From mboxrd@z Thu Jan 1 00:00:00 1970 Received: from mta1.math.wisc.edu ([144.92.166.194]) by speech.braille.uwo.ca with esmtp (Exim 3.36 #1 (Debian)) id 1I3DvK-00020y-00 for ; Tue, 26 Jun 2007 12:29:50 -0400 Received: from ulam.math.wisc.edu (ulam.math.wisc.edu [144.92.166.245]) by mta1.math.wisc.edu (Postfix) with ESMTP id 6A5C7742EF for ; Tue, 26 Jun 2007 11:29:11 -0500 (CDT) Received: from vv507j (vv507j.math.wisc.edu [144.92.166.75]) (using TLSv1 with cipher RC4-MD5 (128/128 bits)) (No client certificate requested) by ulam.math.wisc.edu (Postfix) with ESMTP id 66E8C2BDA3 for ; Tue, 26 Jun 2007 11:29:11 -0500 (CDT) Message-ID: <048d01c7b80e$fc568510$4ba65c90@vv507j> From: "John Heim" To: "Speakup is a screen review system for Linux." References: <20070625031627.GC32366@localhost.localdomain><013701c7b7a0$5b1dd2c0$b100a8c0@AveratecLaptop><20070626042409.GA25331@cm.nu> <00af01c7b7b4$12296ed0$ab00a8c0@tenstac> Subject: Re: Software speech opinions Date: Tue, 26 Jun 2007 11:28:10 -0500 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; format=flowed; charset="iso-8859-1"; reply-type=original Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2900.3138 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.3138 X-UWMath-MailScanner: amavisd-new at math.wisc.edu X-BeenThere: speakup@braille.uwo.ca X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.9 Precedence: list Reply-To: "Speakup is a screen review system for Linux." List-Id: "Speakup is a screen review system for Linux." List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Tue, 26 Jun 2007 16:29:50 -0000 ----- Original Message ----- From: "Doug Sutherland" To: "Speakup is a screen review system for Linux." Sent: Tuesday, June 26, 2007 12:37 AM Subject: Re: Software speech opinions >I made no mention of corporations, they go for where the huge > bucks are, but what I was saying is that there may be a more > indirect relation, to things like insurance. In any event, there is > something seriously wrong with the assistive tech market as a > whole. I used to have a huge collection of links to assistive > tech of all kinds. Check out some of these prices as just one > example. > > https://www.assistivetech.com/cgi/shopper.cgi > > A six foot wheelchair joystick cable is $109. A lightwriter > with dectalk voices is $4425. Something is not right. I was looking into the cost of braille displays a few weeks ago and was shocked at the prices. But what makes you think these prices are out of line? I mean, maybe it just costs that much per unit because of the low volume. If you figure in R&D costs, support costs, and manufacturing costs, maybe it just costs that much. If not, then why doesn't somebody put out a $1000 braille display and wipe out the competition? Admittedly, I can see a point on the other side too. We all believe in capitalism but corporations exist in the real world too. There is an ethical contradiction in our society where corporations get legal status as a person but nobody expects them to act morrally. In fact, in some circles, if you say corporations should behave as if they have a concience, you're passed off as a crazy liberal. We don't praise a human being for devoting all of his time and all of his energy toward making money. But the mere suggestion that a corporation might devote some of it's resources toward something other than making money is considered crazy. But if a corporation is going to be given the right to free speech, for example, then why is it unfair to expect it to have a concience as well?