OK… Here we go.
Hello everyone, this is the first entry of what will hopefully be a long journey. I am entering the new world of windows 7 dictation. I would encourage new readers to go into this with a light heart. It’s difficult to have correct sentence structure when using dictation over typing. You may notice some sentences that seem to run on or perhaps incomplete thoughts. I’ve left these errors in on purpose.
With this first blog you may notice that it’s a little bit longer than most. You may also notice that future entries are going to get progressively worse as I trust the microphone and dictation software more. This first entry is also going to seem far more serious than humorous or entertaining. After all it is my first one and I really am just trying to get used to the software.
It is at this point they would also like to note the ease of using dictation with Microsoft word. The dictation software was clearly built to be used with programs like Microsoft word. However I do have to point out that I am using Microsoft word because the dictation software does not seem to be compatible with Googles Blogger. This is slightly frustrating but I think over time and I’m going to get used to copying and pasting
I have read a few articles on how to build a successful web log and I’m going to throw all of that knowledge away. The problem is that they all talked about having basic guidelines and a general goal to achieve with what you’re trying to bring across to the community. Although none of them suggested using dictation. So I’m going to try going into this heavily using dictation on making only minor adjustments with the keyboard and mouse and so on.
I can tell you right now that this is definitely not easy. Windows 7 comes with its own dictation software. This software also comes with a fairly robust training school for the computer to get used to your voice and how you pronounce certain words and phrases. I would encourage you to try and train your own computer to see some of the interesting things that it can learn.
Even while writing this I have already had to correct a few bugs that I’ve come across. One recurring instance is that whenever I say windows 7 it will automatically try to spell out seven instead of using the number. I understand why the software would want to do this but it definitely poses a few roadblocks while I’m writing this blog. Even while trying to say the word blog it constantly wants to correct the word blog. It’s replacing it with either block or a log or similar words I’m not sure if this is because it’s a rarely used or simply because it sounds very similar other words. I’m still not quite sure how to put in various characters such as quotations. I guess it will all come with time and and with the more research I do into dictation.
So with all that being said I’m going to be people’s feedback. If this somehow becomes wildly popular I’m going to want suggestions from the community on interesting things you may notice and see that you want me to comment on.
I’ll start the ball rolling with a list of things that I’m going to try and add at the end of each entry that might interest every one. Some of the ideas that have floating around would be me telling you what issues I may have had in dictating that particular entry, specifically the technical issues not in my own writer’s block. I am also thinking of all keeping time so people can see how long it takes to dictate an entry compared to how long it would take to type an entry.
So here we are at the end of my first entry. I can’t say that it was terribly easy, but I would have to attribute that more to my lack of preparedness than to the software itself.
