-=> Quoting Lynn Schneider to All. <=- 
 
 LS> I just finished reading the January Monitor all the way through, and 
 LS> came away feeling extremely depressed about the future of technology 
 LS> for blind people.  I wanted to throw out a few questions and get 
 LS> opinions.  
I didn't feel that way at all, and I was at the entire conference.  Yes, 
here
are problems, big ones, but there is also a lot of power in technology, and 
n
collective action.  We can do this one.  We will have to work, but it is
dooable.
LS> First of all, if we are such a terribly small market, why 
 LS> do we have so many thriving companies producing technology for the 
 LS> blind?  Are these people all just doing charity work?  Is anyone 
 LS> making a living off the technology or is everyone near bankruptcy?  
 LS> Why would very bright people want to even get involved in technology 
 LS> for the blind if there was no money in it?  
 
I am sure there are different reasons for each person and company.  there are 
a
number of companies making money, pretty good money in some instances.  I 
now
Blazie has made a lot, TSI has generally made money, I think most of the 
screen
review people have had their successful years, etc.  It isn't easy, but 
gain,
it can be done.  It is also a challenge for bright people, and a great source 
of
satisfaction to many.  I don't think many are doing charity, but I bet many 
have
a blind relative or friend that influenced them, which led into the market. 
then, some people just ended up there.
 
LS> Secondly, talking about 
 LS> access to software, hardware and consumer products, what other 
 LS> motivation do companies have than the threat of government action to 
 LS> make products accessible.  In other words, aside from the threat of 
 LS> losing federal contracts, why would companies care whether we had 
 LS> access to their software or not?  I'm not saying this to be facetious 
 LS> or anything, but I'm thinking in terms of the realities of the 
 LS> marketplace where the bottom dollar rules and companies market to the 
 LS> largest consumer base.  The thing point I wanted to throw out is that 
 LS> with the baby-boomers getting older, the population of elderly people 
 LS> in this country will grow significantly, a certain percentage of which 
 LS> will lose their sight.  Do you folks see this as leading to more 
 LS> attention to blindness, and disability issues in general?  Many older 
 LS> Americans will have to stay in the work force by necessity, disability 
 LS> or not.  
 
Yes, I think there will be more of a demand for disability products as baby
boomers age.  It may take legal action to get movement in some areas.  
However,
there are some proffitable niches out there.  Ujniversal design can pay
dividends and as we age, even more so.  Products get increasingly 
omplicated,
and hard to use, so some simplification may benefit everyone.  As technology
gets more powerful, we will be able to finnesse and/or solve things that are
problems today, such as reading LCD screens.
LS> Last but not least, when talking about paying for tech 
 LS> support, how much would companies charge?  Just wondering.  Sorry 
 LS> about the long post, and I hope someone out there can help me feel 
 LS> better about things after reading the January issue.  
 LS> Lynn K. Schneider 
  
There is no absolute answer to that question.  It depends on the product, the
company, and the level of support needed.  it will cost anywhere from $25 to
$100 per hour for individual training, so true training would cost more then
most products.
David Andrews
... Taglines, taglines, taglines.  So many taglines, and so little time!
--- Blue Wave/386 v2.30 [NR]
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