Ross.Calloway@f41.n267.z1.fidonet.org (Ross Calloway) (11/28/90)
Index Number: 12008 [This is from the Silent Talk Conference] In a letter from Linda Iverson to Fran O'Gorman... > fortune. I telieve in making a profit, and I know the > work that goes into special needs programs and devices, > but I have felt that much of this stuff is way too > expensive. I wish someone would follow your example and > come up with a good, accurate, and affordable braille translator! Boy, err, Girl, you've said a mouthful there! My blood boils whenever I see the high prices for adaptive hardware and/or software. It's been my experience that the very people who can benefit by the use of those products can't even come close to affording them. I'm afraid that most vendors don't view the end user as the purchaser, but rather, a state or federal agency. And we all know how state and federal agencies squander our tax dollars. Seems the vendors know that they'll get whatever high price they want because it is the state that'll be footing the bill, not the end user who is on SSI because they're homebound can't get gainfull employmenet. I hope I'm not getting off-topic (then it's too late...) but I think that IF the vendors would lower their prices then they would sell more, enough to make it worthwhile to contine w/o going bankrupt and still make a profit. {getting off soapbox} Hope you and the other SilentTalkers have a peaceful and restful Thanksgiving. Time for my nap... Ross -- Uucp: ..!{decvax,oliveb}!bunker!hcap!hnews!267!41!Ross.Calloway Internet: Ross.Calloway@f41.n267.z1.fidonet.org
cdvnsp@ritvax.isc.rit.edu (VAN OSTRAND, CD) (12/01/90)
Index Number: 12068 In article <15916@bunker.UUCP>, Ross.Calloway@f41.n267.z1.fidonet.org (Ross Calloway) writes... >Index Number: 12008 > >In a letter from Linda Iverson to Fran O'Gorman... > > > fortune. I telieve in making a profit, and I know the > > work that goes into special needs programs and devices, > > but I have felt that much of this stuff is way too > > expensive. I wish someone would follow your example and > > come up with a good, accurate, and affordable braille translator! > >Boy, err, Girl, you've said a mouthful there! My blood boils whenever I see >the high prices for adaptive hardware and/or software. It's been my >experience that the very people who can benefit by the use of those products >can't even come close to affording them. I'm afraid that most vendors don't >view the end user as the purchaser, but rather, a state or federal agency. And >we all know how state and federal agencies squander our tax dollars. Seems the >vendors know that they'll get whatever high price they want because it is the >state that'll be footing the bill, not the end user who is on SSI because >they're homebound can't get gainfull employmenet. Actually I have heard/read that there is a bill presently to put close captioning on all televisions (19" and over) in the manufacturing process. Then there would be the option of using it or not. For the cost of the one chip needed it is worth it. Hope to see a lowering in the price of TDD's also. That would be a larger benefit, at least AT&T has realized that TDD calls are longer than spoken, so they have reduced rates Larry via Chris [Note from Bill McGarry: This law has passed! I will be posting something about it in the next day or so.]