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List:       mozilla-ui
Subject:    Re: voice browsing - where I got funding
From:       Aaron Leventhal <aaronl () chorus ! net>
Date:       1999-12-20 7:28:07
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Thanks for the advice on getting started with this project. It's going to
take time to get started and do things right. After I finish my current
contract work I'll be buying a new computer and working on learning
Bugzilla and CVS for this project. I'll post this as a 'bug' as you
suggest, with a welcome to other volunteers.

Regarding your question on how I'm being funded:
I'm receiving funding from a company that makes products for blind and
visually impaired users. There is a lot more potential for this kind of
fundraising for other developers. Disabled users generally have a difficult
time coping with closed technologies, and there is grant money or
consulting work to be had if there was hope of making cutting edge Mozilla
technology truly beneficial. In addition, there is a direct parallel here
to mobile use, because there is limited screen real estate on mobile
phones, and no chance to look at a screen while driving. Yet people may
still want to access information in those environments with speech. It
should be noted that Nokia is working with Mozilla, for set top boxes at
least. Who knows, maybe they would fund getting Mozilla to work with speech
in mobile phones and cars! (I also noticed Nokia is involved with AOL on
the Palm Pilot spinoff - hmmmm....) 

I see applications for Mozilla with wearable computers, telephones,
televisions, cars and for disabled people. There must be tons of
opportunities for someone who know how to schmooze with the companies in
those fields, as well as university and government grants. I also believe
strongly that there are companies working with Mozilla source code that
people do not yet know about .

Good luck! Lots of possibilities.
Aaron

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