----- Original
Message -----
Sent:
Saturday, February 15, 2020 9:35 AM
Subject: Re:
Question regarding jaws SMA
It is very common for software makers
to offer annual maintenance plans which give people access to the latest
version of their software as well as technical support. Vispero actually
has never charged for technical support even for those who don’t maintain
a current Jaws SMA and are on the latest version. It is typically of great
benefit for software makers to try and get as many people to use their
latest software since it makes support easier. If somebody still runs Jaws
17 or Jaws 18 they probably run into issues with Windows 10 which they
then call Vispero support to help with, but the issues may not be Jaws
issues but simply exist because these older versions of Jaws are becoming
increasingly incompatible with Windows 10.
I don’t think it’s wrong at all for
Jaws to charge somebody who is still using Windows 7 with Jaws version 15
more to jump to version Jaws 2020 because maybe now their computer died
and they had to get a new Windows 10 computer. If they only ever bought
Jaws 15 and maybe not even had an SMA to begin with, they are now jumping
up 7 versions to Jaws 2020 and others who maintained their SMA helped to
pay for the development of this version, they paid Vispero all these years
also so Vispero can offer technical support which the Jaws 15 user also
may have benefited from.
Vispero is a good sized organization
with a number of software and hardware products and I really don’t get it
why people continue to think that they should give away what they make for
free. They have offices and employees and they incur millions in costs and
yet people always compare them to NVDA which is an open-source project. I
don’t ever see people complaining about the cost of Microsoft Office
whether they buy the retail version or are on the Office 365 subscription
nor do I see people comparing to projects such as LibreOffice, Polaris
Office or FreeOffice.
I think now that in the US people can
get up to speed with the latest version of Jaws for $90 a year with the
subscription model that this is a very fantastic offer by Vispero, yes, it
may cost $2.50 a month more than maintaining your SMA at $60 a year, but
having access to what I call still the best screenreader in the world if
you need a screenreader for more then sending an occasional email and
browsing the web for $7.50 a month is affordable for pretty much
everybody. Many of us pay more for our monthly music or Netflix
subscription or other things like a couple of coffees from Starbucks or
your favourite local gourmet coffee shop etc. If I really had to choose
between having a Jaws subscription or a Apple Music or Spotify
subscription because I can only afford one or the other I’d rather listen
to free music and have access to Jaws or I’ll skip one or two other extras
and if that is still beyond me then there is always NVDA which, by the
way, would also no longer be around if they didn’t get some donations. I
am sure those who complain about the $5 a month to maintain a Jaws SMA or
the $7.50 for the subscription are also not people who donate anything to
NV Access, but I’m sure others do because they like NVDA and want to help
to offset the costs for servers and such so that the project can
continue.
Regards,
Sieghard
That may indeed
be correct, but it is not fair if true.
If someone
decides to live without the latest and greatest for a year, they should be
able to get a new jaws for the same price as a new user.
So if they
changed their name and address, they can get it for less?
----- Original
Message -----
Sent:
Friday, February 14, 2020 10:14 AM
Subject: Re:
Question regarding jaws SMA
That depends on how far behind you
are.
If you are on Jaws 2019 and just
didn’t have an SMA to upgrade to Jaws 2020 you should be able to buy a
new SMA at whatever the price is and it will give you Jaws 2020 and Jaws
2021 this fall.
If you are still on Jaws 2018 you
should be able to buy a new SMA and this would entitle you to upgrade to
Jaws 2019 and Jaws 2020, of course there is no need to actually install
Jaws 2019, you would go straight to Jaws 2020, but at that point your
SMA is once again used up and if you want Jaws 2021 this fall you would
need to buy another SMA either right away or at the latest by
October.
If you are on anything prior to Jaws
2018 like Jaws 18 or even 17, you would have to immediately buy 2 SMA’s
to even get Jaws 2020.
Alternatively, if you live in the US
you can switch to the Jaws subscription model which is I believe $90 a
year, this would entitle you to upgrade right away to Jaws 2020 no
matter what version you are on, then you continue to pay $90 each year
and this will always entitle you to install and use the latest
update.
Having said all this I would highly
recommend you speak to Vispero directly at 1-727-803-8600, let them look
up your account via the Jaws serial number you have and ask what your
options are.
They do also have a toll free
number, but I don’t currently have it handy.
Best
regards,
Sieghard
From:
main@jfw.groups.io <main@jfw.groups.io> On Behalf
Of Blind Gamer
Sent: Friday, February 14, 2020 6:37
AM
To: jfw@groups.io
Subject:
Question regarding jaws SMA
Hi I have one question
If we didn't renew jaws
sma then how much price for
upgrade
Thanks
