[bookport] Re: NLS Beta Program
- From: "PAMELA RADER" <PRADER@xxxxxxx>
- To: <bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Tue, 07 Nov 2006 08:28:49 -0500
No. We are a nonproffit company. There won't be any trade-ins.
Pamela Rader, TECHNICAL SUPPORT
American Printing House For The Blind
1839 Frankfort Ave.
Louisville, KY 40206
PHONE: 1-800-223-1839, Ext. 307
>>> hmhein@xxxxxxxxxxx 11/06/06 04:07PM >>>
Hi Pam!
Will we be able to trade our current Bookports in and receive discounts
on the new ones?
-----Original Message-----
.From: "PAMELA RADER"<PRADER@xxxxxxx>
.Sent: 11/6/06 9:14:18 AM
.To: "bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx"<bookport@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
.Subject: [bookport] Re: NLS Beta Program
.
.Hello Don and Others:
.
.First of all, since the NLS digital structure is still under
.development, it is too soon to know exactly what we are and aren't
going
.to do. However, given what we know thus far, I can tell you what
I've
.been told so far. Because the new NLS format will use something
other
.than a Compact Flash Card like the one the Book Port uses, it is very
.doubtful that the current Book Port will be able to play the new
books.
.Also, you are talking about making changes to the current hardware,
.which I seriously doubt we will be doing, since we are already in the
.midst of designing a new unit, which will be a whole new design, we
.won't be making any changes in the current unit and its design. It'd
be
.very difficult to keep two designs going and 2 units, especially if
you
.are a nonproffit company. You have to do what is best for the whole
.picture. That's not to say that we won't continue to support the
.current Book Port, because we will. We will and are currently fixing
.any problems that come up with respect to it's current functionality.
.One of the reasons for this new design is because of the changes in
.technology and the changes at NLS. As you know, technology is always
.changing and you have to change with it. However, there's only so
much
.you can cram into one box, thus, when the box gets overcrowded or
can't
.expand any further, due to hardware limitations or whatever, then you
.have to make a new box. This question has come up many times before
and
.our programming staff has assured us that we are staying in touch
with
.the NLS program, after all, we do a lot of work for them and it would
.stand to reason that we are looking into it. It's not like it's
going
.to sneak up on us one day. We get many phone calls on this
particular
.issue, as you might expect ( in fact, I got one on Friday from the
.originator of this message). I realize it's a hot topic and one that
we
.are all anxious about. Unfortunately, we are all going to have to be
.patient, while all of this is worked out. There could be some
technical
.things that I'm not aware of, but I feel quite certain that if it
were
.at all possible to make the current machine play NLS books, we would
do
.it, because it would be in our best interest to do so. If it can't,
.then you do something else. As you all know, any time you are in the
.middle of developing something, situations come up that can sometimes
.push things back. At first, we were told that the new Book Port
would
.be ready by the first of the year. Now, it has been moved back to
late
.Spring or early Summer. That's the best answer I can give you at
this
.point. I'm sure if Larry has something else to add, he'll do so,
when
.he has time (in between developing and working with the new unit and
all
.of the other things we're coming out with in the coming year). I
.realize that some of you will be upset with this message, because you
.want the current unit to support the new NLS format. As I've said
.before, technology is an everchanging facet. There are many people
.who've purchased Braille 'N Speaks just this year and when the next
note
.taker or PDA comes out, they'll have the same questions and issues
and
.be upset because they have to decide whether or not to continue using
.what they have or move onto something else. Eventually, as with the
.Braille 'N Speak and the current Book Port, parts become hard to get
or
.dry up and you have to move on and do something else. The cassette
will
.be a thing of the past. As difficult as it may be to believe, we
still
.sell a lot of cassette machines. Eventually, those people are going
to
.be left out in the cold. I feel for those people who won't be able
to
.move forward into the next thing. Fortunately, NLS will provide
.something we can play our books on, I just hope it's something that
will
.be easy for them to use as well. Anyway, that's a whole other
soapbox
.for another time. The point is--we are doing what we can and we will
.have to stay tuned. This is just my take on the issue, for what it's
.worth. Since I'm just the Technical Support Specialist, this and 80
.cents might get you a cup of coffee or a pack of Rollaides. Anyway,
we
.do hear you loud and clear and are taking your wishes seriously.
.
.
.
.
.Pamela Rader, TECHNICAL SUPPORT
.American Printing House For The Blind
.1839 Frankfort Ave.
.Louisville, KY 40206
.
.PHONE: 1-800-223-1839, Ext. 307
.
.
.>>> donter@xxxxxxxxxxx 11/03/06 08:08PM >>>
.I've been off of the list for a bit so if this has already been
.covered,
.someone please straighten me out, but if not, it really is time for
it
.to be
.addressed directly by APH.
.
.As you know, the NLS beta program testing the facility to download
and
.read
.digital books is proceeding quite well. I am told that the site may
.be
.available
.to all NLS patrons sometime around the middle of 2007. Since the
.handling
.of these materials by the BookPort will require hardware, firmware,
.and
.software
.changes, it would seem that time is of the essence if the Bookport is
.to
.undergo a redesign, pass all of the rigorous beta and other testing,
.and
.make
.a smooth transition to allowing its owners to read NLS-produced
.materials in
.digital form when the site becomes available. Can you all shed any
.light on
.this? I can just imagine that when the NLS site goes live, any
device
.that
.is not ready to deal with those materials will suffer much negative
.press to
.say nothing of decreased sales
.and popularity. Since the BookPort is probably the coolest device
.invented
.since the electric coffee-maker, I would hate to see it undergo such
a
.bumpy
.transition. NLS implementation time just is not that far off, and I
.believe
.APH has a responsibility to its customers to make a public commitment
.to
.support this reading system for the blind which will be free and
.available
.to all non-print reading citizens. As I say, I may have missed this
.discussion, so if this has already happened, I will gladly back off,
.and
.wait for it all to play out.
.
.On the other hand, APH has been alluding to a new unit for literally
.years,
.and given the true closeness of the NLS implementation date (perhaps
.half a
.year or there abouts to if all goes well), we really need the real
deal
.and
.soon. Please what is going on.
.
.Don Barrett
.
.
.
.
Other related posts:
