A Review of NaturallySpeaking Version 7.0

Scansoft released the latest version of its speech recognition software a few
months ago. NaturallySpeaking 7.0 is the first major upgrade in over a year.
Version 6.0 was, in many ways, a step backwards from versions 4.0 and 5.0,
which were both excellent. Version 6.0 had so many programming bugs and
usability bloopers that I did not recommend it to any of my clients. This
upgrade has been long overdue. 

I am happy to report that version 7.0 is a huge improvement over version 6.0.
It's fast and accurate, and many of the serious problems introduced in the
previous version have been addressed. 

ScanSoft's promotional materials overstate the improvements in accuracy since
version 5.0 and 6.0. As I recall, ScanSoft boasts a 15% accuracy boost over
version 5.0. I am skeptical about this figure. Now as before, good accuracy
is achieved through a thorough understanding of the program, having a beefy
PC (e.g., a very fast processor with oodles of RAM -- I consider 256 MB to be
an absolute minimum for serious users), and by knowing how to prepare the
system for dictation. For example, you can feed the program lists of commonly
used words and expressions, provide writing samples for analysis, and perhaps
most importantly, be meticulous about correcting errors during the first
hours of use. It's still important to do all these things. And yet, after
having used version 7.0 for a couple of months, I do find it to be slightly
yet noticeably more accurate. On the other hand, if you are currently using
an earlier version, and are satisfied with the accuracy you have achieved,
you may have little incentive to upgrade unless you can benefit from some of
the new features. 

Support for dictating in and controlling applications such as Microsoft Word,
Outlook, Excel, etc. is greatly improved. However, I continue to get the best
results by dictating directly into DragonPad, the proprietary text editor
that ships with the product. In some programs, there continue to be screens
that do not respond to voice command, period. So 100% hands-free operation
has not yet been achieved. 

Version 7.0's Web browsing tools are excellent. An ingenious set of voice
commands makes it possible to efficiently navigate the Web via Internet
Explorer without mouse emulation, i.e., the notorious MouseGrid command,
which is an extremely cumbersome way to accomplish most tasks. (There are
almost always more efficient ways.)  

In version 7.0, you can speak informally, but write formally by toggling off
abbreviations and contractions. In other words, you dictate, "I can't and
don't understand why it doesn't happen," and the system will write, "I cannot
and do not understand why it does not happen." Cute, but of limited value. 

Auto-punctuation inserts commas and periods automatically on-the-fly. This
feature not helpful to me, and fortunately, it can be turned off. However,
one of my assistive technology colleagues noticed that auto-punctuation
worked very well for a young client with a learning disability.
Auto-punctuation is definitely "cool," and whether or not it works for an
individual, it is exciting because it previews what speech recognition could
look like in the future when the software can detect more subtle vocal
nuances. 

As with any sophisticated software, the new release introduces new bugs. For
example, "Switch To Previous Window" and "Switch To Next Window" no longer
work properly in maximized windows. These two commands now activate the
target window's system menu and "restores" it, which changes the size of the
window. 

Despite these minor irritations, I believe that 7.0 as the best speech
recognition product on the market today. Please note that proper system
configuration and training are crucial for successful implementation. Despite
claims you may have heard that speech recognition software is easy and
intuitive to use, nothing could be further from the truth, especially for
serious writers. I find that many people require 20 to 30 hours of individual
training, and lots of practice, before they become proficient users. I also
find that the people who are most likely to become proficient at the program
have strong language skills. I have had greater success implementing speech
recognition with journalists than I have with engineers. Having an intuitive
grasp of language is, for me, a strong predictor of the likelihood that a
serious writer will learn to use the program to advantage. 


Submitted by Alan Cantor
Cantor + Associates Inc.
Workplace Accommodation Consultants
acantor@interlog.com
http://www.interlog.com/~acantor