--- Forwarded Message from Steve & Laura Spinella <[log in to unmask]> --- >Date: Thu, 28 Sep 2000 14:32:11 +0800 >From: Steve & Laura Spinella <[log in to unmask]> >Reply-To: [log in to unmask] >Organization: Center for Counseling and Growth >To: LLTI-Editor <[log in to unmask]> >Subject: Re: #5694 Cheng-Tsui Pricing: Alternatives I have been following with interest the discussion, and can certainly see both sides. However, the digital era also gives us new possibilities. For instance, as director of a small staff of native Chinese speakers, most also with Master's degrees from the US, the recording of digital material in standard Chinese is rather simple, and also very cheap. We all know who has clear, standard, and appropriate recordable voices. Now if you want a famous TV personality, that might cost more, eh? I am sure there are many others in similar situations. Years ago, when I visited the CALL project of the federal government in northern Virginia, their technical director told me the same thing--it was easier for him to get adequate digital sound from his own Mac recording in a conference room than using expense sound reproduction equipment at very high prices. So if you don't want to pay licensing fees anymore, then by all means please create and distribute things freely! If you need authentic and clear mandarin Chinese, but can't get it locally, we or many others can help. After all, it may be a less commonly taught language in the US, but it is still the world's most commonly spoken native tongue, right? Steve, surrounded by millions of LCTL (mandarin) native speakers > >From: "Daniel E. Meyers" > >Subject: Re: #5694 Cheng-Tsui Pricing > ...We had the same situation with Cheng-Tsui, only they wanted to charge > us $563 for using the lab tapes! I think that they just don't get the > idea of what competitive marketing really is. The GREAL department > here has contemplated many times whether or not to switch books > because of their outrageous pricing policies.-- > Dr. Steve Spinella Ta Yi Street, Lane 29, #18, 2F-1 Taichung 404, TAIWAN 886 4 236-6145, of 236-1901, fx 236-2109, USA 1 719 528-1702 <http://www.team.org.tw/ccg> <http://www.team.org.tw/spinella> <[log in to unmask]>