ok, I concede the point. I still have the opine n that their equipment is at least 30% over priced.
-eric On Mar 26, 2012, at 7:11 AM, Scott Howell wrote: > Eric, > > Honestly I hear you, but I just do not agree. There are people out there who > have other disabilities or have no disabilities at all and have the same > issues as you. My point is Apple nor any company should be expected to > subsidize anything for anyone and I am including myself. There are companies > like Gizelle that takes older equipment and resells it. A lot of times you > can get a very good deal on a machine. There are also other companies that do > something similar. So, there are sources available, but I just see no reason > for APple regardless of how much money they have to get into the business of > providing machines at a reduced price for someone with a disability. I think > your number exercise is leaving out the larger community of people with > disabilities. YOu start adding in all the different types of disabilities you > will see the cost would go up substantially. > You know nothing is easy and we all have to work with what we have available > to us. I never said it would be easy or seem fair, but if you have food to > eat and a place to live I think you have the basic needs met. This whole idea > of redistributing the wealth of companies and individuals is unreasonable and > counterproductive, and that is what you are advocating. > I think the fact that APple does not charge for VoiceOver is a considerable > advantage because hey you aren't buying a $500 computer and tacking another > chunk of change on top just to get a usable screen reader. I think that > counts for something. :) > > > On Mar 26, 2012, at 6:41 AM, Eric Oyen wrote: > >> I realize this. the problem is that there is absolutely no possibility that >> I will ever be able to save up for one. I get $718 a month and between the >> rent, food and cell phone, I have nothing left. I actually have to borrow >> money each month just to pay the medications co-pay (that leaves me about >> $30 in the hole each month). >> >> this computer and 1 handheld radio are about the only things I own outright >> (and the computer is about 4 years old). >> >> now, if I were employed, I wouldn't even have these problems. I would be >> living in a slightly nicer place (outside of gang territory), paying my >> taxes, having real health insurance, and buying real food (not the cheap >> crap chock full of chemistry and virtually no food value). >> >> you are right, too, that apple doesn't HAVE TO reduce their prices. they >> could garner an even bigger share of the laptop and desktop markets if they >> did. they don't HAVE TO offer some discounts to those who are disabled, but >> they could and it wouldn't hurt their bottom line at all. >> Yes, I could save up only IF I were able to. hell, the internet I had to beg >> from a neighbor on a wireless node. >> >> so yeah, I have a lot on my plate that wouldn't be there otherwise. call me >> frustrated. I am stuck on a waiting list to get a hearing aid for my left >> ear. that has delayed my training program and continues to delay any >> possibility of becoming employed. so, unless something moves here, I take >> whatever I can get, where ever I can get it. >> >> >> >> here is a number crunching exercise for you. >> >> there are an estimated 25 million blind or visually impaired people in the >> US. if Apple where to *GIVE* each of us 1 fully equipped mac mini, it would >> cost less than $2.5 Billion and they would still make a profit on the deal >> in good publicity alone. that would still leave them with $113 Billion IN >> CASH laying around doing nothing. >> >> with that cash, Apple could buy ALL of hollywood (warner brothers, disney, >> universal studios, ILM and others) plus purchase 2 of the big cable >> companies plus purchase blockbuster and netflix and still have enough left >> over to buy all of AT&T. After all of that, they would still have enough >> cash laying around to make the profits of BP Oil look like loose change. >> They could buy all of wal*mart and only start to break a sweat. >> >> at the end of all this, Apple would be the worlds largest corporation with >> revenues exceeding the GNP of nearly 40 countries combined and rebuild all >> that spent cash in less than 5 years. >> >> Now, considering I am a trained accountant with a business administration >> background (courtesy of Glendale Community college) and I requested the >> balance sheets on a number of corporations to see what was really happening >> to our economy. the scenario above would be entirely possible if the US >> Government had no RICO Laws. Just the assets that such a monster I have >> described above would exceed the net worth of nearly all of Europe and some >> of south America. I know that sounds highly ludicrous but that is what $113 >> Billion IN CASH could do properly invested. at that level, the interest >> being earned would start to earn its own interest in very short order. >> >> so yeah, it looks ridiculous, but that is the scale I am talking about here. >> giving away 25 million mac minis wouldn't even put a dent in that and I am >> not asking them to give them away, just give us a little hand up to owning >> some real tools. >> >> -eric >> >> >> On Mar 26, 2012, at 2:38 AM, Scott Howell wrote: >> >>> Eric, >>> >>> I don't know you or your financial situation beyond what you have said. >>> However, I do understand how it can be difficult to "make ends" meet and >>> how hard it is to save up and purchase something you want, but it is >>> possible. There is no reason for APple to offer any product at a reduced >>> price because of your disability. APple is a great company that has done >>> amazing things, but APple is not a charity. Yes APple has lots of cash and >>> the reason why APple has been successful is by using their money wisely and >>> other companies should maybe take a page from APple's playbook and they >>> could be in a good financial place. >>> I mean no offense Eric, but I get a little worked up when I read messages >>> making statements such as those you made. Blind people like any other group >>> of individuals with a disability need opportunity not charity, A hand up >>> not a hand out, and no matter if you have a "disability" or not it is up to >>> you to determine your financial priorities so that you can purchase the >>> things you want. Note that you does not refer to you as Eric. :) >>> >>> >>> On Mar 26, 2012, at 5:22 AM, 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. >> 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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