Sight Village in > Glasgow > last March. The one thing I remember about the demonstration was that > the > man doing it was unclear as to whether the Sonata could access Listen > Again > content. I couldn't help thinking that it would have been better if the > demonstrator had a more intimate knowledge of his product. There was > almost > that feeling that we should be saying automatically how wonderful it > was. > I'm sure for many people it will be a wonderful product. However, it > seems > to have the disadvantage of the (what we might call) the simple product > in > that many people will quickly discover they want to do something more > than > it can cope with. I think I would quickly become annoyed with those > spoken > prompts. > > Iain > > -------------------------------------------------- > From: "Pele West" <pele.west@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> > Sent: Sunday, January 03, 2010 9:37 AM > To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> > Subject: [access-uk] Re: Internet radio > > > > > Hi Jackie and Everyone > > > > I saw the Sonata radio at an exhibition at the end of November. The > man > > from Wireless for the Blind was very keen to demonstrate how they had > set > > up a > > station in Zimbabwe for someone that day. I asked if we could set up > the > > links to the stations ourselves and he asked me why we would want to. > > > > After some discussion he said they were still listening to ideas from > > everyone and were trying to make their website more accessible. > > > > Also, he said you could put as many presets as you wanted on the > radio. I > > understood you could only have 21. > > > > I have not bought one. > > > > Pele > > > > > > ** 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 > > > > __________ Information from ESET Smart Security, version of virus > signature database 4738 (20100102) __________ > > The message was checked by ESET Smart Security. > > Email message - is OK > > http://www.eset.com > __________ Information from ESET Smart Security, version of virus signature database 4739 (20100103) __________ The message was checked by ESET Smart Security. Email message - is OK http://www.eset.com ** 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