[nfbcs] Independence with a Price Tag

Fri Feb 5 18:03:28 UTC 2010

The credit issue is not a huge problem.  The matter can simply be passed
over to a collection agency.  As for branding, I think the innovation of a
company that leases out hardware through its distributors would outweigh the
occasional need to punish customers who do not pay for their product.  After
all, it's the person's responsibility to pay and the company's right to
collect.  The problem that is not so easily resolved is the matter of
retrieving the product.  Still, call me a softy, but I give people the
benefit of the doubt that they would responsibly own up to their part of the
contract.  If you don't think so, we're in trouble.

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 E.J. Zufelt
Sent: Friday, February 05, 2010 10:43 AM
To: NFBnet NFBCS Mailing List
Subject: Re: [nfbcs] Independence with a Price Tag

Good morning Joe,

It may be possible, even easy, to develop the ability to make a piece  
of hardware stop working if the customer stops their payments.   
However, it is by no means easy to retrieve that hardware.  The credit  
approach is possible, but again this requires the company to get into  
legalities with its customers that are both expensive and bad for  
brand image.

HTH,
Everett

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On 5-Feb-10, at 10:25 AM, Joe Orozco wrote:

> Everett,
>
> With two of the three major notetakers now shipping with wireless
> connectivity, I would not think it impossible for the manufacturer to
> include a program that could effectively shut down the product if no  
> payment
> is done.  Actually, I know it's possible.  It's a matter of whether  
> or not
> the manufacturer would consider going the extra mile to do it, and  
> if this
> is not a worthwhile solution, there is also the more effective  
> strategy of
> leveraging the person's credit as a means to enforce payment.  One  
> would
> hope it would not come to that, but contrary to some people's  
> opinions, I am
> not completely oblivious to a company's need to make money to continue
> operations and do not much care for unnecessary risks.
>
> 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 E.J. Zufelt
> Sent: Thursday, February 04, 2010 9:10 PM
> To: NFBnet NFBCS Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [nfbcs] Independence with a Price Tag
>
> Good evening,
>
> From the seller's perspective, there is far less risk involved in
> offering a payment plan for a software license than there is in
> offering a payment plan for a piece of hardware.  With the software
> the ability to continue using the software is directly related to the
> customer's continuing to make the monthly payment.  With hardware
> there is no easy action that the seller can take to retrieve the
> hardware if the customer ceases payments.
>
> HTH,
> Everett
>
> Follow me on Twitter
> http://twitter.com/ezufelt
>
> View my LinkedIn Profile
> http://www.linkedin.com/in/ezufelt
>
>
>
> On 4-Feb-10, at 8:36 PM, slery wrote:
>
>> 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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>>>> du
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
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