[nabs] difference between Jaws 12 and Windows Eyes 7

Wed Dec 22 12:34:33 GMT 2010

Joe,
Again good points, but a ideal situation would be that the voc rehab clients insist that rehab perchase mack instead of windows and screenreader and train them on the mack. Moverover, it really baffels me that organizations such as the NFB and ACB are not doing more to push to make screenreaders afordable to the average blind person. I hear alot of talk from both organizations about the right of a blind person to live a independent life much of it I agree, but I don't see enough being done to provide blind people with equal economic equality to our sighted counterparts. How are we expected to be economicly successful when much of what we earn if we earn has to go to companies like Freedom Scientific?

Just some thoughts and excuse my rants. I just get really pissed off whenever I start thinking about the reality of how expensive adaptive technology is for blind person.

best wishes,
Anmol

I seldom think about my limitations, and they never make me sad. Perhaps there is just a touch of yearning at times; but it is vague, like a breeze among flowers.
Hellen Keller

--- On Wed, 12/22/10, Joe Orozco <jsorozco at gmail.com> wrote:

From: Joe Orozco <jsorozco at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [nabs] difference between Jaws 12 and Windows Eyes 7
To: "'Discussion list for NABS, National Alliance of Blind Students.'" <nabs at acb.org>
Date: Wednesday, December 22, 2010, 6:22 AM

Anmol,

I don't think it'll make a difference to GW Micro and Freedom Scientific that Macs come talking out of the box.  They have a pretty established customer base among government agencies, and the PC continues to hold the greater market share.  Unfortunately, there is very little training dedicated to the Mac system.  Until rehab agencies recognize that the Mac is a viable option for consumers, the PC will remain popular, and FS and company will continue to enjoy huge profits from screen readers.  As we saw, Freedom Scientific's price slash went to their Braille display, not their screen reader because it wouldn't make sense to bring down prices on a product they know sells high and plenty.  No, I totally agree it does not hurt to hope, but in a world where results speak better than wishes, consumers have to make informed decisions about where their limited investments go.

Best,

Joe

“Hard work spotlights the character of people: some turn up their sleeves, some turn up their noses, and some don't turn up at all.”--Sam Ewing

From: Anmol Bhatia [mailto:anmolpbhatia at yahoo.com] 
Sent: Wednesday, December 22, 2010 4:38 AM
To: jsorozco at gmail.com; National Alliance of Blind Students.Discussion list for NABS
Subject: Re: [nabs] difference between Jaws 12 and Windows Eyes 7

Joe,
Good points, but the good news is that with the Mack's built in Voice Over screen reader companies like Freedom Scientific and GW Micro have some competition. Now more blind people are buying Mack instead of a computer and a screen reader and it is my hope that this will affect companies like Freedom Scientific and GW Micro.
Maybe hopeful thinking, but nothing wrong with hoping.

Anmol

I seldom think about my limitations, and they never make me sad. Perhaps there is just a touch of yearning at times; but it is vague, like a breeze among flowers.
Hellen Keller

--- On Tue, 12/21/10, Joe Orozco <jsorozco at gmail.com> wrote:

From: Joe Orozco <jsorozco at gmail.com>
Subject: Re: [nabs] difference between Jaws 12 and Windows Eyes 7
To: "'Discussion list for NABS, National Alliance of Blind Students.'" <nabs at acb.org>
Date: Tuesday, December 21, 2010, 1:47 PM

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Rhonda,

You won't get an argument from me as to the cost of JAWS.  It is expensive, but it is also something of a needed expense once the product has been purchased.  I paid $260 to upgrade from Version 11 for an SMA that includes version 12 and will include version 13 next year.  This is two year's worth of software, which comes out to $10.83 a month.  I think that in the absence of regular auto fuel, tune-ups and general repairs, we have to budget for our technology.  It's not as if we don't know these products cost money later down the road.  If you can think of a way to pressure companies to bring down prices, let us in on it.  I considered starting a group to do this very thing, but the dynamics aren't there to make something concrete happen.  As long as the government continues to assume JAWS and Window Eyes are the leading products and are worth whatever GW Micro and FS charge, the likely it will be for us as individual consumers to be able to
 keep up with the steep price of a new product.

Now, all that aside, you didn't ask for my analysis. LOL  You asked which product to use, and if upgrading to the latest JAWS version is truly out of your price range, I would go with Window Eyes and opt for the short-term leasing program where you pay something like a hundred a month versus the forty-something.  If you already have five hundred saved up, I'm thinking you could save up another four hundred within the next five months to clench the deal on the product.  Unless I'm mistaken, it's possible to purchase the product outright once you've paid a certain percentage.  I personally don't like the keyboard setup for Window Eyes, but I would agree that if you're a proficient JAWS and Windows user, you can get acclimated relatively easy to the other screen reader.

Regards,

Joe

“Hard work spotlights the character of people: some turn up their sleeves, some turn up their noses, and some don't turn up at all.”--Sam Ewing

From: Rhonda Partain [mailto:partain319 at bellsouth.net] 
Sent: Tuesday, December 21, 2010 1:38 PM
To: jsorozco at gmail.com; 'Discussion list for NABS, National Alliance of Blind Students.'
Subject: RE: [nabs] difference between Jaws 12 and Windows Eyes 7

Since most blind and visually impaired people are not employed, or are underemployed having a payment plan makes it possible to have the latest screen reader. Jaws is a good product, but its price makes it hard for an individual to afford.

Rhonda 

From: nabs-bounces at acb.org [mailto:nabs-bounces at acb.org] On Behalf Of Joe Orozco
Sent: Tuesday, December 21, 2010 1:15 PM
To: 'Discussion list for NABS, National Alliance of Blind Students.'
Subject: Re: [nabs] difference between Jaws 12 and Windows Eyes 7

I know Freedom Scientific has caught some flack for not taking customers into consideration, preferring instead to deal with government agencies.  That being said, I think customer service is generally good.  When a representative has not been able to answer my questions, the issue has been escallated up to the right supervisor, and in at least one case I was put in touch with the programmers themselves to work out my issues.  I recently purchased JAWS 12 and 13, and while in a couple years my feelings may change on FS products, for the moment I feel it offers the most compatibility with a lot of applications out there.  This is by no means to discount Window Eyes, whose growing script repository is enviable, nor is it to put down NVDA and other products out there.  You pay a lot of money for a good product, and remember sometimes the JAWS issues aren't necessarily JAWS issues as much as Windows issues.  I understand Windows 7 offers better
 stability than previous Windows platforms. 

Best,

Joe

“Hard work spotlights the character of people: some turn up their sleeves, some turn up their noses, and some don't turn up at all.”--Sam Ewing

From: nabs-bounces at acb.org [mailto:nabs-bounces at acb.org] On Behalf Of webmaster Christopher Wright
Sent: Tuesday, December 21, 2010 12:45 PM
To: Discussion list for NABS,National Alliance of Blind Students.
Subject: Re: [nabs] difference between Jaws 12 and Windows Eyes 7 

Hi Rhonda,

If you're concern is the cost, you might want to call Freedom Scientific and find out, financially speaking, what your options are. You might also want to visit http://www.fsactivate.com/ and press enter on the Continue Product Activation button.

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