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From:
"barb o'connor" <broconnor1972@comcast.net>Subject:
Re: On GW Connect AdvertisementDate:
Thu, Aug 8, 2013 10:41:43 amThis is a multi-part message in MIME format.
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OK, I'm now feeling a whole lot better. I, too, thought I had picked up some sort of virus. I didn't even connect it with GWConnect. I scanned my computer thinking that something had happened. Of course, no threats were found. I noticed this behavior about 3 weeks ago but didn't pay attention to the fact that I only heard it when connected to GWConnect. I am relieved to know that I'm not the only one who experienced this. I just joined this list recently so was not on board when the behavior was being discussed. If we're going to continue to experience this type of intrusive advertisement, at least make us aware of it so that the panic button is not pushed.
Thanks for reading this.
Barb
----- Original Message -----
From: Jeffrey Rainey
To: gw-apps@gwmicro.com
Sent: Thursday, August 08, 2013 4:27 AM
Subject: On GW Connect Advertisement
Hello All,
I've noticed the changes in GWConnect, and I could not bite my tongue.
I have been a GWConnect user from the very beginning, and have found it a very nice and clutter-free application with all of the functionality of the skype client. I have also seen the heated debates that broke out over twitter not long after its release, constituting what makes freeware software. I took no interest in these debates, as the semantics, to me, were insignificant and unrelated to how the software was written and how it ran. The ads themselves were controllable if you were using a screen reader other than Window-eyes, so in my situation it was a minimal price to pay (if you'll forgive the pun.)
Fast forward more than a year and a half later. One morning I hear a voice in my left channel talking about leadership is spirit, and I could not figure out where it was coming from. My first concern was that it was a virus, but I did not get any pop-up windows or any other alerts that would suggest so. In fact, I even asked for help on twitter, asking where this virus could potentially be embedded, and the unabridged tweet is as follows: Jeffrey Rainey: I'm hearing a random voiceover for what sounds like Dynamic Pona in my left channel. This is creeping me out because it sounds like a virus, but I don't know where to check for it.
Thankfully I found that it was an ad for GWConnect, but that doesn't mean I approve of it any more. I would like to know why audio and musical ads are now incorporated into the software, if the user has no control over them. I understand that it is a profitable endeavour, and I don't have a problem with a business trying to make money. What I do have a problem with, however, is that this type of promotion is extremely obtrusive in any piece of software, whether free and with ads or paid, and as far as I know, has never been forced into any other software packages. Even if it were, in my opinion, it is not a good practice to follow.
My suggestion is that these audio ads be written out so that a screen reader can read them aloud, and the user has the choice of whether they choose to hear them or not. It is not assumed that the user must be forced to hear these ads as some sort of catch 22 for using the non-paid version of this software.
Ads appear in free versions of software all the time. RS games has them, apps for mobile platforms have them as well for both blind and sighted users alike, and any user of a program or app has the right to be frustrated with an amber-alert-style ad of which they have no control.
I hope this message, as well as others like it is given serious thought, because I would hate to have to switch clients, all for something that wasn't broken in the first place. Thanks for reading,
Jeffrey Rainey
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<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>OK, I'm now feeling a whole lot better. I,
too, thought I had picked up some sort of virus. I didn't even connect it
with GWConnect. I scanned my computer thinking that something had
happened. Of course, no threats were found. I noticed this behavior
about 3 weeks ago but didn't pay attention to the fact that I only heard it when
connected to GWConnect. I am relieved to know that I'm not the only one
who experienced this. I just joined this list recently so was not on board
when the behavior was being discussed. If we're going to continue to
experience this type of intrusive advertisement, at least make us aware of it so
that the panic button is not pushed.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Thanks for reading this.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Barb</FONT> </DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"
dir=ltr>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="FONT: 10pt arial; BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=Jeffrey_rainey@rogers.com
href="mailto:Jeffrey_rainey@rogers.com">Jeffrey Rainey</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=gw-apps@gwmicro.com
href="mailto:gw-apps@gwmicro.com">gw-apps@gwmicro.com</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Thursday, August 08, 2013 4:27
AM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> On GW Connect
Advertisement</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV class=WordSection1>
<P class=MsoNormal>Hello All,<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>I’ve noticed the changes in GWConnect, and I could not bite
my tongue.<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>I have been a GWConnect user from the very beginning, and
have found it a very nice and clutter-free application with all of the
functionality of the skype client. I have also seen the heated debates that
broke out over twitter not long after its release, constituting what makes
freeware software. I took no interest in these debates, as the semantics, to
me, were insignificant and unrelated to how the software was written and how
it ran. The ads themselves were controllable if you were using a screen reader
other than Window-eyes, so in my situation it was a minimal price to pay (if
you'll forgive the pun.)<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>Fast forward more than a year and a half later. One morning
I hear a voice in my left channel talking about leadership is spirit, and I
could not figure out where it was coming from. My first concern was that it
was a virus, but I did not get any pop-up windows or any other alerts that
would suggest so. In fact, I even asked for help on twitter, asking where this
virus could potentially be embedded, and the unabridged tweet is as
follows: Jeffrey Rainey: I'm hearing a random voiceover for what sounds
like Dynamic Pona in my left channel. This is creeping me out because it
sounds like a virus, but I don't know where to check for it.<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>Thankfully I found that it was an ad for GWConnect, but
that doesn't mean I approve of it any more. I would like to know why audio and
musical ads are now incorporated into the software, if the user has no control
over them. I understand that it is a profitable endeavour, and I don't have a
problem with a business trying to make money. What I do have a problem with,
however, is that this type of promotion is extremely obtrusive in any piece of
software, whether free and with ads or paid, and as far as I know, has never
been forced into any other software packages. Even if it were, in my opinion,
it is not a good practice to follow.<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>My suggestion is that these audio ads be written out so
that a screen reader can read them aloud, and the user has the choice of
whether they choose to hear them or not. It is not assumed that the user must
be forced to hear these ads as some sort of catch 22 for using the non-paid
version of this software.<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>Ads appear in free versions of software all the time. RS
games has them, apps for mobile platforms have them as well for both blind and
sighted users alike, and any user of a program or app has the right to be
frustrated with an amber-alert-style ad of which they have no
control.<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>I hope this message, as well as others like it is given
serious thought, because I would hate to have to switch clients, all for
something that wasn't broken in the first place. Thanks for
reading,<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>Jeffrey Rainey<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>
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OK, I'm now feeling a whole lot better. I, too, thought I had picked up some sort of virus. I didn't even connect it with GWConnect. I scanned my computer thinking that something had happened. Of course, no threats were found. I noticed this behavior about 3 weeks ago but didn't pay attention to the fact that I only heard it when connected to GWConnect. I am relieved to know that I'm not the only one who experienced this. I just joined this list recently so was not on board when the behavior was being discussed. If we're going to continue to experience this type of intrusive advertisement, at least make us aware of it so that the panic button is not pushed.
Thanks for reading this.
Barb
----- Original Message -----
From: Jeffrey Rainey
To: gw-apps@gwmicro.com
Sent: Thursday, August 08, 2013 4:27 AM
Subject: On GW Connect Advertisement
Hello All,
I've noticed the changes in GWConnect, and I could not bite my tongue.
I have been a GWConnect user from the very beginning, and have found it a very nice and clutter-free application with all of the functionality of the skype client. I have also seen the heated debates that broke out over twitter not long after its release, constituting what makes freeware software. I took no interest in these debates, as the semantics, to me, were insignificant and unrelated to how the software was written and how it ran. The ads themselves were controllable if you were using a screen reader other than Window-eyes, so in my situation it was a minimal price to pay (if you'll forgive the pun.)
Fast forward more than a year and a half later. One morning I hear a voice in my left channel talking about leadership is spirit, and I could not figure out where it was coming from. My first concern was that it was a virus, but I did not get any pop-up windows or any other alerts that would suggest so. In fact, I even asked for help on twitter, asking where this virus could potentially be embedded, and the unabridged tweet is as follows: Jeffrey Rainey: I'm hearing a random voiceover for what sounds like Dynamic Pona in my left channel. This is creeping me out because it sounds like a virus, but I don't know where to check for it.
Thankfully I found that it was an ad for GWConnect, but that doesn't mean I approve of it any more. I would like to know why audio and musical ads are now incorporated into the software, if the user has no control over them. I understand that it is a profitable endeavour, and I don't have a problem with a business trying to make money. What I do have a problem with, however, is that this type of promotion is extremely obtrusive in any piece of software, whether free and with ads or paid, and as far as I know, has never been forced into any other software packages. Even if it were, in my opinion, it is not a good practice to follow.
My suggestion is that these audio ads be written out so that a screen reader can read them aloud, and the user has the choice of whether they choose to hear them or not. It is not assumed that the user must be forced to hear these ads as some sort of catch 22 for using the non-paid version of this software.
Ads appear in free versions of software all the time. RS games has them, apps for mobile platforms have them as well for both blind and sighted users alike, and any user of a program or app has the right to be frustrated with an amber-alert-style ad of which they have no control.
I hope this message, as well as others like it is given serious thought, because I would hate to have to switch clients, all for something that wasn't broken in the first place. Thanks for reading,
Jeffrey Rainey
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<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>OK, I'm now feeling a whole lot better. I,
too, thought I had picked up some sort of virus. I didn't even connect it
with GWConnect. I scanned my computer thinking that something had
happened. Of course, no threats were found. I noticed this behavior
about 3 weeks ago but didn't pay attention to the fact that I only heard it when
connected to GWConnect. I am relieved to know that I'm not the only one
who experienced this. I just joined this list recently so was not on board
when the behavior was being discussed. If we're going to continue to
experience this type of intrusive advertisement, at least make us aware of it so
that the panic button is not pushed.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Thanks for reading this.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Barb</FONT> </DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE
style="BORDER-LEFT: #000000 2px solid; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"
dir=ltr>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV>
<DIV
style="FONT: 10pt arial; BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; font-color: black"><B>From:</B>
<A title=Jeffrey_rainey@rogers.com
href="mailto:Jeffrey_rainey@rogers.com">Jeffrey Rainey</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=gw-apps@gwmicro.com
href="mailto:gw-apps@gwmicro.com">gw-apps@gwmicro.com</A> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Thursday, August 08, 2013 4:27
AM</DIV>
<DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> On GW Connect
Advertisement</DIV>
<DIV><BR></DIV>
<DIV class=WordSection1>
<P class=MsoNormal>Hello All,<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>I’ve noticed the changes in GWConnect, and I could not bite
my tongue.<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>I have been a GWConnect user from the very beginning, and
have found it a very nice and clutter-free application with all of the
functionality of the skype client. I have also seen the heated debates that
broke out over twitter not long after its release, constituting what makes
freeware software. I took no interest in these debates, as the semantics, to
me, were insignificant and unrelated to how the software was written and how
it ran. The ads themselves were controllable if you were using a screen reader
other than Window-eyes, so in my situation it was a minimal price to pay (if
you'll forgive the pun.)<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>Fast forward more than a year and a half later. One morning
I hear a voice in my left channel talking about leadership is spirit, and I
could not figure out where it was coming from. My first concern was that it
was a virus, but I did not get any pop-up windows or any other alerts that
would suggest so. In fact, I even asked for help on twitter, asking where this
virus could potentially be embedded, and the unabridged tweet is as
follows: Jeffrey Rainey: I'm hearing a random voiceover for what sounds
like Dynamic Pona in my left channel. This is creeping me out because it
sounds like a virus, but I don't know where to check for it.<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>Thankfully I found that it was an ad for GWConnect, but
that doesn't mean I approve of it any more. I would like to know why audio and
musical ads are now incorporated into the software, if the user has no control
over them. I understand that it is a profitable endeavour, and I don't have a
problem with a business trying to make money. What I do have a problem with,
however, is that this type of promotion is extremely obtrusive in any piece of
software, whether free and with ads or paid, and as far as I know, has never
been forced into any other software packages. Even if it were, in my opinion,
it is not a good practice to follow.<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>My suggestion is that these audio ads be written out so
that a screen reader can read them aloud, and the user has the choice of
whether they choose to hear them or not. It is not assumed that the user must
be forced to hear these ads as some sort of catch 22 for using the non-paid
version of this software.<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>Ads appear in free versions of software all the time. RS
games has them, apps for mobile platforms have them as well for both blind and
sighted users alike, and any user of a program or app has the right to be
frustrated with an amber-alert-style ad of which they have no
control.<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>I hope this message, as well as others like it is given
serious thought, because I would hate to have to switch clients, all for
something that wasn't broken in the first place. Thanks for
reading,<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>Jeffrey Rainey<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></P></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>
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