Dragon Naturally Speaking

mmglobal · #1 (**permalink**) 11-12-2009, 10:09 PM

I thought about putting this post in the NSR forum, but this is definitely spine related. I've not been posting much because of new problems with my thoracic spine that had been very disabling for months now. Since my September trip with clients to Germany, I've essentially been shut in. I've been searching for ways that I can maintain functionality. One thing I've discovered is this computer program called Dragon naturally speaking. I'm now kicked back in the recliner speaking into a headset and watching my words appear in the post as if I were dictating them to a secretary. It takes a little getting used to but it's amazingly accurate from the start. As you use it, you teach it the words that use and the way you speak, so it gets more and more accurate.

For this entire message. I've only touched the keyboard once. (It had trouble with NSR.)

All the best,

Mark

Maria · #2 (**permalink**) 11-13-2009, 12:57 PM

Mark,
Sorry to hear about the shut in status tho I did try this program back around 1997. I must have had the cheapest version out there because I had a great deal of difficulty with it.. like dictating Dear Mr. Beal would come out Beer Mr.Peal.. and so forth. Plus I had trouble stating comma, period and all else re punctuation and it actually getting in there.

Glad to hear either the improvements in the program or the version you are using are that accurate and I'd be very interested in this as I'm experiencing a flare up again that is keeping me on limited sitting time at the computer.

Perhaps I can get it for Christmas...

Gil Denis · #3 (**permalink**) 11-13-2009, 05:01 PM

Hi Mark

I am sorry you are shut in,the dragon program sounds great.

I pray you find a solution for your spine,How is your Lumbar spine?

All The Best

Gil

dshobbies · #4 (**permalink**) 11-13-2009, 06:50 PM

I've been using it for years, upgrading over the years... but the latest version doesn't work with Vista and I think I'm done.

Maria, sometimes it doesn't understand the slight influxes in a specific voice and needs to be 'trained'. It learns rapidly but you do have to get the hysteria at some of its mistakes. You also have to learn the commands but a little practice pays off.

Cheryl · #5 (**permalink**) 11-18-2009, 05:48 PM

Mark,

Sorry to hear you are doing so badly.

Thinking of you

Cheryl

Jim M2 · #6 (**permalink**) 11-28-2009, 09:37 PM

Mark,
I hope you're doing okay and the pain management is working. I know you're getting the best care possible. I thought after your cervical ADRs you'd be set for a while. I'll be thinking of you and family.

nomorepain · #7 (**permalink**) 11-29-2009, 08:07 PM

Mark,
as the holidays draw near once again my thoughts are with you and the family,! hope it gets better with this new Dragon program, as it sounds like a life saver! Keep in touch, hopefully soon you will be mobile once again!
let me know if i can help in anyway..........

mmglobal · #8 (**permalink**) 12-06-2009, 02:12 AM

It's pretty funny, the rigamarole I went through getting this installed. I waited until I was ready to install Windows 7 on my laptop before installing it. I had DNS version 9, which turned out to be incompatible with W7. I deinstalled version 9, acquired version 10, installed it, and that's what I was running when I made the original post. After using it for awhile, I discovered that windows 7 has this capability built into it. The windows speech to text engine is the same engine as DNS, sold to Microsoft by Nuance. The interface and files used are a bit different so all the work I put into DNS was wasted.

I've been using the windows version for several weeks now. I like it and use it but can type so much faster. If I didn't have difficulty sitting at the computer or pain in my wrists and hands from too much laptop keyboarding and touch pad use I would stick with typing. For people with such limitations, this is great.

Mark

Nihola and Bernard · #9 (**permalink**) 01-24-2010, 05:40 PM

We've been looking to get Bernard the newest version, DNS10, as he's on his back the majority of the day. Perhaps we'll look into upgrading our computer to Windows7 instead. Helpful to know that it's now part of the new Windows. We had both tried DNS8, and while it trained well with my voice, his mellow chords were a puzzler to the software. Hopefully the newer versions have improved somewhat, to accomodate a greater range of tones.