[Trainer-talk] FW: GW Micro Announces Global Window-Eyes Initiative for users of Microsoft Office

Thu Jan 16 12:49:24 UTC 2014

Good Morning:

I don't know how anybody can be negative relative to the Microsoft/GW
Micro announcement.  Considering that Apple has embedded considerable
accessibility into their IOS and other other operating systems at no
additional cost, Microsoft has just made a tactical business decision.
 Now, the real question is: what is Freedom Scientific going to do to
combat continual business degradation?

          Bob Clark

On 1/16/14, Denise Robinson <deniserob at gmail.com> wrote:
> The narrator on windows 8 is vastly improved to the point where a blind
> person can get on and not only set it up the way they want but use features
> on it very well....so they have come a million miles....many more to go but
> they are on the road now
>
> Denise M Robinson
> Sent from my iPad
>
>> On Jan 15, 2014, at 10:17 PM, "Michael D. Barber"
>> <nfbiowa at qwestoffice.net> wrote:
>>
>> David:  I was completely shocked when this announcement appeared.  Whether
>> this is a good thing for those of us who use screen reading software
>> remains to be seen.  I'm curious about FS's reaction.  I imagine there may
>> have been an earth tremor in St. Petersburg.
>>
>> On the other hand, I don't have much trust for Microsoft regarding
>> accessibility.  I'm willing to be proved wrong though.  But Microsoft
>> hasn't done anything to even convince me to think about changing my mind.
>> Look at Windows Phone 8's lack of accessibility----again.
>>
>>
>>
>> Cordially,
>> Michael D. Barber
>> (515) 771-8348
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: Trainer-talk [mailto:trainer-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of
>> David Goldfield
>> Sent: Wednesday, January 15, 2014 6:29 PM
>> To: List for teachers and trainers of adaptive technology
>> Subject: Re: [Trainer-talk] FW: GW Micro Announces Global Window-Eyes
>> Initiative for users of Microsoft Office
>>
>> Here is a modified copy of the message which I wrote on some LinkedIn
>> forums, which summarizes my feelings about this development.
>> Here are my thoughts on this breaking story.  In no way am I trying to
>> start a screen reader flame war, where I intend to talk about whether one
>> screen reader is better than another.
>> First, this news caught me totally by surprise and I was quite speechless,
>> which is ironic considering that this is all about a piece of software
>> designed to make your computer talk.
>> This move from GW Micro is more than just a great idea or a clever
>> marketing strategy.  In my opinion, it represents the end of an era and
>> the beginning of a new one regarding the business model of screen reader
>> distribution.  I've said for some time that our current model, where you
>> pay hundreds of dollars for computer access, needs to go away.  With this
>> decision, I predict that it soon will.  Yes, we've had NVDA offering users
>> the same opportunity to download and use a completely free screen reader
>> since 2009, unofficially since 2006.  However, until recently, it wasn't
>> an ideal solution for many corporate environments, although it does
>> actually contain scripting capabilities, allowing for some under-the-hood
>> customization.  However, it really wasn't promoted as an access solution
>> for the corporate world and it is likely that the majority of NVDA users
>> are home users.  However, this is not the case for window-eyes, which GW
>> Micro promotes not only for home use but also for use in corporate,
>> educational and in government working environments.
>> Now that Window-eyes can be available at no cost for many more people,
>> several questions come to mind.  First, how will Freedom Scientific
>> respond?  They cannot ignore what GW Micro is doing, as doing so could
>> hurt sales of JAWS rather badly.  This move won't just make Window-eyes
>> freely available to many users who couldn't afford a commercial screen
>> reader.  Once rehab agencies begin to hear about this, they may feel that
>> forking out nearly a thousand dollars for JAWS won't be such a hot idea.
>> After all, why buy a JAWS license for a consumer if they can just ensure
>> that some version of Office is on their computer, which will then allow
>> the consumer to download a comparable screen reader at no cost.
>> FS must respond to this move, if they hope to survive.  The same is true
>> for Dolphin's HAL screen reader.
>> One might also wonder how GW Micro can make money off of this move. In
>> other words, how will they survive this change, as well?  This is being
>> addressed in several ways.  First, users of the free window-eyes program
>> must pay to receive support, either by paying $25.00 per incident or
>> $99.00 for what they call the 12/12 plan, which gives you twelve incidents
>> to be resolved for a 12-month period of time.  The one exception is that
>> they will provide free support for users who need help with installation
>> issues.  This is how some open-source products are able to make money;
>> give the product away for free but charge for quality support and other
>> additional services, such as advanced software customization.  The free
>> version also does not come with some of the more human-sounding voices,
>> such as Nuance's Vocalizer, which can be purchased for a fee.  However, I
>> am of the understanding that it supports the Microsoft voices, which can
>> be very pleasant, particularly with the male voice found in Windows 8 and
>> 8.1.
>> During the press conference held by GW Micro, someone asked how giving
>> away their flagship product would affect GW Micro.  The questioner asked
>> if they were getting something from Microsoft, which to me implied a
>> monetary payment of some kind, or might this represent a shift to GW Micro
>> heading toward being a nonprofit company.  GW's vice-president said that
>> these were good questions and that they would be able to better know the
>> answers in six months.  He also said that their partnership with Microsoft
>> allowed them to do this.  That, in itself, is a telling response.  Here
>> are my predictions.  First, this is going to shake up the industry and
>> will bring about some major changes in the way access software is
>> distributed.  Finally, I would bet a few pieces of rich chocolate that
>> this isn't the last we're going to hear about this from GW Micro.  If they
>> don't become a nonprofit access provider, I would not be at all surprised
>> if they are either bought by Microsoft or at least become the official
>> accessibility arm of Microsoft, which is something Microsoft could really
>> use.  Trust me, this is assistive tech history in the making.  This is a
>> major earthquake in the field, and we've not even begun to see how the
>> aftershocks affect the industry.  I applaud GW Micro for what I think is a
>> daring and revolutionary decision.
>>
>>
>>> On 1/15/2014 10:16 AM, Angela Griffith wrote:
>>> Jan-14-2014
>>>
>>> FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
>>>
>>> Fort Wayne, Indiana (January 14, 2014) - GW Micro, Inc. (www.gwmicro.com)
>>> is proud to make a revolutionary announcement. GW Micro and Microsoft
>>> Corp. have partnered to make Window-Eyes available to users of Microsoft
>>> Office at no cost. Window-Eyes is a screen reader that enables people who
>>> are blind, visually impaired, or print disabled to have full access to
>>> Windows PCs and makes the computer accessible via speech and/or Braille.
>>>
>>> To better deliver Window-Eyes to the people who need it most, GW Micro
>>> and Microsoft have collaborated on this global initiative, available in
>>> over 15 languages, to enable anyone using Microsoft Office 2010 or later
>>> to also use Window-Eyes for free.  Access to technology is critical to
>>> people who are blind or visually impaired in order to have the same
>>> opportunity to compete in the workplace. As such, this initiative between
>>> GW Micro and Microsoft has the potential to reduce barriers for millions
>>> of people who are blind or visually impaired around the world.
>>>
>>> As the population ages, technologies like Window-Eyes will become more
>>> and more important as the number of people with age-related macular
>>> degeneration and other retinal degenerative diseases increases. "This
>>> significant change in the way we are doing business reflects the changing
>>> perception of accessibility and also technology in general.  Rather than
>>> wait for the world to change, Microsoft and GW Micro are leading the
>>> way," said Dan Weirich, Vice President of Sales and Marketing for GW
>>> Micro.  Weirich believes this technology can help millions of people gain
>>> access to their PC, and that providing it free of charge will open a
>>> whole new world of assistive technology to many people.
>>>
>>> In light of the rapidly changing face of technology and specifically, the
>>> changing face of assistive technology, the combined efforts of GW Micro
>>> and Microsoft have the goal of providing accessibility to people who are
>>> blind and visually impaired for the long term.
>>>
>>> Microsoft continues to take accessibility seriously.  “By partnering with
>>> GW Micro in this endeavor we are demonstrating Microsoft’s ongoing
>>> commitment to provide all of our customers with the technology and tools
>>> to help each person be productive in both their work and personal lives.”
>>> said Rob Sinclair, Chief Accessibility Officer for Microsoft.
>>>
>>> Eligible customers, using Microsoft Office 2010 or higher, will be able
>>> to download a full version of Window-Eyes starting today at
>>> www.WindowEyesForOffice.com.  The website provides download instructions
>>> as well as additional details about this offer.
>>>
>>> GW Micro, Inc. (www.gwmicro.com) has been a trusted pioneer in the
>>> adaptive technology industry since 1990, and continues to lead with
>>> innovative, customer driven solutions.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Contact:
>>>
>>> Dan Weirich, VP of Sales and Marketing dan at gwmicro.com
>>> (260) 489-3671
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
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>>
>>
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