Dragon program

[john999]

I need to learn that Dragon dictation program since I am having much trouble with my hands and typing.  Is there a tutorial or some easy way to learn it.  I have the program but it seems daunting to me.   I just associate computers, work with my hands and the whole bit with pain and frustration.  I taught myself how to touch type years ago, but now I can't even answer a post here without pain.

 

 

                            John

[Berta]

WOW John, that is a lot to deal with.I switched from ergonomic keyboard to regular one and think I am getting carpal tunnel syndrome in my hands now.

I asked my PC man last week about Dragon. He said there are  4 levels, I think, and maybe the top one was 400 bucks.

He installed one for a friend of his and as they were bsing while he was giving the guy some pointers on using it. the Dragon taped what each of them said, so the mike to it picks up a lot.

I think some one here uses Dragon so I hope they chime in,and there are tutorials I  bet on the internet too, to give an overview before buying it..

[pwrslm]

The new generation of Dragon is set for release on the 18th of August.  There are many programs and tutorials for Dragon, and yes it does have a learning curve but it works.  The longer its been out, the more its capability to interact within the windows framework has improved.

[broncovet]

I had Dragon, and, tho it was 3 or 4 years ago, I consider google's "speech to text" superior, and its free.  

On my phone, I can click the google microphone, and say something like, "Navigate to 124 main street, Baltimore maryland" and it will open Google GPS and give me directions.  Or, I can click the google microphone and say, "Find the nearest gasoline station", and I will get a list.  

It even works with, say you cant remember the name of a song.  But you do remember, "Her name was JOanne and she lived in an meadow near a park"...and chances are good it will find it for you.  

   While its probably not fair to compare 4 year old dragon software to current google speech to text, I still think the google software is better.  

    However, this author opined Dragon was better than Windows built in software:

http://www.pcworld.com/article/2458363/dragon-naturallyspeaking-13-review-better-than-ever-at-letting-you-speak-freely.html

Edited August 16, 2015 by broncovet

[GuaymasJim]

Bronco is correct.  The speech recognition built into Windows is superior to Dragon, and it is free. It is way much faster and uses far fewer computer resources. I use speech recognition almost all the time and have for years including my hadit posts.  I had the last version of the Dragon; and was real relieved when Microsoft really got its act together and I  could dump it.  My father was going blind so I programmed his computer to operate completely by voice.  My own computer records my telephone conversations, transcribes them, and then translates them into Spanish for my wife.  Since my father's voice was very similar to mine, the transition to my computer was easy.  I have "brought it alone" with each new computer and each Windows upgrade.  I will be upgrading a computer to Windows 10 Pro over the next few days, so I will post some updates as that process progresses.

You will have to "teach" your computer to recognize your voice.  The more time you spend "teaching" the faster and more accurate it will become.  Teaching entails reading prepared scripts into the microphone.

Check it out at Control Panel>Speech Recognition.  There is a little "Larry King" mic icon where you begin the process.  PM me if I can be some help!

[Carl the Engineer]

Speech recognition works great for casual conversation.  Works great on my smart phone when texting.  However, its vocabulary is limited and dosent like poor sentence structure.  We stopped using it at work because of what we have to dictate or actually write is a lot of swearing and half sentences, etc.  It is comical, when it tries to type when someone tells you f-off or sukc my $%*, etc., you get my drift.  It changes it into "my aunt went to town" or something even stranger.

I would use it for hadit however, you may have to add some VA specific words to the dictionary.  

It adapts to your speaking and style rather quickly.

Have fun...

Hamslice

 

Edited August 16, 2015 by Hamslice