Below is a copy of a letter which I sent to the President of compuServe.
David Andrews
December 21, 1995
Mr. Bob Massey
President
Compuserve Information Service
P.O. Box 20212
5000 Arlington Centre Blvd.
Columbus, Ohio 43220
CIS ID 70003,1371
Dear Mr. Massey:
I am writing you as a long-time (dissatisfied) user of
CompuServe. My dissatisfaction is recent, I have been a happy
user for the past ten years, spending from $50 to $100 per month.
Your action that makes me unhappy is the decision to switch to
new forum software that employs your HMI system. This system is
not compatible with existing ASCII-based communication software.
Your switching to this system will make it difficult or
impossible to access CompuServe for many people.
I am blind and use synthesized speech and/or refreshable
Braille equipment to interact with CIS. All of my current
software relies on ASCII. I am a Section Leader in the
Disabilities Forum, and need access to continue this work which I
enjoy. While I should be able to find something that works for
me, it will not be without disruption or problems. I have a good
deal of experience with computers and software, and have adequate
computing resources at my disposal. I worked for the past five
years as Director of the International Braille and technology
Center for the Blind, the world's largest demonstration center
for computer software and hardware used by blind persons. Other
blind and visually impaired persons may not be as lucky as me.
What is the problem? Actually, I see two problems. First,
much of the software that will immediately work with the HMI
system is difficult or impossible for blind persons to use. Your
CompuServe Information Manager products are difficult or
impossible to use with synthesized speech products and CompuServe
has never shown any interest in rectifying this situation. While
there are a number of Microsoft Windows access products on the
market for blind persons, this field is still relatively new and
each of these products has problems and limitations. Much of the
Windows software is difficult or impossible for blind persons to
use at this time. By the way, your program WINCIM is not bad on
the whole. Your programmers stuck to accepted Windows standards
for the most part. However, many of the other Windows products
are not as good. Further, many blind persons can not afford the
additional $500 to $1000 it would cost them to use Windows, not
including necessary hardware upgrades. Your DOSCIM product is
from difficult to impossible for blind persons to use. There is
only one access system for the Mac and for OS/2 and these
software access systems do not work with all products.
Some blind persons are using TAPCIS regularly, but it seems
to take a good deal of persistence in the beginning. The TAPCIS
folks are also interested in improving their product for us and
have been making changes. They have even set up a section in
their Forum, for blind people who use access technology with
TAPCIS. However, not everyone wants an off-line solution, or has
the time or experience to get TAPCIS set up. It takes a good
deal of configuring of the speech access software, a skill that
many people do not have.
What is missing is a real-time terminal program that runs
under DOS that people can use to get onto CompuServe, use Forums
and other parts of CIS.
Since I started this letter, another ASCII affront has come
up. Last week CIS announced the availability of personal ID's.
However, you can not register such an ID with an ASCII interface.
You might as well get it over with and require WINCIM or DOSCIM
for access.
The second problem, as I see it, is CompuServe's lack of
concern and caviler attitude toward many of your users. You have
made a decision, without consulting with people, that will make
it difficult or impossible for thousands of your loyal users to
access your service. It is not just blind people who will be
hurt by this move. Others include those who use orphaned
hardware and/or software, such as CP/M, and those who use older
hardware such as XT's and compatibles, Apple II's, and the like.
There are many people who can not afford powerful new systems.
Did you know that the unemployment/underemployment rate for blind
persons is 70 percent. How are these people going to be able to
afford powerful new systems capable of running Windows? Also,
there are people who use DOS and ASCII programs because they are
small, quick, and efficient for those who know what they want and
how to do it.
While I know that progress and change in the computer field
are inevitable, I also think that you could do more to ensure
backward compatibility. While you surveyed disabled persons
about our needs several months ago, we have heard nothing from
this survey and it obviously didn't do any good as the ASCII
interface is being dropped. Further, you do nothing to consult
with blind and other disabled persons. You have not asked
questions of us in the Disabilities Forum and you do not consult
with organizations of blind persons. I previously mentioned the
International Braille and Technology Center for the Blind. It is
a part of the National Federation of the Blind, (NFB,) a 50,000
member organization of blind persons. We have a Computer Science
division and its President, Curtis Chong, is a CompuServe user.
You have never contacted us to my knowledge. CompuServe has been
the favorite on-line service among blind persons, because of the
ASCII interface and the large number of access options. It looks
like this will no longer be the case. You are developing new
graphical on-line services, but have not consulted with us to
make these new services accessible. These services include your
new WOW service and the service that allows users to manipulate
characters that represent them for on-line chatting. At least
one blind person asked your Customer Service Department about
access issues with the role-playing service and they said we
don't know anything about that and not in version 1.
You can contact me at CompuServe ID 72157,3547 or by
telephone at (612) 642-0513. You can contact Curtis Chong,
President of the NfB in Computer Science at 73443,1351. You can
contact the NFB and/or the International Braille and Technology
Center for the Blind at (410) 659-9314.
It is deeply disturbing that you have done so little to
maintain the ASCII interface. While alternative programs might
be possible, or modifications to existing programs, you don't
announce the demise of the ASCII interface until the week you
start to eliminate it. That is a slap in the face to those of us
who have stood by you in the past. I for one have spent
thousands of dollars on CompuServe over the years but may be left
out in the cold eventually. Thanks! Sincerely,
David Andrews
cc: Curtis Chong, President, NFB in Computer Science
Marc Mauer, President, National Federation of the Blind
Dr. Kenneth Jernigan, President Emeritus, National Federation of
the Blind
James Gashel, Director of Governmental Relations, National
Federation of the blind
Kassie Rose, Editor, CompuServe Magazine
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