[nfbcs] Independence with a Price Tag

Thu Feb 4 13:59:22 UTC 2010

I tend to agree.  It seems wrong to me that I can buy a decent computer
for about a third to a half of what it will cost me to get a screen reader
for that same machine.  NVDA will do most of what I want, but not all
(though I may be missing something).
I haven't updated my version of Jaws in quite a while, because most of the
updates they've made just don't matter to me all that much.  Now, if I
want to update from my version to the latest, it will cost me quite a
chunk of change.
Why is that?  They don't seem like such vast improvements.
And $200 just to get a license for Remote Desktop?  What is that about? 
Is it really that different than the regular version?
Tracy

> hi,
>
> other than solving version conflicts and updating scripts, jaws has
> operated
> the same for at least 15 years but it is still about 1,200 and 200 every
> two
> years to have the priviledge of getting updates.
> don't use the common defense of low users vs software cost but when you
> buy
> the office suite, you are not forced to pay for updates unless you want to
> upgrade.
> in the era of being able to buy a talking watch for $25, it's a royal rip
> to
> have to pay 1,500 for a cell phone/gps or why prices of devices with
> refreshable braille won't decrease and the companies won't even allow
> payment plans because state agencies will say bill me without even
> blinking.
>
> Bryan Schulz
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "John G. Heim" <jheim at math.wisc.edu>
> To: "NFBnet NFBCS Mailing List" <nfbcs at nfbnet.org>
> Sent: Wednesday, February 03, 2010 10:29 AM
> Subject: Re: [nfbcs] Independence with a Price Tag
>
>
>> I've often wondered about the issues you bring up.  About a year ago I
>> remember seeing an announcement for a GPS system that was supposedly a
>> price breakthrough. The price? $850. For just a talking GPS.
>>
>> So I understand your frustration. But how can you be sure the prices for
>> adaptive equipment are inflated? I think you have to have more than
>> vague
>> suspicions before formally making a charge like that. In fact, doing so
>> might do more harm than good. People might demand that government
>> agencies
>> stop buying  adaptive equipment if they suspect that the equipment their
>> tax dollars are paying for is over priced. Rather than lowering the
>> price
>> for adaptive equipment, the result might be that government agencies
>> just
>> stop buying it.
>>
>> A new Pac Mate with a 40 cell display costs about $5600. That seems like
>> an incredible amount of money for a product that doesn't even have built
>> in wireless, right? But if the Pac Mate is so over priced, why doesn't
>> one
>> of Freedom Scientific's competitors come out with a product that blows
>> it
>> out of the water for price/performance?
>>
>> Another data point is the KNFB Reader. The NFB itself came out with the
>> KNFB Reader. But at a base price of $1600, its not exactly a
>> breakthrough
>> product in terms of price. I doubt that the NFB is part of a conspiracy
>> to
>> keep prices high.
>>
>> We've been over and over the issue of the cost of the Pac Mate on
>> thepacmateger.com email list. And I have come to the conclusion that it
>> just costs that much. You can put together the hardware for a lot less
>> and
>> install a free screen reader. But if you figure in the cost of jaws vs
>> nvda and the cost of support (and you have to give Freedom Scientific
>> credit for providing great support), $5600 doesn't seem far out of line.
>> Honestly, I am no fan of Freedom Scientific. I think their licensing
>> policies are draconian and I am fed up with their tendency to sue their
>> competitors. But when I really think about it, I have to admit that the
>> Pac Mate isn't that much over priced.
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Joe Orozco" <jsorozco at gmail.com>
>> To: "'National Association of Blind Students mailing list'"
>> <nabs-l at nfbnet.org>
>> Cc: "'Discussion list for NABS,National Alliance of Blind Students.'"
>> <nabs at acb.org>; <tabs_students at googlegroups.com>; "'NFBnet NFBCS Mailing
>> List'" <nfbcs at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Tuesday, February 02, 2010 10:45 PM
>> Subject: [nfbcs] Independence with a Price Tag
>>
>>
>>> 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
>>>
>>>
>>> __________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus
>>> signature
>>> database 4829 (20100202) __________
>>>
>>> The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus.
>>>
>>> http://www.eset.com
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> nfbcs mailing list
>>> nfbcs at nfbnet.org
>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfbcs_nfbnet.org
>>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>>> nfbcs:
>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nfbcs_nfbnet.org/jheim%40math.wisc.edu
>>>
>>>
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> nfbcs mailing list
>> nfbcs at nfbnet.org
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfbcs_nfbnet.org
>> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
>> nfbcs:
>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nfbcs_nfbnet.org/b.schulz%40sbcglobal.net
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> nfbcs mailing list
> nfbcs at nfbnet.org
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfbcs_nfbnet.org
> To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for
> nfbcs:
> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nfbcs_nfbnet.org/carcione%40access.net
>