Bill sent this e-mail to me and it appears that he wished to share his
comments with the group.  It appears that this is the only ATM at this
location.  Bank One has a talking ATM program and. like most banks
deploying talking ATM's, is ensuring that when a machine at a location
without a talking ATM is replaced, a talking one is installed.  The
greatest cost savings for banks I understand is like with all products
deploying  talking ATM's when necessary hardware is installed at the
factory rather than an after market retrofit.

Kelly




From: "Bill Gallik" <[log in to unmask]>
To: "Kelly Pierce" <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Re:      MSU home to new ATM
Date: Saturday, October 25, 2003 8:49 PM

This is a prime example where "Accessible Technology" being designed into
a
product from the initial steps fosters that technology being available
and
cost-effective in the long run.  Bank One, although they deserve kudos
for
deploying audio enabled ATMs in the first place, most likely found it
much
cheaper to install this model of ATM rather than install a different one
that does not have the audio interface since doing so would have been an
exception.

As a former software programmer, I always found it much more time
consuming
and error prone to add a feature in after the software had been deployed
than to plan for that feature or the possibility of that feature in the
first place.  And that fact, as I am certain we are all aware, adds
significantly to the final costs.  So I suspect that Bank One contracted
in
some fashion to have the audio enabled ATMs installed in their sites and
they will be the ATM that is installed.  It's much like the ATMs with the
Braille labels in the drive-thru ATMs; they're the butt of a lot of jokes
but why incur the cost of molding some buttons for "inside" ATMs and
another
set of buttons for drive-thru ATMs?  It doesn't make economic sense to do
that and that's the answer I give when asked why those drive-thru ATMs
have
Braille marked buttons.

----------------
Bill Gallik
EMail: [log in to unmask]
- When you give a lesson in meanness to a critter or a person, don't be
surprised if they learn their lesson.
- Will Rogers


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