[nfbcs] NVDA product question

Wed Nov 12 20:05:20 UTC 2014

Five dollars per month?

Please tell us how many hundreds of dollars we have to pay for the next 
version of JAWS after the two-year contract expires, because we are not 
supposed to use a computer just for two years and you will have to buy a new 
version especially when you have a new version of Windows.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Nancy Coffman 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: Wednesday, November 12, 2014 10:13 PM
Subject: [spam] Re: [nfbcs] NVDA product question

> At the Nebraska commission for the blind and visually impaired, we usually 
> buy JAWS for our clients with the first software maintenance agreement. I 
> used to buy professional, in the hopes that when they got a job the 
> employer would be willing to pay for the software maintenance agreement, 
> or the client would be able to afford it. I am currently buying the 
> license for noncommercial use. A software maintenance agreement typically 
> last two years. The cost of the agreement is $120 which translates to five 
> dollars per month. If you donate regularly to NVDA, or need to pay for any 
> service for window eyes. It doesn't take long to be out $120. I let my 
> clients know that the best bargain is to keep their jaws up to date.
>
> Nancy Coffman
> Sent from my iPhone
>
>> On Nov 11, 2014, at 8:58 PM, Bryan Schulz via nfbcs <nfbcs at nfbnet.org> 
>> wrote:
>>
>> hi,
>>
>> well then that's a different animal.
>> Of course you are going to get a lower price if you agree to purchase 
>> dozens.
>> Let us know if it is possible to purchase jaws pro as an individual for 
>> less than $1,195 assuming that's still the set price.
>> Bryan Schulz
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Larry Wayland via nfbcs" 
>> <nfbcs at nfbnet.org>
>> To: "'David Andrews'" <dandrews at visi.com>; "'NFB in Computer Science 
>> Mailing List'" <nfbcs at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Tuesday, November 11, 2014 8:27 PM
>> Subject: Re: [nfbcs] NVDA product question
>>
>>
>>> 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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>>
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>
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