[nabs-l] Independence with a Price Tag

Wed Feb 3 15:30:35 UTC 2010

Hi David,

You're an excellent person to answer some of these questions, given your
diverse background.  These are not challenges to your message.  Rather, I'm
trying to get a better sense of the landscape.

1. If you agree there are many people who cannot afford the technology they
need, why is it unfair to criticize developers for maintaining high price
tags for their products?  In your experience, is it completely unfeasible to
ask companies to run a financing program similar to that GW Micro offers for
its Window Eyes product?

2. If the products are expensive to develop, why are consumers not receiving
more for their investment?  This sounds like a contradiction in itself, but
one would suppose that if updates and upgrades take time to release, why
aren't releases aiming to compete with mainstream devices?  8 gigs of memory
is appreciated and a long step from the previous capacity of Braille
notetakers, but one could purchase a netbook with 20 times the capacity at
20 times less than the cost of a Braille notetaker.

To clarify, I am not making government agencies the enemy.  I am holding
developers fully responsible for developing products that will largely be
marketed to government agencies.  In an age where government employees have
better computer systems at home than they do at work, it makes sense that
government agencies are overlooking the fact that the technology they are
dishing out thousands of dollars for is not meeting its full potential.  In
a normal market developers would develop products according to the needs of
the consumers.  Instead, we have a market where consumers can voice their
opinions and hope that their feedback will be filtered through agencies like
the IRS, who are primarily responsible for Freedom Scientific producing
40-cell Braille displays.  Adaptive technology companies make large
announcements about new products, get the customer base in a frenzy and
count on this customer base to pressure agencies into purchasing the
equipment.  There is something wrong with this picture.

I appreciate the work developers have done to keep blind people in the loop.
No one will deny that their products have made careers possible, but I think
there needs to be a real voice from consumers that is heard and responded
to.  The legislation concerning the technology bill of rights is one method,
but here again we are relying on policymakers to act on our behalf.

Given my background in professional fundraising, I would like to convene a
team of people to help me approach companies about setting up a fund to help
professionals obtain the technology they need to make their daily work
possible.  Yet, I do not think this is the first priority.  Such a step
would suggest we are okay with the current price structure and mostly lack
of financing opportunities.

Anyway, it's a rant, but I've already collected a score of personal stories
from people who disagree with your opinion.  Nevertheless, you seem to have
a well-rounded perspective on this issue and hope you can provide further
insight.

Joe Orozco

"A man who wants to lead the orchestra must turn his back on the
crowd."--Max Lucado 

-----Original Message-----
From: nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org 
[mailto:nabs-l-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of David Andrews
Sent: Wednesday, February 03, 2010 5:52 AM
To: National Association of Blind Students mailing list
Subject: Re: [nabs-l] Independence with a Price Tag

Max,  You are right in some of your conclusions -- but not in 
others.  You are right that there are many individuals who can't 
afford the technology they need or could use.

However, you seem to be making the Assistive Technology developers, 
and government agencies the enemy.  This is not the case.  I have 
been on all sides of the fence, individual, technology developer, and 
work for a state agency.

It is not like the defense industry, the government doesn't give 
manufacturers big open-ended, cost plus contracts.  Yes, they buy 
stuff, but at the going price, or in come cases less because they can 
negotiate discounts due to volume.  They are not the enemy here.

Secondly, all this stuff is expensive to develop -- I suspect more 
then you realize.

Yes, a way to help individuals acquire technology is needed, but the 
solution isn't to make the government, or developers your enemy.

David Andrews

At 10:45 PM 2/2/2010, you wrote:
>Dear list,
>
>I'm continuously appalled at the price tags associated with adaptive
>technology.  While you're in college you might receive 
assistance from your
>rehab agency to purchase equipment.  You may get some 
assistance after you
>find a job, but inevitably there comes a point when the expense comes
>directly from your own pocket.  I wonder how many people have 
had to settle
>for outdated technology because they simply cannot afford it.  
But, that's
>the thing.  I'm only assuming there are tons of people who 
cannot afford
>this technology.  I'd like to lead a campaign to call public 
attention to
>this monopoly, and, I'd like to hear your thoughts on whether 
or not you
>think me crazy.  If my assumption is wrong, I'll keep my views 
to myself.
>If there is a high number of people unable to tap into 
emerging software
>simply because they cannot pay for it, I'd like to hear from you.  I
>understand the technology itself costs a lot of money to 
develop.  Yet, it
>seems more of the price boost is owed to extravagant 
government contracts
>that allow the few players to charge something like $6,200 for a device
>that, despite its best advertisements, does not perform 
completely on par
>with its mainstream counterparts.
>
>At this time I have only a vague idea for a strategy.  Yet 
it's something
>I'm willing to build up if the need can be clearly identified.
>
>Looking forward to your input,
>
>Joe Orozco
>
>"A man who wants to lead the orchestra must turn his back on the
>crowd."--Max Lucado
>

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