[blindkid] Looking forward
Mike Freeman
k7uij at panix.com
Sun Mar 7 18:49:30 UTC 2010
Albert:
With respect, you are a Polyanna! I can't see any improvement in curb cut
technology. In fact, more and more jurisdictions are trying to solve the
problems with curb cuts by blending the sidewalks into the streets with
barely-noticeable boundaries all the way across. While blind persons can
learn to handle this in most instances, it is most definitely not optimal.
In fact, there's no way civil jurisdictions will implement curb cuts
properly because they'd have to spend more money: the only real way tto have
good curb cuts is to have a squared-off corner with curbs aligned with the
streets and *two* curb cuts -- one for each of the right-angle crosswalks --
that take you straight down the crosswalk across the street. But no one will
do this because they might -- gasp -- have to expend more money!
Cheers!
Mike
----- Original Message -----
From: "Albert J Rizzi" <albert at myblindspot.org>
To: "'NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List,(for parents of blind children)'"
<blindkid at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, March 05, 2010 12:59 PM
Subject: Re: [blindkid] Looking forward
> Well that is perhaps because little consideration was actually given to
> the
> thought of universal design at the onset of introducing curb cuts
> initially.
> Once consideration was given and voices heard, the reality of a cost
> effective curb cut, which I could only guess was the reason for sending
> individuals out into the center of an intersection, gave way to curb cuts
> which followed the flow of traffic. Trial and error, now they are
> correcting
> that error and if it is not corrected we should bring it to the attention
> of our towns who are being flooded with stimulus dollars to correct
> pathways
> and roadways. The blind have not gotten a fair shake in this one at all.
> But
> the times they are a changing.
>
> Albert J. Rizzi, M.Ed.
> CEO/Founder
> My Blind Spot, Inc.
> 90 Broad Street - 18th Fl.
> New York, New York 10004
> www.myblindspot.org
> PH: 917-553-0347
> Fax: 212-858-5759
> "The person who says it cannot be done, shouldn't interrupt the one who is
> doing it."
>
>
> Visit us on Facebook LinkedIn
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: blindkid-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindkid-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
> Behalf Of Carol Castellano
> Sent: Friday, March 05, 2010 11:44 AM
> To: NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List,(for parents of blind children)
> Subject: Re: [blindkid] Looking forward
>
> Just look at curb cuts, for example. They are often cited as
> examples of how universal design will help EVERYONE, but they have
> certainly made lining up for a crossing more difficult for blind kids!
> Carol
>
> At 10:14 PM 3/4/2010, you wrote:
>>I agree. And Steve is right; there was far more than a great deal of
>>hidden marketing in Calvo's diatribe. And this is what bugs me about
>>his doings; he tends to try to push his products while appearing to
>>be a knight in shining armor. I'd much rather have a straightforward
>>sales pitch.
>>
>>Although I applaud Apple's efforts toward accessibility, I think we,
>>the blind, should think long and hard before we espouse so-called
>>"universal design" willy-nilly. Why? Because it is almost inevitable
>>that products designed for a range of disabilities will not serve
>>any one of them optimally. So we'll end up in a world of
>>accessibility mediocrity.
>>
>>AS I say, Steve's post has much to recommend it.
>>
>>Mike
>>
>>----- Original Message ----- From: "Deborah Kent Stein"
>><dkent5817 at worldnet.att.net>
>>To: "NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List,(for parents of blind children)"
>><blindkid at nfbnet.org>
>>Sent: Thursday, March 04, 2010 5:33 PM
>>Subject: Re: [blindkid] Looking forward
>>
>>
>>>
>>>
>>>As a dedicated Braille reader I am wary of the idea of eliminating
>>>companies that design technology exclusively for the blindness
>>>market. I highly doubt that mainstream companies will ever come
>>>forth with devices that include Braille displays. Refreshable
>>>Braille has expanded Braille access beyond my wildest dreams, and I
>>>worry that a shift to purely mainstream products could turn out to
>>>be a giant step into speech access only.
>>>
>>>Debbie
>>>----- Original Message ----- From: "Steve Jacobson"
> <steve.jacobson at visi.com>
>>>To: "NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List,(for parents of blind children)"
>>><blindkid at nfbnet.org>
>>>Sent: Thursday, March 04, 2010 4:45 PM
>>>Subject: Re: [blindkid] Looking forward
>>>
>>>
>>>>Sally,
>>>>
>>>>I have hesitated to say anything because I feel that Serotek has
>>>>very nice products but somewhat questionable marketing
>>>>techniques. The fact is that to talk you
>>>>away from JFW, HAL, or Window-Eyes right now is really talking you
>>>>into his products in my opinion. He over-simplifies the situation
>>>>with braille displays, too. He is
>>>>using our frustrations and civil rights to direct frustration
>>>>against his biggest compettitors without letting you know that he
>>>>is doing that. This is also coming out just
>>>>before the large CSUN conference which I feel makes the timing
>>>>interesting. Let me be clear, he makes some good points, and his
>>>>products tend to be good
>>>>values, but this hit me wrong, too. There are some reasons that
>>>>many of us have felt that we have been better served to have some
>>>>competition in the screen
>>>>reader arena even though it cost us more, rather than to push
>>>>Microsoft to create a screen reader, and I'd be glad to explain
>>>>that sometime if you are interested.
>>>>The picture is complicated.
>>>>
>>>>We should push to raise awareness of accessibility within
>>>>mainstream software, and we need to watch how it works to do what
>>>>Apple is doing. The writer is correct
>>>>that things will be changing over time, but I think there was a
>>>>good deal of hidden marketing here.
>>>>
>>>>Best regards,
>>>>
>>>>Steve Jacobson
>>>>
>>>>On Thu, 4 Mar 2010 08:31:24 -0600, Sally Thomas wrote:
>>>>
>>>>>Do you think he's self serving? It seems to me that supporting
> technology
>>>>>that is accessible right out of the box is a good thing. I bought my
> son a
>>>>>Victor Reader and it languishes beside his iPod Touch which is used
> every
>>>>>day. The Touch is smaller and more useful to him but both
>>>>>technologies cost
>>>>>me about the same. I also thought that the NFB Technology Bill of
> Rights
>>>>>was along these lines--equipment accessible right out of the box.
>>>>
>>>>>I would believe that his motives aren't pure since he is a
>>>>>businessman but I
>>>>>am a bit tired of buying very expensive equipment only to find out a
> couple
>>>>>of months later that it is obsolete.
>>>>
>>>>>Sally Thomas
>>>>>----- Original Message ----- From: "Mike Freeman" <k7uij at panix.com>
>>>>>To: "NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List,(for parents of blind children)"
>>>>><blindkid at nfbnet.org>
>>>>>Sent: Wednesday, March 03, 2010 11:01 PM
>>>>>Subject: Re: [blindkid] Looking forward
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>>Pure demagoguery.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Mike
>>>>>>
>>>>>>----- Original Message ----- From: "Sally Thomas" <seacknit at gmail.com>
>>>>>>To: "NFBnet Blind Kid Mailing List,(for parents of blind children)"
>>>>>><blindkid at nfbnet.org>
>>>>>>Sent: Wednesday, March 03, 2010 9:16 AM
>>>>>>Subject: [blindkid] Looking forward
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>>I received the following email from the TABS list. I hope this isn't
>>>>>>>redundant for you. I'm really excited by Serotek's plan.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>Subject: [leadership] Serotek declares war on the traditional
>>>>>>>adaptive
>>>>>>>technology industry and their blind ghetto products
>>>>>>>This is no warm fuzzy of a read, but something well worth the read
>>>>>>>and
>>>>>>>in my opinion long over due. Kudos to SeroTekCited from
>>>>>>>http://blog.serotek.com/
>>>>>>>The Serotek Ultimatum
>>>>>>>Serotek declares war on the traditional adaptive technology industry
>>>>>>>and their blind ghetto products. With this announcement we are
>>>>>>>sending out a
>>>>>>>call to arms to every blind person and every advocate for the blind
>>>>>>>to
>>>>>>>rise
>>>>>>>up and throw off the tyranny that has shaped our lives for the past
> two
>>>>>>>decades. It is a tyranny of good intentions - or at least what began
> as
>>>>>>>good
>>>>>>>intentions. But as the proverb says, "the road to hell is paved with
> good
>>>>>>>intentions." And for the past two decades the technologies originally
>>>>>>>conceived to give us freedom have been our shackles. They have kept
>>>>>>>us
>>>>>>>tied
>>>>>>>down to underperforming, obscenely expensive approaches that only a
> small
>>>>>>>percentage of blind people can afford or master. They have shackled
>>>>>>>us
> to
>>>>>>>government largess and the charity of strangers to pay for what few
> among
>>>>>>>us
>>>>>>>could afford on our own. And we have been sheep, lead down the path,
>>>>>>>bleating from time to time, but without the vision or the resources
>>>>>>>to
>>>>>>>stand
>>>>>>>up and demand our due.
>>>>>>>That time is past.
>>>>>>>We stand today on the very edge of universal accessibility.
>>>>>>>Mainstream
>>>>>>>products like the iPod, iPhone, and newly announced iPad are fully
>>>>>>>accessible out of the box. And they bring with them a wealth of
>>>>>>>highly
>>>>>>>desirable accessibility applications. The cost to blind people is
> exactly
>>>>>>>the same as the cost to sighted people. It's the same equipment, the
> same
>>>>>>>software, the same functionality, and fully accessible.
>>>>>>>What Apple has done, others are doing as well. The adaptive
>>>>>>>technology
>>>>>>>vendor who creates hardware and software that is intended only for
> blind
>>>>>>>folks, and then only if they are subsidized by the government, is a
>>>>>>>dinosaur. The asteroid has hit the earth, the dust cloud is
> ubiquitous,
>>>>>>>the
>>>>>>>dinosaur's days are numbered.
>>>>>>>But dinosaurs are huge, and their extinction does not happen
> overnight..
>>>>>>>Even as they die, they spawn others like them (take the Intel Reader
> for
>>>>>>>example). Thank you, no. Any blind person can have full accessibility
> to
>>>>>>>any
>>>>>>>type of information without the high-cost, blind-ghetto gear. They
>>>>>>>can
>>>>>>>get
>>>>>>>it in the same products their sighted friends are buying. But let's
> face
>>>>>>>it;
>>>>>>>if we keep buying that crap and keep besieging our visual resource
> center
>>>>>>>to
>>>>>>>buy that crap for us, the dinosaurs of the industry are going to keep
>>>>>>>making
>>>>>>>it. Their profit margins are very good indeed. And many have invested
>>>>>>>exactly none of that profit in creating the next generation of access
>>>>>>>technology, choosing instead to perpetuate the status quo. For
> instance,
>>>>>>>refreshable braille technology, arguably the most expensive
>>>>>>>blindness-specific(and to many very necessary) product has not
>>>>>>>changed
>>>>>>>significantly in 30 years. Yet, the cost remains out of reach for
>>>>>>>most
>>>>>>>blind
>>>>>>>people. Where's the innovation there? Why have companies not invested
> in
>>>>>>>cheaper, faster, smaller, and more efficient ways to make refreshable
>>>>>>>braille? Surely the piezoelectric braille cell is not the only way?
> And
>>>>>>>what
>>>>>>>about PC-based OCR software? It's still around a thousand dollars per
>>>>>>>license, yet core functionality hasn't changed much; sure, we get all
>>>>>>>sorts
>>>>>>>of features not at all related to reading, along with incremental
>>>>>>>accuracy
>>>>>>>improvements, but why are these prices not dropping either,
>>>>>>>especially
>>>>>>>when
>>>>>>>you consider that comparable off-the-shelf solutions like Abby
> Finereader
>>>>>>>can be had for as low as $79? ? And let's not forget the screen
>>>>>>>reader
>>>>>>>itself, the core technology that all of us need to access our
> computers
>>>>>>>in
>>>>>>>the first place. Do we see improvements, or just an attempt to mimic
>>>>>>>innovation with the addition of features which have nothing to do
>>>>>>>with
>>>>>>>the
>>>>>>>actual reading of the screen, while maintaining the same ridiculous
> price
>>>>>>>point.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>This maintaining of the status quo will, inevitably, face an enormous
>>>>>>>crash,
>>>>>>>worse than the transition from DOS to Windows based accessibility.
>>>>>>>You
>>>>>>>can
>>>>>>>expect a technology crash that will put users of the most expensive
>>>>>>>accessibility gear out of business.
>>>>>>>Why? I won't bore you with all the technical details, but the basic
> story
>>>>>>>is
>>>>>>>that some of these products have been kept current with patches and
> fixes
>>>>>>>and partial rewrites and other tricks we IT types use when we haven't
> got
>>>>>>>the budget to do it right, but we need to make the product work with
> the
>>>>>>>latest operating system. That process of patching and fixing creates
> an
>>>>>>>enormous legacy barrier that makes it impossible to rewrite without
>>>>>>>abandoning all who came before. But you can only keep a kluge working
> for
>>>>>>>so
>>>>>>>long before it will crumble under its own weight. That, my friends,
>>>>>>>is
>>>>>>>exactly where some of the leading adaptive technology vendors find
>>>>>>>themselves today.
>>>>>>>There are exceptions. Serotek is an exception because we have
> completely
>>>>>>>recreated our product base every three years. GW Micro is an
>>>>>>>exception
>>>>>>>because they built their product in a highly modular fashion and can
>>>>>>>update
>>>>>>>modules without destroying the whole. KNFB is an exception because
> they
>>>>>>>take
>>>>>>>advantage of off-the-shelf technologies, which translate ultimately
> into
>>>>>>>price drops and increased functionality.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>But even we who have done it right are on a path to obsolescence. The
>>>>>>>fundamental need for accessibility software is rapidly beginning to
>>>>>>>vanish.
>>>>>>>The universal accessibility principles we see Apple, Microsoft,
> Olympus,
>>>>>>>and
>>>>>>>others putting in place are going to eliminate the need for these
>>>>>>>specialty
>>>>>>>products in a matter of just a very few years.
>>>>>>>Stop and think. Why do you need accessibility tools? To read text?
> E-book
>>>>>>>devices are eliminating that need. None of them are perfect yet, but
> we
>>>>>>>are
>>>>>>>really only in the first generation. By Gen2 they will all be fully
>>>>>>>accessible. To find your way? GPS on your iPhone or your Android
>>>>>>>based
>>>>>>>phone
>>>>>>>will do that for you. To take notes? Easy on any laptop, netbook, or
>>>>>>>iPad.
>>>>>>>Heck, you can record it live and play it back at your convenience.
> Just
>>>>>>>what
>>>>>>>isn't accessible? You can play your music, catch a described video,
> scan
>>>>>>>a
>>>>>>>spreadsheet, take in a PowerPoint presentation - all using
> conventional,
>>>>>>>off-the-shelf systems and/or software that is free of charge.
>>>>>>>There are still some legacy situations where you need to create an
>>>>>>>accessibility path. Some corporations still have internal
>>>>>>>applications
>>>>>>>that
>>>>>>>do not lend themselves to modern devices. There will certainly be
>>>>>>>situations
>>>>>>>where a specialized product will better solve an accessibility
>>>>>>>problem
>>>>>>>than
>>>>>>>a mainstream one, especially in the short term. We don't advocate
>>>>>>>throwing
>>>>>>>the baby out with the bathwater, but we do advocate that we begin to
>>>>>>>hasten
>>>>>>>the inevitable change by using accessible mainstream solutions
> wherever
>>>>>>>possible. Even now, the leading edge companies are reinventing their
>>>>>>>internal systems with accessibility as a design criteria, so the
>>>>>>>situations
>>>>>>>that require specialized products will certainly become fewer as time
>>>>>>>goes
>>>>>>>on.
>>>>>>>If our current Assistive technology guard's reign is coming to an
>>>>>>>end,
>>>>>>>why
>>>>>>>the war? Why not just let it die its own, natural, inevitable death?
>>>>>>>Because
>>>>>>>nothing dies more slowly than an obsolete technology. Punch cards
>>>>>>>hung
> on
>>>>>>>for twenty or thirty years after they were completely obsolete. The
> same
>>>>>>>is
>>>>>>>true for magnetic tape. Old stuff represents a comparatively large
>>>>>>>investment, and people hate to throw away something they paid a lot
>>>>>>>of
>>>>>>>money
>>>>>>>for even if it's currently worthless. But that legacy stuff obscures
> the
>>>>>>>capabilities of the present. It gets used in situations where other
>>>>>>>solutions are cheaper and more practical. The legacy stuff clogs the
>>>>>>>vocational rehab channel, eating up the lion's share of the resources
> but
>>>>>>>serving a tiny portion of the need. It gets grandfathered into
> contracts.
>>>>>>>It
>>>>>>>gets specified when there is no earthly reason why the application
>>>>>>>requires
>>>>>>>it. The legacy stuff slows down the dawning of a fully accessible
> world.
>>>>>>>It hurts you and it hurts me.
>>>>>>>To be sure, I make my living creating and selling products that make
> our
>>>>>>>world accessible. But first and foremost, I am a blind person. I am
> one
>>>>>>>of
>>>>>>>you. And every day I face the same accessibility challenges you face.
> I
>>>>>>>have
>>>>>>>dedicated my life and my company to making the world more accessible
> for
>>>>>>>all
>>>>>>>of us, but I can't do it alone. This is a challenge that every blind
>>>>>>>person
>>>>>>>needs to take up. We need to shout from the rooftops: "Enough!"
>>>>>>>We need to commit ourselves in each and every situation to finding
>>>>>>>and
>>>>>>>using
>>>>>>>the most accessible off the shelf tool and/or the least-cost, highest
>>>>>>>function accessibility tool available. With our dollars and our
>>>>>>>commitment
>>>>>>>to making known that our needs and the needs of sighted people are
>>>>>>>99%
>>>>>>>the
>>>>>>>same, we can reshape this marketplace. We can drive the dinosaurs
>>>>>>>into
>>>>>>>the
>>>>>>>tar pits and nurture those cute fuzzy little varmints that are
> ancestors
>>>>>>>to
>>>>>>>the next generation. We can be part of the solution rather than part
> of
>>>>>>>the
>>>>>>>problem.
>>>>>>>And all it takes is getting the best possible solution for your
>>>>>>>specific need. Once you have found the solution to fill that need,
>>>>>>>let
>>>>>>>the company know you appreciate their work towards better
>>>>>>>accessibility. Let your friends (sighted and blind) know about these
>>>>>>>accessibility features; they probably don't know that such features
>>>>>>>exist. Make your needs known to the vocational rehab people you are
>>>>>>>working with, and don't allow them to make recommendations for a
>>>>>>>specific technology for no other reason than that it's been in the
>>>>>>>contract for years. Make sure your schools and your workplace
>>>>>>>understand the need to push technology in to the accessible space.
>>>>>>>Show them the low-cost alternatives. In this economy some, the
>>>>>>>intelligent ones, will get it and the tide will begin to turn. And
>>>>>>>then in short order the tsunami of good sense will wash away the old,
>>>>>>>and give us the space to build a more accessible world for all of us.
>>>>>>>Let the demand ring out loud and clear and the market will follow.If
>>>>>>>this message rings true to you, don't just shake your fist in
>>>>>>>agreement and leave it at that. let your voice be heard! Arm yourself
>>>>>>>with the vision of a future where there are no social, conceptual, or
>>>>>>>economic barriers to accessibility, and let your words and your
>>>>>>>actions demonstrate that you will not rest until that vision is
>>>>>>>realized. Take out your wallet and let your consumer power shine! You
>>>>>>>do mater as a market people! You have kept this company alive with
>>>>>>>your money for 8 years this month! I believe that if we all get
>>>>>>>together and do our part, we will finally say "NO more!" same old
>>>>>>>same
>>>>>>>old! Join the revolution! Together we can change the world!Posted by
>>>>>>>Mike Calvo at 2:15 PM
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>_______________________________________________
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> x.com
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
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>>>>
>>>>
>>>>>_______________________________________________
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> %40visi.com
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
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> erizon.net
>
> Carol Castellano, President
> National Organization of Parents of Blind Children
> 973-377-0976
> carol_castellano at verizon.net
> www.nfb.org/nopbc
>
>
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