[nfbcs] Independence with a Price Tag

Fri Feb 5 01:36:30 UTC 2010

There are two different payment plans. Hopefully, if they have success with
the payment plans they will consider extending it to their other products.

Cindy

> -----Original Message-----
> From: nfbcs-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nfbcs-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
> Of Joe Orozco
> Sent: Thursday, February 04, 2010 5:12 PM
> To: 'NFBnet NFBCS Mailing List'
> Subject: Re: [nfbcs] Independence with a Price Tag
> 
> Hi Cindy,
> 
> I'm aware of the payment plan concerning Window Eyes.  Are there two
> payment
> plans for the screen reader, or does the plan extend to other products?
> Thanks for any information.
> 
> Joe Orozco
> 
> "A man who wants to lead the orchestra must turn his back on the
> crowd."--Max Lucado
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: nfbcs-bounces at nfbnet.org
> [mailto:nfbcs-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of slery
> Sent: Thursday, February 04, 2010 4:04 PM
> To: 'NFBnet NFBCS Mailing List'
> Subject: Re: [nfbcs] Independence with a Price Tag
> 
> 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
> > >>
> > >>
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> > >>
> > >>
> > >> _______________________________________________
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> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nfbcs_nfbnet.org/jheim%40m
> ath.wisc.e
> > du
> > >>
> > >>
> > >
> > >
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> 
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