Many here ask which is the best windows screen reader.  Many factors come
into play when reaching such a judgment.  I pass on the dialogue below to
demonstrate how even highly skilled and experienced blind computer users
struggle to balance the pluses and the minuses.  Here, Jaws for Windows is
considered the best overall Windows screen reader in a technical sense, but
customer service and support is lousy.

BTW:  the list to which this was originally posted is not sponsored by the
Henter Joyce Corporation.

kelly

Date: Fri, 14 May 1999 13:54:32 -0400 (EDT)
From: Jamal Mazrui <[log in to unmask]>
Reply-To: [log in to unmask]
To: "Roger A.  Behm" <[log in to unmask]>
Cc: [log in to unmask], [log in to unmask]

I think there is presently no better screen reader than JFW overall,
though others can be as good or better for a particular set of needs.  For
this achievement, HJ deserves credit.  It is a shame, however, that the
company seems to care little about its public image in the blind
community.  Telesensory and Artic Technologies have had poor reputations
in the past, but today HJ ranks top in this unfortunate category.  I base
this statement on a consistent pattern of user comments from a variety of
sources.  Someone knowledgeable of the field almost feels obligated to
defend a decision about purchasing JFW because of the company's reputation
for poor technical support, low quality control, misleading marketing, and
exhorbitant pricing.  HJ may be able to maintain the market lead because
of its relatively large development resources compared to competitors.  If
it doesn't seriously address its public image problem through substantive
customer-oriented changes, however, it may lose its lead in the long run.

Regards,
Jamal
On Fri, 14 May 1999, Roger
A. Behm wrote:

> Date: Fri, 14 May 1999 07:57:12 -0500
> From: "Roger A.  Behm" <[log in to unmask]>
> Reply-To: [log in to unmask]
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: jfw 3.3 still no big deal!
>
> Hi Bill,
>
> I am not bashing jfw, but only commenting on the fact that it is hard to
> push jfw to customers, when they, jfw, seems to always charge  so much for
> their product and at almost every turn, they are asking more money, when
> other venders are not.
> window-eyes 3.1 is free for the downloading for customers, if you want it
> on a cd-rom then and only then, does it cost $20 plus $7 for hshipping.  I
> provide for my customers who want the 3.1 on cd-rom, a free cd-rom with
> window-eyes 3.1on it, since I have a cd-rom recorder and the disks only
> cost me $.92 a peice.  but then gw micro has a great deal more of over head
> and I can see their reasons for charging $20 for their cd-rom.
>  on the other hand, jfw offers their upgrade for free to  the download, if
> your SMA is in order and jfw remembers to put your serial number on the
> list!  otherwise, it  cost you $50 for a copy on cd-rom.  I have had
> problems with jfw and there losing my SMA agreement, both for the 3.2 and
> now for the 3.3.  They always find it later, but It drives me nuts that
> they cause me and others such a hassle.
> Anyone can use window-eyes 3.0 for free, by asking for and receiving a 30
> minute demo which includes a taped tutorial.
> I tried getting a jfw demo for a customer, but was informed that the demo
> on the web is not for the new customer, but the for the jfw customer who
> has older versions of jfw.  My customer would have to pay $39.95 for the
> right to try out the demo of jfw and then jfw would apply the cost to the
> full blown version, or otherwise, my customer would be out $39.95.
> Other screen readers I sell offer free demos, with only a time limit and
> include manuals and or taped info.
> Jfw's demos either have  date limit either 60 days for their $39.95 or a
> date limit like the one they had on the web, which was no good after April
> 30, 1999.
> I do like that jfw offers braille support, but their scripts are so
> impossible for the comman pc users to even attempt, that it causes a big
> handicap for many, even those who know computer programing don't even know
> how, or it takes a great deal of time to develope one script.
> I just hope jfw comes down to earth and remembers the users needs and
> pocket book has limits!
>  Jfw is a good product and I do like using it from time to time, but as a
> reseller of jfw and other screen readers, I find myself pulling out my hair
> at the conflicts that jfw has with so many video cards.  I don't know why
> jfw has such a great difficulty in making their screen reader work with
> video cards, since window-eyes and hal 95, don't have any that I have run
> accross.
> I also have customers who have difficulty with ruby and jfw running at the
> same time, causing ruby to read with long pauses, leaving the jfw owner to
> have to shut down jfw,  while with window-eyes running, this is not a problem.
>  I won't stop selling jfw, but I always warn the customer of the great
> limitations of jfw and long with the much hire cost and ask them of their
> needs and if braille is not a big factor, then to look at the other screen
> readers and give them a try with their free demos.
> Thanks for your reply to my first comments bill, and I only mean this long
> winded reply as a hope for jfw to think and listen  to the blind pc user
> and our needs and resources.
> roger behm
> -
> Visit the jfw ml web page: http://jfw.cjb.net
>

-
Visit the jfw ml web page: http://jfw.cjb.net


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