Hi Eric. I know lot of people who cannot afford Imac but can afford a windows. A lot of blind people I know have window eyes or jaws. Some of them get used ones and others can get them by putting so much money down a month. You might have to go by way of windows for now which I understand is just as good only different. On Mar 26, 2012, at 5:39 AM, Lewis Alexander wrote:
> Hi Eric, > > yep I completely agree with you and understand your plite. > > I was forced to close down the project due to two major factors. Lack of > support regarding supply of equipment and a poorly run charities commission > stating different rulings and then telling me that my project does not > warrant Commission status, thus failing to grant registered numbers, etc. > > This project has helped a very small number of users (8 in all) and it's left > me in a very serious situation which I've now resolved. > > The problem also exists wherever you are in the world. Funding for accessible > equipment for the blind is non existant. Why? well from my years of > experience in this matter, various charities set up conflicting guidelines > and rulings which do not help the individual in need of the support. For over > 12 years since I lost my sight completely, I had to apply for various grants. > within 10 years, every grant (500+ in total) were rejected, all because of > different factors by their own rulings, offerings of £100 to £250 towards a > product and then not being able to apply to X amount of other charities > (connected to the associated charity in question) due to ridiculous clauses. > > I use my iphone 3GS and macbook pro. the only reason I have these is through > having to sell everything I owned including my old music gear from years ago > to raise the funds for the kit needed, from there it's been a thing of taking > on a few projects to raise cash for equipment I still have to rely on. > > internationally, we need to change the system and yes APPLE needs to help us > out on this. They have developed products which openly and directly support > blind and disabled users and yet we have to pay an absolute premium, as > rightly said here, over 85% of blind people in the USA are out of work and > cannot afford the equipment and services needed, the same here in the UK even > though disability living allowance and other components aren't enough to > cover costs of equipment. You're lucky if you get into a university to > receive grants for equipment you need. In my case, through my education, the > equipment I had to use failed me all the time, the wrong software, wrong > hardware and operating systems which by their own admission were poorly > managed and had huge issues. hence me taking on the matters in person and > resolving them. a battle I don't want to entertain ever again. > > It's at this point where we as a nation of blind and visually impaired people > make a stand and a change for the better. > > lew > > On 26 Mar 2012, at 10:22, Eric Oyen wrote: > >> I really wish there was a financing program for the blind when it comes to >> mac hardware (laptops, desktops, iPad, iPhone). given that I (and a great >> many others) am living on a disability income (more than 85% of the blind in >> the US are), I find it nearly impossible to save up for any equipment. Hell, >> I had to make my own Hackintosh and load it with a store purchased copy of >> snow leopard. It cost me $30 for the OS and about $400 to assemble the >> machine. at minimum, I would have to spend nearly twice that much for a >> comparably equipped mac mini and almost $1500 or more for a reasonably >> powerful macbook pro/air. given that I have to spend my money on >> medications, rent and food, there is no way I can even save up for one at >> all. >> >> there used to be a "free macs for the blind" charity in Great Britain, but >> the person running that organization was forced to give it up as there were >> too many problems involved. We need something like that here in North >> America, but I just don't see that happening. I tried to query Apple about >> doing something like this and was given the polite brush off (thats nice >> kid, here is a soda. now go over in the corner.). hell, they have $115 >> Billion in CASH laying around they are not using. they could earn themselves >> a lot of good publicity if they offered some macs to the blind at a vastly >> discounted rate. it would also give them an in to a market they don't >> currently have. >> >> anyway, time for me to climb down off the soapbox. >> >> -eric >> >> On Mar 26, 2012, at 1:38 AM, Neil Barnfather - TalkNav wrote: >> >>> one thing that I can note that is not seeming to be mentioned is the fact >>> that there ar certain Apps which are not available on iPhone / iPod Touch, >>> yet, that are found on the iPad. >>> >>> The iPad from my prespective is purely for consumption, and I use it for >>> news papers, which 4 of which are not found on the iPhone, and 5 are on the >>> iPhone, but, only as reduced versions. >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> Regards, >>> >>> Neil Barnfather >>> >>> Talks List Administrator >>> Twitter @neilbarnfather >>> >>> TalkNav is a Nuance, Code Factory and Sendero dealer, as well as an Apple >>> iOS, Macintosh and Android accessibility specialist. For all your >>> accessible phone, PDA and GPS related enquiries visit www.talknav.com >>> >>> URL: - www.talknav.com >>> e-mail: - serv...@talknav.com >>> Phone: - +44 844 999 4199 >>> >>> On 24 Mar 2012, at 08:43, David Hole wrote: >>> >>>> hi folks. >>>> I just wonder, and many here have asked, so I thought I'd ask you in >>>> this group. >>>> What's the benefit for blind people to have an iPad instead of an >>>> iPhone? >>>> I mean, as far as I can see, the difference is only the screen size... >>>> Am I right? >>>> Actually I'd like to have one myself, but I can't find any good >>>> reasons to have it, since I have both an iPhone and a Mac. >>>> Hope someone here can give me reasons to get one :p >>>> Best regards David >>>> >>>> -- >>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >>>> "MacVisionaries" group. >>>> To post to this group, send email to macvisionaries@googlegroups.com. >>>> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >>>> macvisionaries+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. >>>> For more options, visit this group at >>>> http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en. >>>> >>> >>> -- >>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >>> "MacVisionaries" group. >>> To post to this group, send email to macvisionaries@googlegroups.com. >>> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >>> macvisionaries+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. >>> For more options, visit this group at >>> http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en. >>> >> >> -- >> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups >> "MacVisionaries" group. >> To post to this group, send email to macvisionaries@googlegroups.com. >> To unsubscribe from this group, send email to >> macvisionaries+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. >> For more options, visit this group at >> http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en. >> > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "MacVisionaries" group. > To post to this group, send email to macvisionaries@googlegroups.com. > To unsubscribe from this group, send email to > macvisionaries+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. > For more options, visit this group at > http://groups.google.com/group/macvisionaries?hl=en. > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "MacVisionaries" group. 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