Category: Geeks r Us
see article:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Window-Eyes to JAWS Migration Announcement
(St. Petersburg, Florida - May 15, 2017) We regret to announce that we are ending the sales of Window-Eyes, effective immediately in the United States and Canada. Users outside of the United States and Canada should contact their local distributor for options.
We understand how important a screen reader is to you and are offering JAWS® for Windows 18 as a replacement. We are committed to providing a smooth transition and will honor existing Window-Eyes product purchases and software maintenance agreements. For complete details visit the Window-Eyes to JAWS Migration page.
Note, the free Window-Eyes Offer for Users of Microsoft Office version is not part of the conversion program.
Corporate Information
HI, I guessed this was going to happen. If you have any questions see link: http://www.freedomscientific.com/About/News/Article/181#main-content-anchor
I personally do not use window-eyes so this does not effect me but others it will.
Dan Mathis
Another broken promise to the blind. A little guy, bought up, by "Big Corperation."
Anyone see a problem here?
Blessings,
Sarah
No.
It was inevitable that this would happen. Had the company that made Window-Eyes not merged with the company that made Zoomtext, Window-Eyes may have survived.
I don't kknow how popular Window-Eyes was, or how many people used it as their primary screenreader due to the Microsoft Office offer. Jaws and NVDA are the two screenreaders people usually mention.
Let's face it, folks. Window eyes wasn't really receiving updates all that much even before the company was bought up. At least, that's what I use to be told by folks who used window eyes, and then migrated either to JAWS or NVDA. I doubt a lot of people are going to be too sorry to see Window Eyes go. As for the remaining 7 people who are using window eyes, look at NVDA, look at JAWS. Heck, look at getting a mac or using narrator! Even the latter is steadily starting to become a more viable option.
You can continue to use your copy of window-eyes, just keep in mind that over time this will no longer be an option as things change with windows or applications. This is what I read in the article after I saw this posted on twitter.
NVDA got me so confused! I know people that use Window Eyes that are going to be hot about this. Anyway, NVDA's fine, if you don't go on the web with it. Once you do, the numpad gets all confusing. And NVDA doesn't have much for tech support. Of course, they're free. Though, it's hard on those who don't have access to JFW.
And, from what I heard, FS was bought out by a parent company?
Please tell me if my facts are wrong. My opinion on NVDA, is from trying and failing to be able to use it on the net.
Blessings,
Sarah
I've been a power NVDA user for going on 10 years. I never use the numpad for anything, I always keep everything in laptop mode since it's easier. you might be having web problems because of the screan layout option being always enabled, you have to kill that under brouze mode settings. and as far as wineyes goes, it's sad to see it go but like some have said this was to be expected. I used wineyes a lot when I was in school, wineyes4.211 to be exact. I've been using macs for almost 7 years, and have never looked back.
One nice feature of Window Eyes is the ability to read what is directly under the mouse. Of course System Access, NVDA and even Narrator do this as well, but still. I'm pretty much neutral on the subject, but it is always disheartening to see such things happen, even if, like has been stated, Window Eyes wasn't really updated much. The free Window Eyes for Microsoft Word users was nice though.
Why would you want to continue using Windows Eyes when you are given a free copy of Jaws?
Sure, for fun, but as stated, soon because of lack of updates, it won't work well, so why bother?
I could understand if the change was going to cost something, but it isn't.
Ohh, seems I missed that part of the release.
Yes, if you've got a current license, or some upgrades coming, you'll receive them in Jaws, or Jaws 18 to start.
You start at the level you are at, and continue as if you've had Jaws all the time.
In Canada this doesn't affect you all at all. Jaws is provided. Really sweet actually.
I think the only people who probably wont have to worry about anything changing will be those still using windows7, as far as 10 goes, you would want to seriously change what you use for sure especially since ms provides those huge updates it seems like every year.
Seems that Windows is always rebooting my computer. I am starting to dispise windows. But, I don't have the foggiest, how to use a mac. And, as I discovered today, the anxiety, is way too difficult, right now.
Blessings,
Sarah
It reboots to update it.
In the next version, you'll be able to choose when, but don't get lazy.
Just because you switch to a Mac doesn't mean your safe. They update too.
Update.
It is important even though human nature refuses.
It is the reason hackers were and still are shutting down systems world wide. That human nature factor.
When hospitals refused to update and get hit by things like this, that is not acceptable.
No, I couldn't agree more. We hate to be run by the computer company, but it's mostly safe, if we do. I'm not going to say 100%.
But, we do got to keep up, so we don't get hit, like so many got hit with the Ransom virus. That totally bit, and hard.
Blessings,
Sarah
So I found your mouse speech setting in JAWS at least 18. Don't know how far back it goes.
Go into Settings Center and the default, or go to JAWS Window then Utilities -> Settings Center.
There is a node called "Mouse Echo" quite a ways down the tree, right near the bottom, or just type "Mouse echo" in the search box.
There's a few settings, like Enable check box, and interrupt. Some check boxes for what gets spoken and something called Unit, which presumably you can set by a few things, it's set to Line by default.
I did not do this, but for each item you can tab to the help window or press insert f1 for it.
I don't use the mouse, but as this came up so often on this thread and I use JAWS at work, I went and looked.
The trick is it's called Mouse Echo, not mouse speech, the way it's so often described by people. I guess that's following their pattern, e.g. typing echo, screen echo, etc.
Anyhow for anyone who uses JAWS and also wants to make the mouse talk. It's simply turned off by default.
it is sad for all screen reader user. with the announcement of window eyes no longer available, o. Any company that holds almost 100% of the cormertial market of any products is not good. Left alone, in such a tight low volume market. Lets hope, NVDA will be something that keeping Jaws to be on it's toe, and more and more users will migrate to NVDA
Leo, that's great about Mouse Echo. It's about TIME!
JAWS and NVDA are hardly the only two screen readers still available to the market. Let's not forget voiceover for Mac, which holds its own quite nicely, to say nothing of the mac OS, which also runs pretty good, and in many cases, better than windows. You might have to pay a bit more sure, but you'll be paying for a longer-lasting product.
As for windows, technically, there is still system access (such as it is) as well as supernova, I believe. Someone mentioned that one is still kicking around, though it might have a different name. Narrator is becoming a better and better screen reader for windows too, as I've said in a previous post probably, as well as on other topics. The list is hardly limited, and I'll say again, Window Eyes has been in decline for a while now.
Agreed with the post before this.
I agree also. I've been using mac OS ofr almost 7 years, I've used windos for at least 14 years or so, and as I've stated before, I've been a power NVDA users for many years, and have never looked back when it comes to using windows. I've mest around with both narrator on win 10, yes it's pretty good, i'm just too used to NVDA lol. I've also mest around with system acces, back in the years when you could use system access to go without having to have some sort of an account, which I still say that's pretty nifty.
I was never really able to get the hang of Window Eyes for some reason.