[Reader-users] A family of readers?

[Peter Donahue]

Hello Mike and listers,

    Don't tell Paul Zane Pilzer that. He's the Author of Unlimited Wealth,
the Theory and Practice of Economic Alchemy which says the exact opposite of
what your typical Economics class would teach you. We've read his books and
have heard him speak in person in years past. Many in our Government and in
other quarters now advance his alchemic theory of economics. If we apply it
in this instance as new and cheaper technology is developed ways can be
found to add these features to the all ready existing reader, or to develop
similar products to meet specific needs for little or no development cost.

    The best example of how this theory is applied was during the oil
embargo of 1973. Everyone was saying that we would run out of oil in ten
years or so. Most automobiles used carburetors to regulate fuel consumption.
Along came fuel injection systems which allowed automobiles to burn fuel
more efficiently thus increasing the global supply and forcing the economic
community to revise their forecast as to when the World's oil supplies would
run out.

    If Ray Kurzweil can forecast the reader being able to allow one to take
pictures and know where things are in a room perhaps it's not too over the
top to believe that ways can be found to interface the reader with devices
such as glucose monitors, insulin pumps, laboratory equipment, other
adaptive technology, etc. Let us remember that Ray Kurzweil himself
encourages us to dream of how the reader can be of greater benefit to us in
the years ahead. Would it be safe to say that these ideas and discussions
are just what he would have wanted? Now I'm off to make turkey stuffing and
to bake a pumpkin pie. Best wishes to everyone from Mary and I for a happy
and wonderful Thanksgiving.

Peter Donahue

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Mike Freeman" <k7uij at panix.com>
To: "Kurzweil National Federation of the Blind Reader users list"
<reader-users at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Wednesday, November 22, 2006 5:47 PM
Subject: Re: [Reader-users] A family of readers?


Peter:

I'm sure we (NFB) will be glad to develop that family of readers. All we
need is for *you* to pay for the development.

In other words: get real, man! We're lucky to have the Reader we do have.
For my money, there are more important things -- like accessible insulin
pumps, more options in accessible glucose meters, accessible apliances and
the like -- than to waste time, effort and money on a family of readers.
It's just not going to be practical for some time to develop a Reader for
the deaf-blind, desirable as this might be. This is, after all, a world of
economic scarcity.

Mike

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Peter Donahue" <pdonahue1 at sbcglobal.net>
To: "Kurzweil National Federation of the Blind Reader users list"
<reader-users at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Wednesday, November 22, 2006 8:13 AM
Subject: [Reader-users] A family of readers?



Good morning everyone,

    I've been reading the messages concerning desired features of the KNFB
Reader and the concern that the machine should be as simple to use as
possible. While I appreciate the idea that simplicity should be the name of
the game there are those with specialized living and work situations who
need particular types of print to be read on a regular basis. I understand
that the objective was not to invent a Swiss Army Knife but to create a
portable reader that is easy to use and low maintenance. Perhaps
consideration could be given to introducing a, "Family" of KNFB Readers for
use in specific situations. For example a machine with a built-in Braille
Display for the deaf-blind although being able to interface the reader with
a PC or a portable notetaker makes more sence. Perhaps a, "Delux" model
could be developed that includes a bar code reader for labels on cans, or
the ability to read digital read-outs.

    We heard that in the future one will be able to enter a room and take a
picture and know where objects and people are in the room. This could be a
useful feature to some, but others would consider it an unnecessary add-on
that will only jack up the price and the amount of required tech support
needed to keep the unit working. Perhaps several units could be offered to
satisfy a wide variety of needs. For those just wanting a reader the current
unit should suffice, but for those wanting the ability to read print from
specialized devices and such a unit should be made available to meet those
needs. This is similar to what NLS, and a number of the technology vendors
have done with CC TVS and digital playback devices. Anyway just my two
cents. Now I'm back up a tree to finish stringing our Christmas Lights.

Peter Donahyue who won't need a KNFB Reader to tell him the colors of the
bulbs in the light strings.



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