[nfbcs] NVDA product question

[Larry Wayland]

Thank you Dave, I wasn't going to argue with them.  I purchased for my state
agency for over 20 years and was able to get very good discounts on
products, including Jaws, until Freedom Scientific clamped down and picked
only one dealer to represent a whole region. I think this is very unfair for
blind people not allowing them to shop around and find the best price. I
can't think of any other company that does not allow people to purchase from
any dealer they want.  It is not just Freedom Scientific that does this.
Several of the developers pick a dealer to sell their product, and it
usually is the same dealer for all developers.




-----Original Message-----
From: nfbcs [mailto:nfbcs-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of David Andrews via
nfbcs
Sent: Tuesday, November 11, 2014 5:43 PM
To: Bryan Schulz; NFB in Computer Science Mailing List
Subject: Re: [nfbcs] NVDA product question

This is not true -- a dealer can sell for less -- although most do not.  The
state of Minnesota, because it purchases a number of copies each year has
negotiated discounts on various AT products with a wide variety of
companies.  So, it is possible.

Dave

At 01:14 AM 11/5/2014, you wrote:
>hi,
>
>the actual cost of jaws, etc is the same no matter where it is 
>purchased across the country.
>I was talking about a midwest contractor that was granted golden boy 
>status while two others were forced out of business or the area!
>Bryan Schulz
>
>
>----- Original Message ----- From: "Larry Wayland via nfbcs" 
><nfbcs at nfbnet.org>
>To: "'Bryan Schulz'" <b.schulz at sbcglobal.net>; "'NFB in Computer 
>Science Mailing List'" <nfbcs at nfbnet.org>
>Sent: Tuesday, November 04, 2014 10:46 PM
>Subject: Re: [nfbcs] NVDA product question
>
>
>>Besides that, Blind people are being told who they have to buy from 
>>and not be allowed to shop for best prices.
>>There is only one company in this area I can by Jaws from, well, not 
>>just Jaws many other products. As well. This doesn't allow me to shop 
>>around the country and find a better price. I am not sure if this is 
>>even legal. I can't think of any other product other than assistive 
>>devices that are sold this way.
>>
>>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: nfbcs [mailto:nfbcs-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Bryan 
>>Schulz via nfbcs
>>Sent: Tuesday, November 04, 2014 1:51 PM
>>To: Brian Buhrow; NFB in Computer Science Mailing List
>>Subject: Re: [nfbcs] NVDA product question
>>
>>Brian,
>>
>>That's not completely true that vendors are not getting rich from the 
>>adaptive technology field especially when other vendors are forced to 
>>close or relocate when a specific vendor is favored!
>>Bryan Schulz
>>
>>
>>----- Original Message -----
>>From: "Brian Buhrow via nfbcs" <nfbcs at nfbnet.org>
>>To: "Steve Jacobson" <steve.jacobson at visi.com>; "NFB in Computer 
>>Science Mailing List" <nfbcs at nfbnet.org>; "Michael Forzano"
>><michaeldforzano at gmail.com>
>>Sent: Tuesday, November 04, 2014 12:45 AM
>>Subject: Re: [nfbcs] NVDA product question
>>
>>
>>>Hello.  Everyone who has been following or contributing to this 
>>>thread on this list needs to read, multiple times, tim Connell's 
>>>article in the November 2014 Braille Monitor, "What is the Cost of a Free
Product?"
>>>In that article, he lays out the various funding models for all the 
>>>access technology available today and lists the vices and virtues of 
>>>each model.  He makes the point, in a few wores, that I've been 
>>>trying to make, in a very clumsy fashion, for a number of years.  
>>>Free is not always better.
>>>I'll add to his point that even more important is the fact that we as 
>>>blind consumers need to be aware of the cost of free products before 
>>>we end up paying the ultimate price of freedom, i.e. with our jobs 
>>>and, potentially, our independence.  I find Jaws to be just as 
>>>frustrating as the next guy and I don't use it in my daily work.
>>>However, I purchase it because it is there if I really need it and 
>>>there may be a day, and there have been a few, when it did something 
>>>I really needed.  Many blind professionals I know rely on Jaws every 
>>>day and I would be very sad to see them lose their livelihoods 
>>>because Freedom Scientivic could no longer afford to support their
products.
>>>Sure there are excesses in the market place and companies who've 
>>>stocked their treasure chests with the gold of the poor who bought 
>>>their products.  However, let's not let the exception make the rule.
>>>Most folks working in the access technology arena are not becoming 
>>>filthy rich off our baksand, even better for us, they are dedicated 
>>>individuals who truly believe in helping us achieve independence 
>>>through improved access to technology and training.  As Tim points 
>>>out, the philanthropic model, which is how NVDA is funded, is a 
>>>fragile beast and subject to the whims of the funders which, are, in 
>>>turn, influenced by a wide array of factors including political 
>>>considerations, share holder concerns and issues I can't even think 
>>>of.  Contrary to Tim's essay, I'd argue that technologies like 
>>>VoiceOver in Apple's iOS  and Talkback in Google's Android survive on 
>>>the philanthropic model as well, all be it from one donor rather than 
>>>many.
>>>The point I want to make here is that while everyone is discussing 
>>>the merrits of NVDA versus Jaws relative to their costs, remember 
>>>that, as Tim points out, we probably don't truly know the cost of 
>>>free yet. I pray that we will before we actually pay it!
>>>
>>>-thanks
>>>-Brian

         David Andrews and long white cane Harry.
E-Mail:  dandrews at visi.com or david.andrews at nfbnet.org


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