Blog: More Success for Thunder
Sometimes, but not very often, we feel the need to moan. It’s a bad old world and when thousands of people are so misused in the Congo and Jonathan Ross gets the BBC News headlines in the UK…well one could lose hope. Similarly, we sometimes wonder if we really can include poor blind people in the computer age when so many large blindness organisations only bang on about software which is absolutely out of reach of millions of pockets. But then we get fabulous emails from Thunder users and some formal recognition from “the powers that be”.
So Thunder is up for two more awards before Christmas and has won its first small Government contract here in the UK.
TalkTalk is a leading provider here of mobile phones and Broadband internet services. TalkTalk has a good reputation for being straightforward and not too expensive at the same time. Thunder has been given an award for IT services to disadvantaged communities and Margaret and I are off to the House of Lords on Wednesday for the presentation. We also get a business mentoring session with Martha Lane-Fox, the best known co-founder of lastminute.com.
And on December 1 we both get what looks like being a great night out in London. We are short-listed as Disabled Social Entrepreneur of the Year, UK hosted by RADAR at the Battersea Evolution. We should rub shoulders with the great and the good from Government and the private sector and spread the word on behalf of blind people needing computers which they can enjoy using.
We don’t, of course, regard such prizes as personal to us. But they do help Thunder, Sensory Software Ltd and Screenreader.net CIC to become known and this has the effect of bringing in more and more supporters and users. Its possible, for example, that our Ministry for Communities award for services to e-participation earlier in the year has played a part in us getting our first UK Government contract..
The UK Ministry of Justice website is technically accessible according to agreed standards. But that’s only part of the story from a blind user’s viewpoint. So we will provide specialist helpline support by telephone or email, to help individuals who need to perform a specific task on the website which is proving a challenge. If they struggle to do what they need to do about a passport, the individual can get in touch with our helpline and be guided through the process. And they won’t be told to click on this or that because our helpline people are visually impaired themselves and know the challenges of not being able to see the mouse pointer.
Lastly, its great to come across another company who wants to make something free for those not able to afford the costly stuff. Jarte (www.jarte.com) is such a company in the word processing sector. The creators of Jarte have produced something which just works out of the box – a simple word processor which will do all the things us normal people want to do at home or in a small business. But its small and friendly and not like the Titanic unwieldy liner which most of us come across at work. Jarte have agreed to make it work with Thunder, like it does already with other screenreaders, at the next version but if anyone wants to trial it now, please email me and I will pass on the simple instruction which will take just a couple of lines.
Showing posts with label BBC Thunder WebbIE. Show all posts
Showing posts with label BBC Thunder WebbIE. Show all posts
Monday, 3 November 2008
Tuesday, 16 September 2008
Web Accessibility and iTunes
There is plenty to blog about again this time round. We are busy but need a holiday after working very hard through the so-called UK Summer.
DDA Accessibility Laws:
The American Store Target will revamp its Web site to make it more accessible for the blind and pay $6 million in damages to plaintiffs who joined a class action lawsuit against the retailer, under a settlement announced with the National Federation of the Blind. The $6 million will be placed in an interest-bearing account so that plaintiffs in the lawsuit, filed in California two years ago, can make claims. Most plaintiffs will get about $3,500, an NFB spokesman said.
Under the settlement, the Baltimore-based NFB will test the Web site for three years and certify it once it is completely upgraded. The lawsuit was filed after earlier negotiations between the two sides broke down.
Many blind people use screen-reading software such as Thunder that vocalizes information on a computer, but Web sites must be made accessible for the technology. The lawsuit complained that Target.com was not accessible.
But our Screenreader.net contention goes further. Accessibility is far more than a software package and a legal decision. Most blind people can never raise the cash to buy costly assistive software and, even if they do, training, patience and a level of computer skill is required far above that of the average seeing user who clicks a mouse on what she sees.
But, on the assumption that many things come over to Europe from across the pond, we should sit up and take notice that the law will soon be more strongly on the side of the blind user here too. Maybe it won’t be long before a courageous blind person here, with the backing of a courageous blind agency, will strike a similar blow in the UK or within a European country. I never thought I would be taking such a stance!!! Its just that the years go by and still government, local councils and the private sector in general continue to take the micky, talk the talk and fail to actually make computer accessibility and usability available to the mass of ordinary blind and partially sighted people, even in some Western wealthy countries.
Such access really is the modern Braille and a great way to mainstream blind people so all power and well done to the American pioneers.
The Worsening Economic situation:
We have had the good times here in the West and the coming year or two look not so good. But Screenreader.net will not be changing the price of free Thunder. We will never be wealthy here but are financially secure for the future because we don’t need paying for the work we do and we don’t need buildings and expensive staff.
But we do have ongoing expenses like everyone else and we do, therefore, ask that if you value the Thunder software and want to make a donation towards its upkeep, this would be very welcome indeed.
iTunes, LastFM and the BBC iplayer:
Like me, many of you will enjoy listening to music, listen again radio and TV programs etc. So now, as well as being able to enjoy LastFM and the BBC iplayer,
iTunes V8 works well too. For those who don’t know, LastFM.com is a website where you can download the music of your choice and listen to it free. There is a purchase opportunity too, of course. The BBC iplayer delivers on demand listening to radio programs from the whole of the BBC service as well as selected items from BBC TV 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. And iTunes is the Apple music store widely used to download a massive music library and save to your iPod or other portable device. So, if this is your bag, check it all out and enjoy. And if you want to let us know how you get on, we welcome your emails or phone calls.
DDA Accessibility Laws:
The American Store Target will revamp its Web site to make it more accessible for the blind and pay $6 million in damages to plaintiffs who joined a class action lawsuit against the retailer, under a settlement announced with the National Federation of the Blind. The $6 million will be placed in an interest-bearing account so that plaintiffs in the lawsuit, filed in California two years ago, can make claims. Most plaintiffs will get about $3,500, an NFB spokesman said.
Under the settlement, the Baltimore-based NFB will test the Web site for three years and certify it once it is completely upgraded. The lawsuit was filed after earlier negotiations between the two sides broke down.
Many blind people use screen-reading software such as Thunder that vocalizes information on a computer, but Web sites must be made accessible for the technology. The lawsuit complained that Target.com was not accessible.
But our Screenreader.net contention goes further. Accessibility is far more than a software package and a legal decision. Most blind people can never raise the cash to buy costly assistive software and, even if they do, training, patience and a level of computer skill is required far above that of the average seeing user who clicks a mouse on what she sees.
But, on the assumption that many things come over to Europe from across the pond, we should sit up and take notice that the law will soon be more strongly on the side of the blind user here too. Maybe it won’t be long before a courageous blind person here, with the backing of a courageous blind agency, will strike a similar blow in the UK or within a European country. I never thought I would be taking such a stance!!! Its just that the years go by and still government, local councils and the private sector in general continue to take the micky, talk the talk and fail to actually make computer accessibility and usability available to the mass of ordinary blind and partially sighted people, even in some Western wealthy countries.
Such access really is the modern Braille and a great way to mainstream blind people so all power and well done to the American pioneers.
The Worsening Economic situation:
We have had the good times here in the West and the coming year or two look not so good. But Screenreader.net will not be changing the price of free Thunder. We will never be wealthy here but are financially secure for the future because we don’t need paying for the work we do and we don’t need buildings and expensive staff.
But we do have ongoing expenses like everyone else and we do, therefore, ask that if you value the Thunder software and want to make a donation towards its upkeep, this would be very welcome indeed.
iTunes, LastFM and the BBC iplayer:
Like me, many of you will enjoy listening to music, listen again radio and TV programs etc. So now, as well as being able to enjoy LastFM and the BBC iplayer,
iTunes V8 works well too. For those who don’t know, LastFM.com is a website where you can download the music of your choice and listen to it free. There is a purchase opportunity too, of course. The BBC iplayer delivers on demand listening to radio programs from the whole of the BBC service as well as selected items from BBC TV 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5. And iTunes is the Apple music store widely used to download a massive music library and save to your iPod or other portable device. So, if this is your bag, check it all out and enjoy. And if you want to let us know how you get on, we welcome your emails or phone calls.
Friday, 29 August 2008
BBC iPlayer and WebbIE Working Well
For the past 18 months, we have been involved with friends and partners in Europe, making the Thunder software available in languages other than English. Our partners proved to be good friends too and the project is at an end. But we now have Thunder working well in Italian, French, Estonian, German and Slovakian. Our partners from Southern Ireland opted to share our English version!!! In the not too distant future, we hope to take on the challenge of other languages but it all takes time, money and effort in no particular order.
If you know of individuals or organisations wanting to enjoy Thunder in these languages, please visit http://www.screenreader4free.eu/index.html and you will find lots of useful information as well as the software and tutorial downloads. I would like to publically thank all those who have been involved. Our vision remains strong to get a free talking screenreader option out there throughout the world, knowing as we do, that many blind people don’t have the funds to purchase the commercial options and don’t really want to be using illegal copies.
Many Thunder users enjoy the WebbIE Text browser and, in particular, the accessible Listen Again BBC radio service. But, over the past few weeks, we have run into some problems. Hopefully they are now fixed.
In the middle of August, Google changed its code and our excellent easy Web
search facility ceased to operate. If you can’t use it, you need to go to www.webbie.org.uk and download the latest version of WebbIE and all will be well again. This could well happen again in the future but hopefully not for some while.
And the BBC too have been making changes to their Listen Again service. We all get used to the way we do things and, when you can’t see what is going on, perhaps the challenge of something new is greater. But take it from me, the changes made by the BBC are brilliant and give us much more to listen to and enjoy, including TV as well as radio.
Again go to www.webbie.org.uk and to the BBC iplayer link. There is a download and this should sort you out for the time being. The message from the BBC people is that the iplayer will become accessible to us in a standard way by the end of October. I will give an update in my next blog. If you are not up to the technical side of all this, I suggest you find a computer buddy who can do the business for you. I do this myself whenever things are too difficult.
We are being helped by some good people from an organisation called Unltd in London to develop what we are doing into a more successful social enterprise. This is not just about money and revenue, important as this is. Its more about efficiency and getting to more potential users. We do keep records of the email addresses when you download Thunder from our website. We will never disclose these email addresses to anyone else; but we do want to write to you and be in contact with you for several reasons.
We don’t actually know how many people use Thunder on a regular basis.
We don’t know if it does the job properly in your circumstances.
You might want to purchase a better sounding voice from us or a scanner to read your post etc.
Some of you might want an electronic magnifier, Closed Circuit Television System, to enable you to read print or enjoy your photos again etc.
In other words, we do have access to lots of information and some low priced but high quality products that could interest you. So we are going in the near future to be sending out emails and hoping for a good response, please. Obviously, if you just want to use Thunder and not be bothered with all that, you can just press the DELETE Key on our email and that’s fine.
We have also been talking about having some kind of Thunder community so that you can talk or email to each other, I know that some like and some don’t like this kind of thing; but its great to know you can chat to someone else when there is a problem and it all lessens the isolation which some of us experience. Anyway, emails will be flying around the world from us very soon.
The other part of what Unltd are helping us with is how to manage our business, raise the funds we need, meet the right business people and keep good accounts etc. There is so much good stuff out there on the web, we just have to make it available to everyone, whether its valuable health information, the chance to go for the best retailer financial services offers etc. So we will aim to be hear for you for many years.
If you know of individuals or organisations wanting to enjoy Thunder in these languages, please visit http://www.screenreader4free.eu/index.html and you will find lots of useful information as well as the software and tutorial downloads. I would like to publically thank all those who have been involved. Our vision remains strong to get a free talking screenreader option out there throughout the world, knowing as we do, that many blind people don’t have the funds to purchase the commercial options and don’t really want to be using illegal copies.
Many Thunder users enjoy the WebbIE Text browser and, in particular, the accessible Listen Again BBC radio service. But, over the past few weeks, we have run into some problems. Hopefully they are now fixed.
In the middle of August, Google changed its code and our excellent easy Web
search facility ceased to operate. If you can’t use it, you need to go to www.webbie.org.uk and download the latest version of WebbIE and all will be well again. This could well happen again in the future but hopefully not for some while.
And the BBC too have been making changes to their Listen Again service. We all get used to the way we do things and, when you can’t see what is going on, perhaps the challenge of something new is greater. But take it from me, the changes made by the BBC are brilliant and give us much more to listen to and enjoy, including TV as well as radio.
Again go to www.webbie.org.uk and to the BBC iplayer link. There is a download and this should sort you out for the time being. The message from the BBC people is that the iplayer will become accessible to us in a standard way by the end of October. I will give an update in my next blog. If you are not up to the technical side of all this, I suggest you find a computer buddy who can do the business for you. I do this myself whenever things are too difficult.
We are being helped by some good people from an organisation called Unltd in London to develop what we are doing into a more successful social enterprise. This is not just about money and revenue, important as this is. Its more about efficiency and getting to more potential users. We do keep records of the email addresses when you download Thunder from our website. We will never disclose these email addresses to anyone else; but we do want to write to you and be in contact with you for several reasons.
We don’t actually know how many people use Thunder on a regular basis.
We don’t know if it does the job properly in your circumstances.
You might want to purchase a better sounding voice from us or a scanner to read your post etc.
Some of you might want an electronic magnifier, Closed Circuit Television System, to enable you to read print or enjoy your photos again etc.
In other words, we do have access to lots of information and some low priced but high quality products that could interest you. So we are going in the near future to be sending out emails and hoping for a good response, please. Obviously, if you just want to use Thunder and not be bothered with all that, you can just press the DELETE Key on our email and that’s fine.
We have also been talking about having some kind of Thunder community so that you can talk or email to each other, I know that some like and some don’t like this kind of thing; but its great to know you can chat to someone else when there is a problem and it all lessens the isolation which some of us experience. Anyway, emails will be flying around the world from us very soon.
The other part of what Unltd are helping us with is how to manage our business, raise the funds we need, meet the right business people and keep good accounts etc. There is so much good stuff out there on the web, we just have to make it available to everyone, whether its valuable health information, the chance to go for the best retailer financial services offers etc. So we will aim to be hear for you for many years.
Sunday, 18 May 2008
The Times Newspaper and Thunder
On Thursday last, Screenreader.net had a minute of fame with a brief article about us appearing in the London Times Newspaper in the careers section. The story as told below is substantially true and its remarkable how a journalist can put together an uncomplicated summary of our last eight years of work in 300 words. But what I liked most was that it presented a picture of blind people doing well, achieving something good and not the more usual helpless image as often portrayed by some fund-raising charities’ campaigns. When you read this piece, you will also realise that no mention was made, sadly, of Sensory Software Ltd, who created the Thunder software.
Roger Wilson-Hinds achieved academic success despite his
blindness and rose to senior jobs in education. But he was
uncomfortable as an employee and, when 50, he and his wife,
Margaret Wilson-Hinds, started a successful business to supply
ICT equipment and teach other blind people how to use it. Illness
struck. While recovering, Roger resolved to create and give away
screen reader software to any blind person. Now with 100,000
users, ‘Thunder’ is gaining large fees for developing variants.
Our big idea
GIVING your product away to anyone who wants it is certainly an atypical business model, but for Roger and Margaret Wilson-Hinds, it was the pivotal decision that turned their screenreader idea into a commercial reality.
Blind since birth themselves, the Wilson-Hinds were busily running a disability training company, having won a government contract to teach blind people to use computers. Then, in 1998, Roger was diagnosed with cancer, forcing the couple to quit the business and gift it to a close friend - who has continued its success and now employs nine people.
During the ensuing treatment the Wilson-Hinds realised that, although programmes that could scan text on a computer screen and read it back to the user were available, the typical £700-£800 software packages were beyond the pocket of the majority of the world's blind community and they became determined to produce a low-cost alternative.
At 60 most people contemplate turning the wick down a little, but fuelled by the idea of "opening up information literacy to blind people anywhere", in 2000, Roger enrolled himself and his wife on a course for social entrepreneurs instead.
Having self-funded the product's development, the screenreader, called Thunder, was finally ready for market, but, after a few years of trying to sell it at low-cost, the take-up was slow.
"It seemed like a good idea at the time, but low-cost is often seen as inferior and it wasn't until we studied the Google model and embraced the notion of 'free to the end user' that things really got moving," Roger says.
Immediately the product became free a German company with links to European Blind Union got in touch and, two months later, the Wilson-Hinds were in receipt of an EU grant of ¤240,000 to fund French, Italian, German, Slovak and Estonian versions of Thunder.
Since then, more funding has been forthcoming, a version specifically for people with learning difficulties is in development and, with almost 100,000 users, the company now advises businesses on how to make their websites available to this untapped market.
http://www.blogger.com/www.screenreader.net
By MARK BARBER
We do look forward to a great future for the Thunder screenreader software and what it can do to empower blind and visually impaired people throughout the world.
Roger Wilson-Hinds achieved academic success despite his
blindness and rose to senior jobs in education. But he was
uncomfortable as an employee and, when 50, he and his wife,
Margaret Wilson-Hinds, started a successful business to supply
ICT equipment and teach other blind people how to use it. Illness
struck. While recovering, Roger resolved to create and give away
screen reader software to any blind person. Now with 100,000
users, ‘Thunder’ is gaining large fees for developing variants.
Our big idea
GIVING your product away to anyone who wants it is certainly an atypical business model, but for Roger and Margaret Wilson-Hinds, it was the pivotal decision that turned their screenreader idea into a commercial reality.
Blind since birth themselves, the Wilson-Hinds were busily running a disability training company, having won a government contract to teach blind people to use computers. Then, in 1998, Roger was diagnosed with cancer, forcing the couple to quit the business and gift it to a close friend - who has continued its success and now employs nine people.
During the ensuing treatment the Wilson-Hinds realised that, although programmes that could scan text on a computer screen and read it back to the user were available, the typical £700-£800 software packages were beyond the pocket of the majority of the world's blind community and they became determined to produce a low-cost alternative.
At 60 most people contemplate turning the wick down a little, but fuelled by the idea of "opening up information literacy to blind people anywhere", in 2000, Roger enrolled himself and his wife on a course for social entrepreneurs instead.
Having self-funded the product's development, the screenreader, called Thunder, was finally ready for market, but, after a few years of trying to sell it at low-cost, the take-up was slow.
"It seemed like a good idea at the time, but low-cost is often seen as inferior and it wasn't until we studied the Google model and embraced the notion of 'free to the end user' that things really got moving," Roger says.
Immediately the product became free a German company with links to European Blind Union got in touch and, two months later, the Wilson-Hinds were in receipt of an EU grant of ¤240,000 to fund French, Italian, German, Slovak and Estonian versions of Thunder.
Since then, more funding has been forthcoming, a version specifically for people with learning difficulties is in development and, with almost 100,000 users, the company now advises businesses on how to make their websites available to this untapped market.
http://www.blogger.com/www.screenreader.net
By MARK BARBER
We do look forward to a great future for the Thunder screenreader software and what it can do to empower blind and visually impaired people throughout the world.
Friday, 6 July 2007
Our First Birthday
15,000 Blind Computer Users Empowered - And Counting
Software that is robust, stable and very easy to use
A Royal Patron and a high profile Champion
An EU partnership to take Thunder into Europe
Lots of positive emails from blind people round the world
Friendships and partnerships growing by the day
No wonder we are celebrating Screenreader.net’s first birthday at the Sight Village exhibition in Birmingham UK on 16 17 and 18 July. We have lots to be proud of and still a very long journey ahead of us.
Margaret and I came into all this because the talking computer so dramatically changed our own lives and empowered us to run our own business. We wanted to share this empowerment and freedom with other blind people, regardless of their ability to pay. We prefer words like empowerment and inter-dependence to support and charity., but we prefer action to words.
We have plans to create a version of Thunder for people with learning disabilities and, of course, to offer many other languages. Roger has recently attended a podcast training day and the idea is to put up straightforward training material on website to assist both blind learners and helpers.
A first birthday is also a great time to thank others. Its worth remembering that The Microsoft Corporation is the bed-rock behind all this. Thunder was invented by Sensory software Ltd who go miles beyond the call of duty on our behalf. And we can’t begin to list in any order of priority the many individuals and organisations who have generously involved with us over the year.
We are proud to be a Community Interest Company - a social enterprise. The challenge remains long-term financial sustainability while delivering free talking software to blind people round the world.
Roger is a Fellow of the School of Social Entrepreneurs based in London and much of the thinking and planning behind Screenreader.net is SSE inspired. – a balance between high-minded and hard-headed.
15,000 Blind Computer Users Empowered - And Counting
Software that is robust, stable and very easy to use
A Royal Patron and a high profile Champion
An EU partnership to take Thunder into Europe
Lots of positive emails from blind people round the world
Friendships and partnerships growing by the day
No wonder we are celebrating Screenreader.net’s first birthday at the Sight Village exhibition in Birmingham UK on 16 17 and 18 July. We have lots to be proud of and still a very long journey ahead of us.
Margaret and I came into all this because the talking computer so dramatically changed our own lives and empowered us to run our own business. We wanted to share this empowerment and freedom with other blind people, regardless of their ability to pay. We prefer words like empowerment and inter-dependence to support and charity., but we prefer action to words.
We have plans to create a version of Thunder for people with learning disabilities and, of course, to offer many other languages. Roger has recently attended a podcast training day and the idea is to put up straightforward training material on website to assist both blind learners and helpers.
A first birthday is also a great time to thank others. Its worth remembering that The Microsoft Corporation is the bed-rock behind all this. Thunder was invented by Sensory software Ltd who go miles beyond the call of duty on our behalf. And we can’t begin to list in any order of priority the many individuals and organisations who have generously involved with us over the year.
We are proud to be a Community Interest Company - a social enterprise. The challenge remains long-term financial sustainability while delivering free talking software to blind people round the world.
Roger is a Fellow of the School of Social Entrepreneurs based in London and much of the thinking and planning behind Screenreader.net is SSE inspired. – a balance between high-minded and hard-headed.
Friday, 6 April 2007
BBC Listen Again
Margaret and I are keen BBC website supporters. We especially enjoy the Listen Again facilities. Radio 4 Listen Again is stuffed with entertainment and information. Its like a complete magazine in its own right.
WebbIE includes the most straightforward way to access and enjoy BBC Listen Again. Amongst All Programs, if you keep pressing letter A, you will come to Accessible. Press Enter and the top choice is Listen Again. Press Enter and you are at the top choice of many radio programs which were broadcast over the past week. The vast list includes plays, feature programs, comedy, news items and much more. Something for everyone.
Arrow down until you hear something that takes your fancy and press Enter. You will hear the chosen program within seconds.
To achieve all this, its best to be on broadband or to go for the fastest internet connection you can manage. You will also need to have installed on your PC either RealPlayer or Alternative RealPlayer, which we actually recommend. Both packages are free as internet downloads from www.webbie.org.uk.
But if you are not a BBC Radio 4 phonetic like us, there are lots more Listen again services in the world and, with a bit of help and exploration yourself, you can begin to discover the whole new world of internet radio. In our living room, we have connected our computer to our Hifi which enables us to hear what we like when we like it in comfort and away from the PC office desk. Its great.
Margaret and I are keen BBC website supporters. We especially enjoy the Listen Again facilities. Radio 4 Listen Again is stuffed with entertainment and information. Its like a complete magazine in its own right.
WebbIE includes the most straightforward way to access and enjoy BBC Listen Again. Amongst All Programs, if you keep pressing letter A, you will come to Accessible. Press Enter and the top choice is Listen Again. Press Enter and you are at the top choice of many radio programs which were broadcast over the past week. The vast list includes plays, feature programs, comedy, news items and much more. Something for everyone.
Arrow down until you hear something that takes your fancy and press Enter. You will hear the chosen program within seconds.
To achieve all this, its best to be on broadband or to go for the fastest internet connection you can manage. You will also need to have installed on your PC either RealPlayer or Alternative RealPlayer, which we actually recommend. Both packages are free as internet downloads from www.webbie.org.uk.
But if you are not a BBC Radio 4 phonetic like us, there are lots more Listen again services in the world and, with a bit of help and exploration yourself, you can begin to discover the whole new world of internet radio. In our living room, we have connected our computer to our Hifi which enables us to hear what we like when we like it in comfort and away from the PC office desk. Its great.
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