[nabs-l] Frustrated with Bookshare!

[William O'donnell]

You are discussing demos as another option.  Isn't true, that if you install a demo and you have a full version already installed, the prior authorization key will work on the newer version?  I remember this being true prior, as long as the computer had an active key.  Another thing to do, is to go in the registry and actually find and copy the key.  People do this, when they have 1 authorization and want to use this on multiple computers.  It is quite technical, and someone on here can probably help you.  Have a good evening.


Sent from my iPad

On Mar 3, 2013, at 7:53 PM, "Courtney Stover" <liamskitten at gmail.com> wrote:

> Hi all:
> 
> Let me see if I can clarify a bit of what's going on here, at least to
> the best of my understanding.
> 
> Bookshare has recently instituted their own "web reader"  This feature
> allows you to read books through the web without ever having to
> download them to a computer hard drive.  Unfortunately, this feature
> only works with Google Chrome, which, I'm presuming, is where Joshua's
> frustration comes from.
> 
> Joshua: there are two things you need to be aware of.
> 
> First and foremost, the method everyone on this list has advocated
> (downloading the file type known as Daisy Text and then reading the
> XML file in Internet Explorer works beautifully with Jaws 10, and I
> would know, since I had this version until very recently.)  If you
> need further help, the tech support people are astoundingly helpful.
> They do not contact patrons during the weekend, which is why they may
> not have contacted you before now.
> 
> Secondly, they are working to make the Web Reader accessible with
> other browsers.  However, Chrome is one of the most innovative, with
> ever-expanding functionality and excellent security.  Firefox has
> frequent updates, which makes it difficult for Bookshare engineering
> to keep the software compatible, and Internet Explorer's security
> issues are a concern for the staff when making the Reader compatible
> with it.
> 
> There are two other points which I would like to address.  If I cause
> offense, I apologize profusely, but I believe these things need to be
> stated.
> 
> Firstly: there are Demo versions of Jaws.  While I do not advocate
> this as a permanent solution, it is an excellent temporary one while
> financial ducks are put in a row.  It does require you to restart the
> computer every forty minutes, but the advantages are absolutely worth
> it.  I know we don't often realize how far behind software we actually
> are until we get such upgrades.  However, upgrading your Jaws (even in
> demo temporarily) would virtually eliminate the myriad of
> technological problems you have brought to this list.
> 
> Secondly: Joshua, please be clearer in your E-mails.  I realize there
> is immense frustration in technology that is not working properly (my
> hours-long battle with Learning Ally's Read Here player today makes me
> particularly sympathetic to your plight), but E-mails which do not
> clearly define your problem serve no one.  If you had clearly
> explained that you were attempting to use a new feature called the Web
> Reader which only worked in Chrome, and you needed alternative
> solutions, much of the confusion I sensed underlying many of the
> messages in this topic could have been averted.
> 
> I'll address one final point and then close.  I agree wholeheartedly
> with Mike and Caiti.  I am one of those under 40 who has none of the
> players Mike named (partially due to finances, but mostly due to
> vastly preferring DoubleTalk, the synthesizer used on the original
> Book Port when it comes to text files, rather than the more "human"
> voices utilized by many of these players, which are so unbearably
> grating for me that I am incapable of concentrating on the information
> being presented.)  However, when I do need to read Daisy files, I take
> advantage of the many Pc-based options or find a way to convert them
> in to text.  And I always try and keep my software up to date, even if
> that means using Demos.  We are disadvantaged enough as it is without
> hampering ourselves by being unwilling to innovate.
> Again, I hope at least some of what I have said is helpful, and that I
> have not given offense.
> Warmest Regards,
> Courtney
> P.S.: If anyone could suggest a Daisy player with a synthesizer
> similar to DoubleTalk, I would be immensely grateful; I live in fear
> of the day my BookPort dies.
> 
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