Vispero software information overview
Quantum RLV is the Australian distributor of Vispero/Freedom Scientific software, including:
- ZoomText Magnifier (magnification software)
- ZoomText magnifier/reader (magnification with screen reading)
- JAWS (screen reader), available in home and professional versions
- ZoomText Fusion (this combines ZoomText and JAWS software, available in home and professional versions
- Openbook (scanning software)
This information relates to Single-user licences only.
For information about Multi-User, Branded Subscription and Network licences, please contact our Quantum customer service team on 1300 883 853 or info@quantumrlv.com.au.
Single-user JAWS, ZoomText and ZoomText Fusion licences (excluding 90 day timed licences) are “perpetual”; this means that they are not subscription software. Once purchased, these licences can be installed indefinitely, and can be un-installed and re-installed on another computer if required. The licence can be installed on up to three computers but cannot be used by different people at the same time, because the EULA (the End User Licence Agreement) is user-specific, not computer-specific.
The licence is perpetual, but the software itself may become less effective and even incompatible over time as the computer it is installed on ages, and as the Windows operating system gets updated, or the various programmes and browsers running on the computer get updated. For this reason, it is important to upgrade the JAWS, ZoomText or Fusion software periodically, even though the Licence to use it is perpetual.
Minor updates to the software are released multiple times a year and these are free of charge. These updates are generally bug fixes. Many users allow updates to be downloaded and installed automatically.
Major updates are called “Upgrades” and these are not free; the cost to upgrade depends on the age of the software already installed – ie the version number. Upgrades are released every year at about the same time (October / November) and each version has a year number, followed by minor revision number.
Upgrades are not obligatory, (**) but maintaining licences on the current version is strongly recommended to ensure ongoing optimal functionality of a software licence with the current windows operating system, browsers and commonly used programmes, such as Office. A serial number for the existing licence must be provided to enable the purchase of upgrades.
If a licence is not maintained regularly, it can still be upgraded to the current version, no matter how old it gets. This is always cheaper than the purchase of a new licence (excluding some licence conversion scenarios).
Upgrades are released annually; the exact timing depends on our supplier’s development and successful testing of the new version, but usually occurs after the 20th of October and by the end of October.
Pro option versus Home option (JAWS and FUSION only)
Professional version is intended for business or education purposes e.g.
home business, corporate, government (whether purchased by the employee or the employer, regardless of whether the role is paid or voluntary) and education. A licence purchased by a student for study and domestic use can be the Home version, but if purchased by the educational institution for the student/students use the version must be Professional.
Home version is functionally the same as the Professional version (excluding the ability to add/purchase Tandem Direct capability). Home version is supplied at a discounted rate for domestic use only.
Software Maintenance Agreements (SMA’s) are the most economical way to keep software up to date. To be eligible to purchase an SMA a licence must be on the current annual version. SMAs provide the next 2 future versions for the price of one. It is possible to pre-purchase SMAs for up to 10 years ahead, but most people renew their SMAs during the final Version year
Demonstration Mode has all the functionality of the fully licenced product, but requires a computer restart every 40 minutes. This is useful for testing purposes. If the software has been installed but not Authorized the software will prompt to run in demo mode, and give an opportunity to Activate, should an Authoriztion code be available (purchased or provided by Quantum).
Dongles are special USB sticks that carry the Authorisation code, instead of it being installed on the hard drive of the computer. Authorisation codes are checked by the software when it starts, and if present the software runs fully – otherwise, the software starts in Demonstration mode.
Dongles can be purchased as an optional extra (there is a discount for those purchased with a new licence as opposed to adding later or replacing a lost dongle) for users requiring access to more than 3 devices (eg they regularly move between several work sites and do not have a laptop) a dongle can be a good solution.
If the software user requires 3 activations and the dongle, the request for ILM (internet licence management) and a dongle should be specified.
The dongle can be inserted into a compatible PC to authorise software already installed on that device. The dongle is the authorisation key only, it does not have the capacity to store individual settings.
Software delivery is via email (dongles are physical and sent via a postal service), details of the licence serial number, authorisation code and installation link will be sent in the body of an email to the designated recipient.
Registration details (end user name and address, or reseller name and address) are required for every licence.
Supply time frame for software licences, upgrades and confirmation of entitlement to SMA’s is usually within 2-4 business days from the time of order confirmation (an order is confirmed after payment/purchase order, end user/registered owner and delivery to email address have been provided). It may take 2-3 weeks to supply Dongles which are sent to Quantum from overseas.
Software recipients will be sent an email containing their serial number, authorisation code, software type and an installation link, which directs them to the appropriate Freedom Scientific web page.
Licence conversion, JAWS and ZoomText licences are eligible to be converted to ZoomText Fusion software, contact Quantum to get a quotation. JAWS and Fusion licences can be converted from Home to Professional and from Professional to Home versions, additional charges are applicable to convert from Home to Professional, contact Quantum for pricing.
Correspondence approaching upgrade release while the responsibility of maintaining a licence lies with the user/the user's employer, parent, carer or guardian, to the best of our ability Quantum will convey information to Quantum software users with recent/current versions, or their resellers, via email, to advise of anticipated major upgrade releases, commencing approximately 2 months before the release.
90 day licences last for 90 days from the time they are activated; each will have its own serial number and authorisation code. For the professional version if five 90-day licences are purchased and activated concurrently by the same user, at the time of purchasing the 5th a full licence serial number can be requested at no extra cost.
Release dates time line as mentioned above software updates are released annually approximately towards the end of October. Until further notice any new licence purchased on or after 1st September each year will receive automatic entitlement to the new version released later that year, and if an SMA is purchased at the same time it will provide for the 2 versions following the version released in October.
Upgrades and SMA’s quoted prior to the release of a new version must be purchased before the quotation expiry, quotes will be valid until 20th October, after that date we are unable to guarantee pricing, once the next version is released an extra level will be required for upgrades and licences that were on the current version will now require a single level upgrade before they are eligible for SMA purchase.
Quantum Software support is included and ongoing for purchases of these products, for support please contact us via info@quantumrlv.com.au or call between 8:30 am and 5 pm Monday to Friday AEST.
We can also provide training in the use of these products, please contact Quantum for a quotation.
Remote Access is an add on that can be purchased for JAWS and ZoomText Fusion, both home and professional versions. Remote Access allows JAWS and Zoomtext Fusion to operate in Remote Desktop environments, like Citrix.
Demo mode - software can be installed on a PC with the appropriate system specifications without making a purchase, the program will give 40 minutes of full usage of the relevant software. After 40 minutes, the software will stop (but you can continue to use your computer), so for example, JAWS will stop speaking, and Zoomtext will stop magnifying. However, after a computer restart, the demo software can be run again for another 40 minutes.
45 day licences in certain circumstances Quantum may be able to issue a free 45 day trial licence, as with the 90 day licence it will last for 45 days from the time of activation, it can be used to authorise JAWS, ZoomText or ZoomText Fusion, please contact Quantum to discuss eligibility for your client.
CITRIX JAWS and ZoomText Fusion are compatible with Citrix. ZoomText Magnifier and Magnifier Reader are not compatible with Citrix. To upgrade ZoomText Magnifier or ZoomText Magnifier Reader to ZoomText Fusion, contact our Customer Service team for a quote.
Tandem Centre – all JAWS and Fusion licences have this capability, it enables one user to connect to another via the internet; it is useful when providing software support or training.
Tandem Direct – allows Tandem connection via an organizations internal network. As this pertains to employment use, only the Professionia Version of JAWS and Fusion support Tandem Direct.
Useful links (some links may be inaccessible to organisations external to Quantum, please contact us to request a copy)).
Software installation links current and historical:
https://support.freedomscientific.com/Downloads/JAWS
https://support.freedomscientific.com/Downloads/fusion
https://support.freedomscientific.com/Downloads/ZoomText
Versions compatibility with windows OS guide ZoomText: Which ZoomText Works With Which Windows.docx
Versions compatibility with windows OS guide JAWS: Jaws Compatibility With Which Windows.docx
JAWS historical version release dates: JAWS historical version release dates.docx
ZoomText historical versions release dates: ZoomText historical version release dates.docx
End User Licence Agreement ( EULA) - https://support.freedomscientific.com/eula/enu/
Check what version a licence is on and how many actions are remaining - https://fsactivate.freedomscientific.com/Activation/VerifyActivationKeys
System recommendations -
https://support.freedomscientific.com/Downloads/JAWS/jaws-system-requirements
https://support.freedomscientific.com/Downloads/ZoomText/ZoomText-System-Requirements
https://support.freedomscientific.com/Downloads/Fusion/Fusion-System-Requirements
Support and updates for Windows 7 were discontinued by Microsoft in January 2020.
The following table shows which versions of JAWS can run on various Windows versions.
|
Windows Version |
JAWS Version |
|
Windows XP |
JAWS 15 and earlier |
|
Windows 7 |
JAWS 11 to 2021 |
|
Windows 8 or 8.1 |
JAWS 14 to 2021 |
|
Windows 10h |
JAWS 2019 or later |
|
Windows 11 |
JAWS 2021 or later |
For Zoomtext :
|
Windows Version |
ZoomText Version |
|
Windows XP |
10.1 or earlier |
|
Windows 7 |
9.1 to 2021 |
|
Windows 8 |
10.0 to 2021 |
|
Windows 10 |
10.1 or later |
|
Windows 11 |
2021 or later |
Quantum website software FAQ page:
https://www.quantumrlv.com.au/pages/software-support-faqs
(*) Subscription, student and other licences available in the USA are not available for the Australian market
(**) in time older Vispero licences will become incompatible with newer versions of a Microsoft operating system, when this occurs a person using an older PC running for example Windows 7 may find that when that PC requires replacement their older version of e.g. JAWS is not compatible with the new windows OS, a software upgrade to the current version would be required to enable installation and full functionality on the new device.