Re: wow, what an insult

  • From: "Kelly Pierce" <kellyjosef@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • To: <blindcasting@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "Jerry Halatyn" <jhalatyn@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
  • Date: Mon, 12 Dec 2005 00:12:22 -0600

Darrell,

I fully understand your concerns for accessibility and full inclusion. Adam has committed Podshow to designing accessible software moving forward and remedying accessibility problems at PMN. jerry's Christmas song project surfaces as work begins on PMN to develop an accessible interface. I don't believe jerry is responsible for the difficulties at PMN, although he uses the infrastructure. Jerry has created an accessible workaround, which I totally appreciate. it isn't the ideal solution but until PMN is fixed, nothing really is. jerry's offer is a practical way in my opinion to bridge the accessibility barrier.

Personally, I'd rather see all the energy people have directed at jerry applied to developing solutions to PMN accessibility to blindcasters. The sooner the PMN problems are resolved, the happier we all will be.

Kelly

----- Original Message ----- From: "Darrell Shandrow" <nu7i@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: "Jerry Halatyn" <jhalatyn@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Cc: "Adam Curry" <adam@xxxxxxxxx>; "C.C. Chapman" <cc.chapman@xxxxxxxxx>; <blindcasting@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>; "Marlaina Lieberg" <blindcast@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>; "Jeff Bishop" <jeff.bishop@xxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Sunday, December 11, 2005 1:28 PM
Subject: Re: wow, what an insult


Dear Jerry, Adam and all others,

My only concern about anything is whether or not it is accessible for the blind and visually impaired. There were issues with this project due to the continuing lack of accessibility of the Podsafe Music Network. A method was made available for blindcasters to gain full participation in this project, then it was modified and finally taken down. I became very disappointed and frustrated with this state of affairs. I voiced that frustration. I'm sure, Slau, you have spent a lot of time on this project, and I certainly don't berate you for that. It has the potential to be a great thing, but it isn't fully accessible. In that case, it doesn't allow for full participation by the blind, and, thus, I am just simply not going to be happy with the current situation. I thus simply brought forth all the facts, made my personal declaration not to play it and urged others who care about what happens to the blind to follow my lead. Some will; most won't. That's just how things work.

I'm sorry that you feel insulted, but I also wish you hadn't made our private e-mail exchange public, especially by sending copies od it to Adam, C.C., Marlaina, Jeff and others. That's not very nice Jerry. Though I am very disappointed, I didn't do that to you.

I am an accessibility evangelist above all else. No matter how wonderful the project, I will call it on the carpet every time it serves to lock out the blind from full participation. I am more than happy to continue a productive dialogue on this or any other accessibility related issue, especially where it involves devising constructive solutions to accessibility challenges. In that spirit, I am willing and able to do everything humanly possible to help you, Jerry, Podshow or anyone else. Again, I do apologize if I helped to turn this whole matter into something that impacted you on an emotional level. For me, its all about accessibility and nothing else, all emotions aside.

Thanks for all your time and I look forward to hearing from some of you soon.


----- Original Message ----- From: Jerry Halatyn
To: Darrell Shandrow
Cc: Adam Curry ; C.C. Chapman ; blindcasting@xxxxxxxxxxxxx ; Marlaina Lieberg ; Jeff Bishop
Sent: Saturday, December 10, 2005 11:38 PM
Subject: Re: wow, what an insult


Darrell, First of all, I don't subscribe to your podcast and I don't follow your journal. It was brought to my attention by someone else.

Second, your facts are wrong about the song not being available to blind podcasters. The song is and always was available directly from me. Jeff asked if he could give it to other podcasters and decided to post it on his website. As I said, there was no way of ensuring that only podcasters would receive the song so, it was decided by both of us to change the method of delivery. The inaccessibility of the Podsafe Music Network is not nmy problem. Deal with it.

That this is not endorsed by UNICEF is entirely correct but that has no bearing on whether it is a legitimate project. This project was only born on October 31st of this year when Adam played the tune and had the idea of making it a benefit. Do you think that anyone could've gotten UNICEF to endorse it in no time at all? Fat chance.

Further, I worked my fingers to the bone for almost 30 straight days, pulling 12 to 16 hour days with no pay, no financial support from any other entity. I paid all out-of pocket expenses by myself. I registered domain names. I'm paying a designer who is designing and maintaining the website. I'm spending hours upon hours, helping people who are having trouble here and there with downloads or payments to Paypal. I'm spending hours upon hours writing and editing press releases, e-mailing mainstream media, setting up interviews. I'm about to hire a publicist to try and spread the word about this benefit project. All of this is at my own expense. I not only don't make money on this deal -- I actually lose money. These are all, of course, facts that you would have no knowledge of but would just as soon not need to come to your conclusion that it's not a project worth supporting and even boycotting.

And you say no good deed goes unpunished? yes, indeed, how true it is. You have clearly illustrated this adage.

You're so clueless that you don't even realize how insulting you can be. Further, you have no concept of how you come across to others. You've demonstrated that publicly. Feel free to express your opinions publicaly and I'll do the same.

----- Original Message ----- From: Darrell Shandrow
To: Slau
Sent: Sunday, December 11, 2005 12:39 AM
Subject: Re: wow, what an insult


   Hey Jerry,

Glad to see you listening and reading the journal. :-) Unfortunately, due to requests for a number of changes Jeff felt the need to take down the accessible means to download the song, thus this avenue is no longer available to us. PMN is currently inaccessible, both in use and registration. Those are the facts. Jeff made a way for us to get the song and to report back on who was downloading it. That was extremely fair. That method had to be taken down. Little or no consideration was given to the hours Jeff spent setting it all up in the first place. In any case, there is no insult intended here. There is no other way for podcasters to freely download the song for play on their podcasts other than PMN, which is still inaccessible. I'm disappointed and upset with you for some things surrounding the project, and I have a right to publicly express my displeasure. Everything I am saying is based on the facts, including the fact that this is not an official UNICEF project officially endorsed by that charity, so we have no way of knowing, 100 percent certain, where the proceeds will go. Facts. Sorry. Especially due to the accessibility issues, I feel completely free to make sure all the facts are obvious for everyone, as well as to discourage others from playing this on their shows.

Lesson should be learned next time to make sure the needs of your blind brothers and sisters are correctly and completely accomodated in all that you do. Whenever that is not the case, you may expect flack from accessibility evangelists such as myself.





----- Original Message ----- From: Slau
To: Darrell Shandrow
Sent: Saturday, December 10, 2005 6:35 PM
Subject: wow, what an insult


Wow, how insulting that you would be dissappointed in my accommodation for blind persons to download a broadcast copy of the Podsafe for Peace song. I actually went out of my way to make sure it was available through Jeff Bishop's site. You've obviously not considered the fact that people with no podcast feeds were downloading the song. What kind of sense is that? Downloading a song for free that's supposed to be a fund-raiser?

Thanks a lot.



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