Survey Update, October 11, 2006
- From: Catherine Thomas <braille@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: optacon-l@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Tue, 10 Oct 2006 23:09:58 -0400 (EDT)
Hi, Listers,
I'm still receiving notes concerning the Optacon. This wekk I received one
note from someone in France. Another note came from a user with several
Optacons in need of repair. A third note was from someone who wished us
well and who also expressed that she wished she had learned the Optacon
when she had the chance. A forth note told the story of TeleSensory yet
again lying to somebody about Optacon repairs. This one is even better
than usual. The person had sent an Optacon II to TeleSensory for repair.
After keeping it a long time, they sent it back with a note saying they no
longer repaired Optacons and a bill.
KEEP POSTING AND KEEP SEARCHING
Apparently the word that Optacons can be repaired has not yet reached
everyone who needs to know. I urge everyone on-list to renew your efforts
in outreach.
BATTERY REBUILDS
In case anyone missed the message, any dead batteries for the Optacon II
model can be rebuilt. If you have any of these batteries, please send them
along to one of the repairers.
UNRELATED SUBJECTS
Recently we had a discussion on-list that strayed into the area of
producing raised-line drawings. Some of the messages described methods
that different creative people have come up with to produce tactile
images. I am forwarding a few of those messages, minus the email
information, to the head of the graphics committee of the National Braille
Association, known to many in the U.S. as the Braille Book Bank. I think
they will find the messages interesting and helpful, especially the one
involving using the piece of screen. With all the modern technology,
tactile images for children's textbooks and other types of diagrams are
still a major problem for those who need to reproduce them. Thank you to
those who contributed information.
JOHN LINVIL
I have not yet contacted John Linvil, although someone did give me an
email for him. I also have not located his daughter, Candy Berg, the very
first Optacon user. I would like to invite her to join our list. If anyone
actually knows either Mr. Linvil or his daughter, we would like Mr. Linvil
to know that his invention is still going strong, and, as I said, we would
like to invite his daughter to join our list and be part of our project.
SURVEUS
To date we have 134 surveys via email and two via telephone. Some of our
own list members never conpleted surveys. If anyone is inspired to
complete one, contact me and I will send it pronto. It's not long, only 11
questions. Speaking of the questions, I don't regret our choices. The only
additional piece of information that might be helpful but not necessarily
is to find out where everyone heard about the survey.
REPAIRS
One day very soon, we will have a list of recommended Optacon repairers.
This list would certainly make my life much easier and it could be posted
to some of the sources we have already contacted as additional
information.
WELL, I GUESS THAT'S IT FOR NOW. SIX MONTHS AND COUNTING.
Catherine
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-Catherine Thomas
braille@xxxxxxxxx /
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