Maybe someone is writing a similar app for a less totalitarian platform? I'd gladly support such effort by donating.
Yes—it's called American Sign Language, and it's easier to learn than Spanish.
Let Maya Speak For Herself
41–50 of 51 posts
Re: Let Maya Speak For Herself
#42I wonder what the patent is for? Back in the 80s, I remember playing with some software which had a command-line interface. You could type "*SAY Hello" and "Hello" would come out of the speakers. http://bbc.nvg.org/doc/Speech.html
If I remember correctly, it's the organization of the buttons on-screen.
Re: Let Maya Speak For Herself
#43My understanding is that the patent is over the design & layout. Essentially though, it's a sampler. Why not release an app that allows you to fill the screen with icons/sounds from a library, and lay them out yourself (as the user)? By default, the layout would be a bunch of blank buttons. But, if the user wanted to, they could reconstruct the original interface on their own...
Re: Let Maya Speak For Herself
#44I wonder what the patent is for? Back in the 80s, I remember playing with some software which had a command-line interface. You could type "*SAY Hello" and "Hello" would come out of the speakers. http://bbc.nvg.org/doc/Speech.html
If I remember correctly, it's the organization of the buttons on-screen.
do you have a link to any article explaining the patent?
Re: Let Maya Speak For Herself
#45Earlier quoted context omitted.
I know, that's my point. I don't have an iPad, but can't you turn off updates? Can't you turn off networking entirely? If so, how would an update even occur? Don't just sit there in fear of an update, prevent it .
I think the larger issue is that any iPads purchased in the future may not be compatible with this software.
Sure, I'm not saying there isn't an issue here. Apple is in the wrong and so are the litigators in the patent suit.
My point is that they shouldn't be in fear of their daughter losing her voice any time soon. Are other kids going to lose by not having this app available in the future? Yes. Are they prevented from getting any software updates to this app? Yes. Will their ipad eventually die? Yes. Should they be afraid of Apple remotely removing their app from their device or updating the OS so that the app no longer works? No, they shouldn't be.
Re: Let Maya Speak For Herself
#46it is a shame this sort of software is not just free to begin with... i know people making it must make a living, but ideally this sort of thing would be freely available. imo charging for this software is as ethically questionable as blocking access to it - from a certain point of view they are identical actions. its also a shame that the ios platform is the way it is but apple have the right to exercise their freed…
No, these actions have nothing in common. The application had a reasonable, one-time fee, that anyone who could afford an iPad could pay, so they were not blocking access to it at all.
Re: Let Maya Speak For Herself
#47Maybe someone is writing a similar app for a less totalitarian platform? I'd gladly support such effort by donating.
Yes—it's called American Sign Language, and it's easier to learn than Spanish.
And presumably the autistic community knows about ASL, and the children who can learn it, do—it'd be greatly preferable to carrying around a multi-thousand-dollar device. I think we can assume that this child's problems leave her unable to learn ASL.
Re: Let Maya Speak For Herself
#48Maybe someone is writing a similar app for a less totalitarian platform? I'd gladly support such effort by donating.
I'm willing to work on an open source app - and you can do a lot with HTML5 web-based apps now and they work on any tablet since they all have browsers.
Re: Let Maya Speak For Herself
#49Earlier quoted context omitted.
Are you talking about distributing ipa files outside of the App Store? As I understand it, you also need $100/year and you're limited to provisioning 100 UDIDs. I don't think this is actually an alternative.
The app maker could sell a XCode project. Each end-user would pay Apple's $99 license fee, provision their own devices, and sign the app with their own key.
[deleted]
Re: Let Maya Speak For Herself
#50Maybe someone is writing a similar app for a less totalitarian platform? I'd gladly support such effort by donating.
I agree 100%, and actually emailed Maya's parents with an idea of creating an Android Tablet App, and donate a Tablet to them to test/keep. Also created a thread looking for likeminded developers here that would want to help develop such an app: http://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=4107019 If anyone is interested in hacking something cool together, send me an email: sam.granger@gmail.com They received a few similar em…
"I did send them an email, offering help, but I doubt they'd be interested since "patents" and a possible lawsuit is probably their current main concern."
There's that, and also the "hey would you help us re-create your product so that we can give it away for free and destroy your business" angle.