Message-ID: <[log in to unmask]> Steve, I basically aggree with your take. the Telecommunications act of 199x or whenever sounded all grand and accommodating, but there was the big copout, stuff had to be made accessible "where technically feasible." Its so easy to claim that accessibility isn't technically feasible if it might cost them a buck. Unfortunately I have had many contacts with manufacturers over the years trying to get it across to them that building in accessibility from the get go isn't hard or expensive. I have had very very few positive responses even when the experience of our RERC is offered as free consultation. About the only time it works is when you can get at someone high up in a company who "gets it" and makes it happen. Even getting at the engineers is usually useless, they don't make the financial decisions. I can't say we've had no successes, companies like Viking electronics with their accessible building door entry phone system are the wonderfull exception that basically proves the rule. It gets in the way of their designers who think all that outside stuff will limit their precious creativity. And besides there is still no real incentive for most companies to care. I think only when there is a 1% inaccessibility tax on anything with any visual display that isn't accessible will they start caring. Oops, no they'll just pass it along to consumers with a little note blaming the ungratefull blind. and of course a new tax here and now is about as popular as an arab American. Perhaps someone who knows Dr. O'Day can get at him and find out just why this settlement isn't yet another empty promise. Tom Net-Tamer V 1.13 Beta - Registered VICUG-L is the Visually Impaired Computer User Group List. To join or leave the list, send a message to [log in to unmask] In the body of the message, simply type "subscribe vicug-l" or "unsubscribe vicug-l" without the quotations. VICUG-L is archived on the World Wide Web at http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/vicug-l.html