DNS vs ViaVoice Options

[HRLovick]

My questions are directed to John Wickett, but I welcome anyone's comments.

I notice you recommend DNS. Have you compared DNS & IBM ViaVoice? What are your specific conclusions? What digital recorders have you worked with & can recommend? with which s/w products?

As an IBM Business Partner, I worked extensively with ViaVoice 98 and Dragon Systems DNS Preferred ver. 3.0 a couple of years ago. I found them equivalent in accuracy, with a slight edge to DNS in user-friendliness at that time. DNS also seemed to need more system resources than ViaVoice, and was certainly more expensive. At that time, Olympus bundled the D1000 DV recorder with a special version: ViaVoice Transcription.

I appreciate your analysis to help bring me up to date with the market.

Harreson Lovick
HRLovick@compuserve.com

[John Wickett]

Harreson,

I suspect that this will turn out to be a very hot topic, with strong views being presented from both sides.

I have compared DNS with ViaVoice several times. I use the Professional version and find it to be more accurate, robust and adaptable then ViaVoice. I also find that DNS uses less RAM which results in fewer crashes. Many of my clients use in-house software which is not "Select and Say" compliant. I find it easier to write scripts/macros with DNS.

If you ever worked with software for the blind, I find it somewhat analogous to a comparison between JAWS and Window Eyes. Window Eyes is a little easier to use out of the box with simpler applications. With more complex applications you find that JAWS is more robust and adaptable. The above does not mean that I find ViaVoice to be easier out of the box-I actually find the opposite.

I have not worked with digital recorders, so I have no comments in that area.

DNS is certainly more expensive than ViaVoice but, when I am working with physically challenged individuals, I seek the most accurate, easily correctable and adaptable software. If, as I have, you ever had to write 10,600 lines of code so that a user could function with some in-house software you would certainly appreciate the difference.

That being said, I have nothing against ViaVoice and would not hesitate to recommend to someone who was only going to do dictation into word processing packages and didn't need to easily modify/create commands to control the desktop.

John
Dictated with Dragon NaturallySpeaking
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John Wickett
902-566-8854
jcwicket@vac-acc.gc.ca

[HRLovick]

Thanks, John. I can see that we have quite different clients.

I was quite impressed with the features and quality of the Olympus DV recorders - I have a D1000 which uses interchangeable memory chips. Also the accuracy and ease of using it to dictate to ViaVoice transcription.

For a busy professional, the mobility makes all the difference in my eyes.

Harreson

[John Wickett]

Harreson,

Yes, my clients are quite unique.

I see your point about mobility. When I am travelling it is usually by plane to see a client and, since I have my laptop with me, I just open it up and dictate with DNS.

Maybe I should get a recorder and try it.

John