AppleVis Will Continue Under Be My Eyes
As many of you already know, David Goodwin founded AppleVis in July 2010. Since that first day, David has worked tirelessly, day in and day out, to develop and maintain the AppleVis website. While myself and the rest of the AppleVis Editorial Team have supported David with the daily operations of the site, David has been the driving force behind the website--both in terms of the ideas and, on a more practical level, having sole responsibility for the technical implementation. AppleVis would not be here today were it not for David, and David has undertaken all of this work for the community on an entirely voluntary basis.
Early last week, David was hospitalized in the ICU due to a very serious and life-threatening medical issue. David was unresponsive for 8 days and almost died. We are relieved to share that he is now getting better, though he still has a long road to recovery ahead.
It is with deep sadness and a heavy heart that after careful consideration I have made the difficult decision to step down from my responsibilities with AppleVis. As a direct result of my departure and following extensive deliberation, the editorial team has come to the painful conclusion that AppleVis will be closing. This decision was not made lightly, but it has become clear that continuing AppleVis without my involvement is not feasible.
AppleVis will be joining the Be My Eyes family through an acquisition that ensures not only its continued existence but also opens up exciting new possibilities.
When I announced the impending closure of AppleVis in July, I was deeply moved by the outpouring of support from our community. Your responses underscored the vital role AppleVis plays in the lives of so many blind and low-vision individuals. I am thrilled to inform you that this acquisition means AppleVis will continue to serve our community, stronger than ever before.
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This is not a financial transaction - no money has changed hands, and I have not personally profited from this arrangement. Instead, this is a mission-driven partnership where Be My Eyes is taking on the responsibility of maintaining and growing AppleVis for the benefit of our community. My decision to transfer stewardship of AppleVis to Be My Eyes was driven solely by the desire to ensure its continued existence and growth. In this arrangement, Be My Eyes will acquire the AppleVis website, brand, and a license to all content, allowing them to invest in its future while maintaining the volunteer spirit that has always been at the heart of our community. As planned, I will still be stepping down from my role on the editorial team.
We will reopen the AppleVis website on September 9, 2024—right in time for Apple’s Keynote and fall software releases. We will share all of our traditional content concurrent with the releases of iOS 18 and macOS Sequoia, including an article detailing what’s new for blind and DeafBlind users in iOS 18; podcasts; and blogs detailing new and resolved VoiceOver bugs in both iOS and macOS.
See also: Sabahattin Gucukoglu, Daniel Jalkut, Shelly Brisbin.
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