[blindreplay] Re: Freecorder 2 & Freecorder Toolbar Scripts Wanted
- From: Kelly Pierce <kellytalk@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: <blindreplay@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, <pc-audio@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 22 Aug 2007 23:23:28 -0500
Petro,
You seem to be highly comfortable with the response that Applian uses
third-party contractors for various components of its software business and
therefore has no responsibility to its customers for the performance of
these components, which in our case is the accessibility of Applian
software. In the past decade and a half, the blind community and
disability community as a whole have totally and completely rejected this
buck passing. First the major software companies, including Microsoft,
Real Networks, and Adobe have been expected from the get go to provide full
access to their software, regardless of how it was developed.
next, folks engaged the country's largest financial institutions to create
access to banking services. The banks worked with vendors, contractors and
service providers to deliver talking ATM's for the blind and accessible
websites. These efforts led to the first legally binding settlement
agreements that committed to web accessibility for people with
disabilities.
The bank projects were followed by initiatives on cell phone accessibility.
the issue was that the wireless service providers passed the buck to the
handset manufacturers. yet, the manufacturing companies said that they
designed phones with significant input from the providers who would largely
market and sell the phones. The arrangement was hardly that of an
impartial, arms-length party just purchasing goods in the marketplace,
passing the hot potato of access back to the wireless providers.
The efforts led to a 2004 agreement by Audio and Verizon Communications to
design, manufacture, market and sell a cell phone accessible to the blind
with audio-enabled controls.
similarly, people with disabilities expected accessibility of voting
machines in the United States during the last election cycle during the
2006 elections. Software and control devices for some machines were
developed or designed at some of the voting machine companies by foreign
subsidiaries or third party vendors. Local election officials facilitated
relationships with the various parties to obtain and significantly improve
access, allowing voters with certain kinds of disabilities to vote
independently for the first time.
I realize that the large companies often have complex and many-layered
relationships with their vendors and contractors. A vendor may develop or
provide access to a product or service to prevent the institution from
developing a relationship with another vendor who can provide access and
possibly a whole lot more. The large companies can leverage these
relationships to obtain consideration from vendors that smaller companies
can't.
all of this being said, it is highly disappointing that we seem to accept
wholesale Applian's response regarding access issues with their products.
They don't explain why access issues could not have been written into the
contracts or agreements they have with their vendors. It is not clear if
the company raised these issues in a meaningful manner early on in the
relationship with the third party vendor or if it was an afterthought once
the work was completed.
In various areas of technology access for more than a decade, people with
disabilities have worked with companies to achieve greater independence in
their lives through technology. the third-party contractor argument has
not been accepted by disability leaders who have worked on access in
various sectors in the technology industry. In a similar way it has also
been rejected by the mainstream as well. Wednesday's Wall Street Journal
ran a lengthy page one investigation of how the largest retailers and
apparel makers in the United States are responsible for incredible
pollution in China for demanding ever lower prices, leading contractors to
pollute the environment to save money. there was no suggestion that gap,
Target, Nike, and the like had no responsibility because they used a third
party vendor.
Applian's shoulder shrugging and subsequent finger pointing to a
third-party vender isn't a constructive response to developing accessible
solutions. it is unclear why the company cannot incorporate accessible
design into their relationships with these vendors or if they have even
asked about it at the start of their relationship. I don't believe at this
time why our expectations for access should be relaxed at this time when
other organizations have been able to develop systems and approaches around
these same issues. the end result has been access that we all now use and
enjoy.
Kelly
----- Original Message -----
From: <petrakigianos-giasou@xxxxxxxxx>
To: <pc-audio@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Cc: <blindreplay@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>; <blind-vista@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Wednesday, August 22, 2007 12:28 PM
Subject: [blindreplay] Freecorder 2 & Freecorder Toolbar Scripts Wanted
Hi Brian & All
I want Jaws scripts for both Freecorder 2 which does record
Skype calls but as you already know Brian this program needs
scripts for the product key and some other minor issues I've
already told you privately.
As for Freecorder Toolbar 3 program it would be great to have
Jaws scripts for this program too. Scripts for the toolbar
buttons. Today I noticed something new in my toolbar called the
Digg It! button. I have written to Applian to make sure about
this new Digg It! button appearance within the toolbar.
This toolbar is made by Conduit and not by Applian. It's an
Israeli company.
I think the reason I am seeing this new Digg It! is during the
Freecorder Toolbar 3 installation on the Conduit screen I left
the checkbox enabled to allow for automatic updates checked. Not
sure as I am asking Applian.
I am just a user of Applian Technologies products and check for
accessibility. If the software is made by Applian they can
sometimes fix the issue but if it's from a 3rd party that
usually is difficult. Remember the YouSendIt plug in issue. The
developers from YSI wrote to me 2 times and I never heard from
them again.
Thank you very much.
Petro
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