Although I’m authoring every word of this entry, I’m typing hardly any words at all. How is this possible? Easy. I’m speaking, using the microphone that is hooked up to my computer, and speaking this entry into Microsoft Word. I do have to do some touch up work, and all the styles have to be coded into HTML/CSS, but by and large, the computer is able to understand my language well enough to pick up the words and type them correctly into Word.
I’m actually quite surprised about this. When I first set out to try it, I thought for sure that I could type faster than I could dictate. This is turned out not to be the case. I can dictate to the computer almost as fast as I can talk naturally, which is considerably faster than I can type.
In fact, the more naturally I talk, the better the computer is at figuring out what I want to say. Let me go one step further. I can create this entry better with my eyes closed and dictating to the machine, and with just about the same number of the errors as if I were typing with my eyes open.
There was some upfront effort that I had to do to train the computer to understand my use of language. And there are points even now, where I have to futz with the computer and even have to resort to typing. But even so, I’m finding that the dictation is increasingly enjoyable to the point of being preferable to typing.
There are other products that go beyond the capability of the dictation software that comes as Microsoft Windows. And at some point in time to try them out. But even with a native product that comes as Microsoft Windows, creating an entry seems to be easier with dictation than with a keyboard.
Perhaps this is something you might also like to try out. If you do, I’d be interested in your results. You can contact me via email at bal @ newbiereports.com.
