[Trainer-talk] Fwd: Sad news about passing of Talks developer (fwd)

[David Andrews]

>
>---------- Forwarded message ----------
>Date: Tue, 13 Apr 2010 15:29:53 -0400 (EDT)
>From: Jamal Mazrui <empower at smart.net>
>Reply-To: programmingblind at freelists.org
>To: ProgrammingBlind at freelists.org
>Subject: Sad news about passing of Talks developer
>
>-----Forwarded Message-----
>From: blindphones-bounces at mosenexplosion.com 
>[mailto:blindphones-bounces at mosenexplosion.com] On Behalf Of Neil 
>Barnfather - eHosting Limited
>Sent: Tuesday, April 13, 2010 1:25 PM
>To: 'Talks Mailing List'; talks-uk at freelists.org; 'The Accessible 
>Phones Discussion List'
>Subject: Officially from Nuance
>
>Dear All,
>
>It is with regrettable sadness that I am having to write to you to 
>confirm that Marcus Groeber has confirmed to me the sad news to 
>which we've been discussing.
>
>Aged 47 years, Torsten Brand sadly passed away during a routine 
>operation yesterday.
>
>At this stage very little else is known other than to say the 
>obvious; Torsten alongside Marcus were true pioneers in the world of 
>accessible technology for the blind community. Much is owed to their 
>efforts and activities spanning the past decade and we all have much 
>by way of appreciation owing to them both.
>
>Torsten was a genuine and inspirational individual who will be 
>missed by us all.
>
>If further information is forth coming I will pass this on to you.
>
>Regards.
>
>Neil Barnfather
>TalkNav
>
>
>
>-----Forwarded Message-----
>From: blindphones-bounces at mosenexplosion.com 
>[mailto:blindphones-bounces at mosenexplosion.com] On Behalf Of Jonathan Mosen
>
>Less than a decade ago, the only way a blind person could send a 
>text message was through a website, or by connecting some models of 
>phone to a computer. Less than a decade ago, the only way a blind 
>person could navigate the menus and change settings on their phone 
>was to memorise the sequences of key presses required, or carry 
>around a Braille cheat sheet. And then, two brilliant people began 
>collaborating. Marcus Groeber and Torsten Brand formed Brand and 
>Groeber communications, and they got our phones talking.
>
>The original Talx, yes it was spelled with an X in those days, 
>worked on the Nokia communicator, a PDA device with a qwerty 
>keyboard. Later however, Talks was released for S60 phones. In 2003, 
>I purchased a Nokia 6600, and I'll never forget the phone starting 
>up after I'd installed Talks. It was almost unreal. After 13 years 
>of not being able to use all the features of my phone and really set 
>it up the way I wanted, my phone was truly accessible. He made this 
>dream a reality for blind people all over the world, in numerous languages.
>
>Those very early versions of Talks were somewhat sluggish, and had 
>numerous issues. But we stuck with it because we knew it was ground 
>breaking technology. Over the years, Marcus and tenacious Torsten 
>kept at it, to the point that Talks is now a very robust, reliable, 
>speedy solution.
>
>Talks became so successful that eventually it was acquired by Nuance 
>Communications, who thankfully kept Torsten and Marcus on to manage 
>and develop the product.
>
>In looking back at the email correspondence I've had with Torsten 
>over the years, and the times we've met up to chat or have dinner, a 
>few words come to mind. Thoughtful, intelligent, committed, good 
>fun, and great company with that distinctive German accent of his, 
>when we'd catch up at CSUN or some other conference.
>
>As a blind guy himself, Torsten used the product he managed every 
>day. I have always believed this makes a big difference. It is 
>reflected in the power, and elegant user interface of Talks. Talks 
>gets an awful lot done, very simply, with in many cases only a 
>number pad and a few other keys to work with. He took user interface 
>and efficiency extremely seriously, sometimes considering esoteric 
>issues like how many syllables a prompt contained, because as a 
>speech user himself, he knew all of that stuff mattered. Most 
>recently, he and Marcus worked together on a very elegant 
>implementation of an accessible interface for the S60 Fifth Edition 
>touch phones.
>
>Torsten was in his prime, with many more great ideas on which he and 
>Marcus would have collaborated. His passing is a tragedy for the 
>blind community.
>
>Let's not also forget, Torsten was a husband, and a dad. There are 
>two things I send to Torsten's family. Firstly my sincere 
>condolences. But secondly, I send my deep appreciation. The work 
>Torsten did changed lives for the better. If you can leave this 
>world a better place than you found it, in whatever endeavour you 
>pursue, your life has been worthwhile. Torsten led a most 
>worthwhile, and worthy life. He has earned his place in the history 
>of assistive technology.
>
>Ever since I heard the news of Torsten's death, every time I pick up 
>my Nokia handset, so much more powerful than the first one Torsten 
>helped to make accessible, I pause, and say a little thank you to him.
>You will be missed Torsten.