Consider the price of the Apple screen reader.  It's worth much more
than what you pay.  There's also no annual SMA.
 


-----Original Message-----
From: For blind ham radio operators
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Steve Dresser
Sent: Monday, July 28, 2008 11:11 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: switching from windows to mac

Anthony,

Their screen reader is pretty new, and I suspect they're still figuring
out precisely what a screen reader should do.  I think a Mac is a great
machine for someone who wants to boldly go where few have gone before,
but not for someone looking for a practical way to do his/her job.  That
said, I'd like to play with one long enough to see what the screen
reader is and how it works, but I'm not willing to go out and buy one.

Steve

----- Original Message -----
From: "Anthony Vece" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Monday, July 28, 2008 15:40
Subject: Re: switching from windows to mac


> Hi Steve;
>
> I have to agree with you 100
> percent.
>
> Also, I'd like to add that I switched to a MAC for a short time and, I

> found
> the technical support inadequate.
>
> I would call them and they had no clue as to how there speech output
> interfaced with the print material.
>
> It was frustrating to say the least.
>
> 73 De Anthony W2AJV
> [log in to unmask]
> ECHOLINK NODE NUMBER: 74389
>
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Steve Dresser" <[log in to unmask]>
> To: <[log in to unmask]>
> Sent: Monday, July 28, 2008 1:37 PM
> Subject: Re: switching from windows to mac
>
>
>> Tom,
>>
>> Opinions vary as to which system is better, and you'll probably get
as
>> many
>> different answers as there are people on this list.  Regardless of
all
>> that,
>> though, you need to look at a few things:
>>
>> 1.  You're using Windows at work.  Although it's true that there are
>> programs which allow you to use PC files on the Mac and vice versa, 
>> you're
>> bound to run into instances where things don't go as they should.
Ask
>> yourself if you really want to put up with those kind of surprises,
>> keeping
>> in mind that you won't see them coming.
>>
>> 2.  No matter what learning curve there is for switching to Vista,
>> there'll
>> be an even bigger learning curve if you switch from Windows to a Mac.

>> Are
>> you up for that?
>>
>> 3.  You mentioned three programs: JAWS, Duxbury, and K1000.  These
are 
>> all
>> Windows programs, and are not supported on the Mac.  Mac has its own
>> screen
>> reader, but it definitely isn't JAWS, and whether it works well or
not,
>> you'll have to learn it.  Duxbury used to be supported on Macs, but
the
>> company has dropped Mac support in the interest of doing a better job
in
>> the
>> market where they get the most revenue.  I don't even know if there
is a
>> program equivalent to K1000 for the Mac.
>>
>> To me, the important issue is whether you're considering a Mac as a
way 
>> to
>> avoid dealing with VISTA, or whether you want to switch to the Mac 
>> because
>> it's a better machine for the tasks you want to accomplish.  If the
>> former,
>> I wouldn't waste your time.  If the latter, you have to decide
whether 
>> the
>> improvements are worth the time and effort it will take you to master
the
>> new environment.
>>
>> Steve
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "T Behler" <[log in to unmask]>
>> To: <[log in to unmask]>
>> Sent: Monday, July 28, 2008 10:33
>> Subject: switching from windows to mac
>>
>>
>>> Hi, all.
>>>
>>> I know I'm about to show my ignorance, or shalle we say, lack of
>>> knowledge
>>> here, but figure I'm among friends and still have the ability to
learn,
>>> so
>>> here goes:
>>>
>>> Probably within the next year, we are going to need a new PC for the
>>> house
>>> here, and I'm seriously thinking of a mac, rather than going through
the
>>> pain of making the switch to Vista, as yet another windows-based
>>> operating
>>> system.
>>>
>>> My problem, though, is that the University where I teach still
insists 
>>> on
>>> Windows, which means that my office PC would be a windows machine,
while
>>> the
>>> home machine would be a mac.
>>>
>>> I know there are programs that allow you to swap files between
windows
>>> and
>>> mac machines, so that probably could be worked around.
>>>
>>> My main questions, though, are with regard to adaptive technology.
>>>
>>> 1.  Does Jaws have the ability to work with macs, and if so, would I

>>> need
>>> a
>>> completely separate program and user license for that, in addition
to 
>>> the
>>> windows-based Jaws I'd still be using at the office?
>>>
>>> 2.  Do programs like Duxbury and the K1000 have the ability to work
with
>>> macs, and would I be looking at separate programs and licenses there

>>> too?
>>>
>>> The new computer purchase for home is still about a year away, so I
have
>>> some time to think about things here, but I guess it's never too
late to
>>> start thinking about what's best.
>>>
>>> If you don't want to clutter up the list with replies to these 
>>> questions,
>>> feel free to e-mail me off list at:
>>>
>>> [log in to unmask]
>>>
>>> Thanks as always for your help.
>>>
>>> 73 from Tom Behler:  KB8TYJ
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>> No virus found in this incoming message.
>> Checked by AVG - http://www.avg.com
>> Version: 8.0.138 / Virus Database: 270.5.6/1577 - Release Date:
7/28/2008
>> 6:55 AM
>>
>>
>
>
>