[nfbcs] Independence with a Price Tag

Thu Feb 4 21:03:49 UTC 2010

GW Micro offers two payment plans. If they can do it, why can't the other
companies?

Sight people make large purchases on vehicles and they get to use it while
paying for it. If we are equating adaptive equipment to the sighted
purchasing vehicles, then why is this not the practice from all vendors?

Cindy

> -----Original Message-----
> From: nfbcs-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfbcs-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
> Of Bryan Schulz
> Sent: Wednesday, February 03, 2010 6:10 PM
> To: NFBnet NFBCS Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [nfbcs] Independence with a Price Tag
> 
> 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
> >>
> >>
> >>
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> >
> >
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