This announcement will be of great interest to many on this list.
Norman Coombs
CEO EASI


----- Original Message -----
From: "Susan Jennings" <[log in to unmask]
To: <[log in to unmask]
Sent: Monday, December 11, 2000 1:14 PM
Subject: WebSpeak Announcement


 Dear WebSpeak Users,

 An announcement has been placed on the isSound web site that explains that
 isSound will discontinue sales and enhancements of pwWebSpeak, the
 non-visual browser, effective January 1, 2001.  The text of this
 announcement has been placed below for your convenience, or you may go to
 our web site and read the notice there at:

 http://www.issound.com/pwwebspeak/index.htm

 The product description will remain on our web site and the Users Manual,
 FAQs, and Technical Bulletins will be added to the web site soon to assist
 current users.  I can be reached via email or via phone at: 609-637-0099,
 ext. 215.  Your maintenance agreement ends during the month of June, 2001.

 Text of Announcement:

 To Those Interested in pwWebSpeak:

 isSound has made the decision to discontinue selling and enhancing the
 pwWebSpeak non-visual browser, effective January 1, 2001, as its business
 model is no longer viable.

 For those users current on their maintenance agreement, we will continue
to
 support you until your agreement runs out.  You will receive an email
 confirming the month in which your agreement ends.

 Since pwWebSpeak's development in 1996, changes in Web design and standard
 practices, coupled with improvements in Screen Reading technology, have
 changed the landscape for our desktop browser.  pwWebSpeak is limited in
its
 capacity to handle the newer technologies and functional aspects of the
Web.
 The expense of enhancing the product exceeds the revenue model.

 Because we know that pwWebSpeak still offers a very satisfactory and easy
 way for many people with visual impairments to have web pages read to
them,
 we are actively seeking an organization to take on the distribution and
 support of the browser, and possible enhancement of it.  To date, such an
 organization has not been found.  If we are unsuccessful in finding such
an
 organization, we are considering offering pwWebSpeak to the visually
 impaired community as shareware with no technical support.

 We have turned our attention to the next generation of products that will
 bring Web content to people in audio format.  We remain committed to
 developing products that serve all people based on open, international
 standards.

 Elaine Verna, President

 End of Announcement

 We thank all of you who gave us our start and loyally supported us
 throughout the process of developing the first browser to use the HTML of
a
 web page to offer navigation options to people who wanted and needed
audible
 access to web content.