Category: accessible Devices
This petition can be found at:
http://www.petitiononline.com/brl4all/
To: Freedom Scientific LLC.
On August 11, 2009 Freedom Scientific announced its "Secure and Compatible Braille Display Initiative" which it says is being introduced in the name of
security with respect to its JAWS for Windows screen access program. This announcement may be found at:
http://www.freedomscientific.com/news/pressroom/2009/secure-compatible-braille-displays.asp
The announcement explains that, "The goal of this new program is to follow Microsoft's move to signed drivers to improve security and compatibility for
customers who use a Braille display."
According to Freedom Scientific, this policy will go into effect with the 64-bit version of JAWS 11, which is soon to be released; Users of 32-bit versions
of the Windows operating system will not be affected.
In the same article, Freedom Scientific points out that "most new computers now come with 64-bit Microsoft Windows preinstalled," implying that in the
very near future, it will no longer be possible to purchase a new computer with the 32-bit version of the Windows operating system.
Put into layman terms, Braille displays require a screen reader in order to work. Freedom Scientific has steadfastly refused to provide Braille display
manufacturers with the driver development kit required to enable a particular Braille device to communicate with JAWS. Instead, the manufacturer must first
pay an outrageous sum of money before support for the Braille device will be permitted. What's more, this charge to the Braille display manufacturer is
not a one-time fee but is imposed annually.
In his article posted to the GW Micro Blog entitled A Thought on Braille Driver Signing, posted on August 15, 2009, Doug Geoffray, lead developer of the
Window-Eyes screen reader wrote:
"I have a hard time accepting the concept of requiring digitally signed
Braille drivers in the name of security when the JAWS mirror driver itself
isn't digitally signed by Microsoft."
You will find Mr. Geoffray's article in its entirety at:
http://www.gwmicro.com/blog/index.php/all/?title=a-thought-on-braille-driver -signing more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1#c434
One might ask how Freedom Scientific can play the gatekeeper to its JAWS product where Braille driver support is concerned. The answer is simply and for
no other reason because it can. It is certainly not because Freedom Scientific's Braille displays in and of themselves offer any higher level of security.
This petition contends that Freedom Scientific's Braille driver signing program is not in the best interest of consumers and will only serve to harm the
Braille reading community as a whole.
In the September, 2009 FScast, a Podcast produced by freedom Scientific Product Manager and Host Jonathan Mosen, Mr. Mosen asked Glen Gordon, Freedom Scientific's
Chief Technology officer, if he could site an instance where a virus had been introduced into the operating system upon the installation of a Braille display
driver. Not only did Mr. Gordon deliberately evade this question to which a yes or no answer would have sufficed, but he gave the reason that driver signing
is a preventative measure and compared it to having fire insurance.
Freedom Scientific is surely aware that in order to justify the expense of driver signing, the Braille display manufacturers will have no other choice
but to raise prices at a time where they are doing all they can to lower costs in these economically turbulent times. Under the same pretext of a heightened
level of security, perhaps Freedom Scientific should require that manufacturers of mainstream keyboards, mice, and other common hardware have their drivers
signed before allowing them to be supported under JAWS.
I for one am shocked, appalled, and amazed that Freedom Scientific would impose such limitations and restrictions not only upon its own customer base but
also on those organizations which manufacture products that supplement the information that JAWS provides. This draconian and self-serving policy is not
at all in keeping with the pro-Braille spirit exemplified by the Braille Readers are Leaders Initiative set into motion earlier this year by the National
Federation of the Blind in honor of the Bicentennial celebration of Louis Braille. Instead of offering an additional opportunity to expand the usage of
Braille, it stifles the ability of the blind consumer to choose the Braille display that will best meet his/her needs.
I sincerely believe that what Freedom Scientific is doing is flat out wrong and that continuing down this path will have far reaching and negative repercussions
for Braille users worldwide. Please sign this petition to let Freedom Scientific know that penalizing people for using Braille displays other than the
Braille Focus is wrong!
Sincerely,
The Undersigned
The Opposing Freedom Scientific's Secure and Compatible Braille Display Initiative Petition to Freedom Scientific LLC. was created by National Federation of the Blind in Computer Science and Open Braille API Initiative and written by Earle Harrison (earle@handytech.us).
Just signed that earlier today.
While i disagree with waht FS is doing this part of what microsoft is doing with 64Bit version of windows. All drivers for 64 bit windws has to be signed or they wont install, so not sure how FS is getting away with the mirror display driver not being signed but could that have something to do with why it crashes on me so often?