[access-uk] Re: bad news re the sky talker
- From: "Damon Rose" <damon.rose@xxxxxxxxx>
- To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 16 Apr 2010 10:15:44 +0100
I think a collective voice would help though I'm not suggesting a big
movement or commitment, it's so much easier to do this kind of thing on
the internet. I'm not even talking about setting up an organisation or
anything like that. But if, for instance, 10 or 20 other people today
wrote to Sky or called them about this issue then I'm sure there would
be a knock-on effect.
Who would be best to speak to at Sky? And would it be via phone or
email? Do you have an email address? And if everyone asked for the same
thing and made their intentions known and reported back that they'd sent
off an email ... I think it could be really positive and progressive.
The knock on effects could be as small as several people raising it in
the next support desk meeting and hence raising it higher up the agenda.
Perhaps an official response will be sought which means they will need
to go to their press office who, in turn, will need to get a response
from the technical and policy people. And whaddya know, we're raising
the issue with a whole group of people across the board who otherwise
wouldn't have thought about it that day. And there will be a small group
of people within sky who will be delighted that their work to date isn't
going to waste and is actually appreciated and being talked about from
afar.
Lots of companies don't know we care about such things. They get
occasional legislative pressure and they get the occasional nagging and
waving of DDA in front of them by bigger pressure groups ... But not
from organised individuals who are directly concerned.
I've noted a few people here have emailed the accessible customer
services which is marvellous. But what's the next step up from that now
it appears that it's not a customer services issue and a box isn't
imminent? And indeed are the accessible customer services the best
informed people? Anyone got a further insight?
...Damon
-----Original Message-----
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf
Of martin wilsher
Sent: 15 April 2010 20:40
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] Re: bad news re the sky talker
Damon:
I for one have been banging proactively on to sky about the benefits to
all of talking Peg's, not just to blind people, but to elderly and other
people with disabilities also. I've also been talking of the DDA to
them, saying that in 2012 there will be no option but to comply if they
are not to be seen in breach of access to goods and services under the
DDA.
It seems nothing came of my talks to them about this. Ah well, I'm not
surprised.-----Original Message-----
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf
Of Damon Rose
Sent: 15 April 2010 19:30
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] Re: bad news re the sky talker
I gather RNIB is likely to be releasing a bespoke talking freeview set
top box later this year. Seemingly it's quite an achievement to be able
to do this. I'm aware that Project Canvas, the people building the IPTV
platform which will be on sale via set-top boxes next year, have a team
working on a couple of solutions who are making some interesting headway
too. More announcements in due course.
How or why Sky have seemingly bombed out of it when they own everything
from the TV channels and the boxes to the satellites themselves is
somewhat surprising. They can make it work far more easily than the open
platform of Freeview. It's a closed system with no variables as far as I
can tell. They can alter the EPG software to answer any hardware
problems and vice versa.
They can then deliver updates over the air.
I think legislation has to be the way forward. Legislation is making
things happen in the US and I'd be keen to hear an update from RNIB on
whether they are exploring this route or if they have rejected it, and
why. Though I can imagine some negotiation is best kept private, I do
think that after 12 years it would be hellpful to know what we're
against.
I can't help but think that without legislation, or the threat of
legislation, this all important phase where IPTV platforms and boxes are
being created don't necessarily put the onus on the makers to build
accessibility in.
It's the accessibility divide. The divide that gives access to the
physical environment outside your front door but doesn't allow for
access to the all important digital environment that is being so heavily
talked up by government.
That nice Martha Lane Fox, she of LastMinute.com fame, is an advocate
for all this. I am going to look her up on Twitter in a minute and see
if I can engage her on this one issue. IPTV, and set-top boxes that
handle it, is going to be more important and more enabling than you've
perhaps begun to think and I'm anxious little is being talked about it
in relation to visually impaired people. I think older visually impaired
people have the most to gain here as there are invariably make and mend
solutions on the PC for the more tech savvy amongst us.
Over the years on this list I've suggested we all ought to be more
proactive because I believe we would be listened to. Is there room for a
helpfully proactive list? Or maybe one exists but I don't know about it?
...Damon
-----Original Message-----
From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On Behalf
Of Darran Ross
Sent: 15 April 2010 16:35
To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [access-uk] Re: bad news re the sky talker
If what Fran's been told is right, it just strikes me as the whole thing
was a half-assed waste of everybody's time. Who on earth do they think
is going to be excited by the prospect of a unit that will tell them the
title of the next programme!
Sitting here shaking head in disbelief, and holding on to the hope that
the Sky rep has got this badly wrong.
Darran
----- Original Message -----
From: "Damon Rose" <damon.rose@xxxxxxxxx>
To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
Sent: Thursday, April 15, 2010 4:17 PM
Subject: [access-uk] Re: bad news re the sky talker
> Sounds like they've developed something that no one will want to buy.
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
Behalf
> Of Barry Hill
> Sent: 15 April 2010 16:11
> To: access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Subject: [access-uk] Re: bad news re the sky talker
>
> Is it only the next programme? If it could say what the current
> programme is too, that would have been useful. Otherwise, you're
right,
> waste of time.
>
> Cheers
>
> Barry
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Francis Holman" <franholman755@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> To: <access-uk@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
> Sent: Thursday, April 15, 2010 3:49 PM
> Subject: [access-uk] bad news re the sky talker
>
>
> Hi I spoke with the disability department of sky this morning.
> Apparently
> the sky talker is not ready to launch yet, and even when it does there
> will not be an EPG. According to the person whom I spoke with it will
> only tell what the next programme coming up is. Personally that seems
> a waste
of
> time
> and research to me. Very disappointing.
> Best
> Fran.
>
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