Nuance Dragon Naturally Speaking 11 Comprehensive Review

 

NOTE: The following review is full of typos. These are LEFT here intentionally, as the text of this review is meant to represent the output of a dictation software package AS is, without any real effort expended to edit it. I will be looking at Dragon Premium/Pro soon, and will do the more comprehensive wrapup after that. For now, enjoy the two hours of video and the written review. 

 

Introduction  

 

how does one review software such as Dragon naturally speaking? This review will be interesting for a variety of reasons, and represents possibly the most meta-review you'll see me doing in quite some time.

 

 

Why?

 

First of all; I am simultaneously writing a review and creating a demonstration video. If you're watching the video you're hearing me speak, and hopefully watching the text of your on screen. You'll also note in the upper left-hand corner of the screen a series of red numbers. This is a software program called Fraps. You'll note that Dragon actually understood it when I said Fraps. Although Dragon is not perfect it does represent a considerable leap forward in the ability to type without touching the keyboard. I have played with previous versions of Dragon probably around version 4 or five, note that four and five were represented differently, but version 11 truly represents what I consider to be the first version that is production ready.

 

It is awkward I must admit; knowing that my voice is being simultaneously recorded and dictated makes me particularly self-conscious. I am already very self-conscious about the way I sound as I do not feel that my voice represents the level of total quality as it sounds in my head. This was surprisingly, the most interesting challenge say barrier to entry to using this is a production piece of software. You will notice; Dragon did trip up slightly and use a word that was not quite what I said. As you're watching the video you will have seen that I was able to bring up the correction menu, and fix the error without even touching the keyboard. This takes some getting used to, as I am a very fast typist, and working this way represents a completely different paradigm for me, and indeed, I am at this very moment holding my hands to my chest so as not to touch the keyboard.

 

It is very exciting to use this particular software myself, as I have a, shall we say, unique disability. I have been reticent to this point to admit to, discuss, this particular disability. I have a severe spinal disability, which we call "degenerative disc disease", or more accurately "disc herniation at L5S1". What does this mean? It is difficult for me to set up right for any period of time, and traditional typing has been extremely painful and difficult for me for the past two years. I paused for a moment there because I wanted to illustrate something about Dragon. You will note that when I dictated a particularly long paragraph, to the point where the paragraph float over to below the bottom of the screen for me to say ".". Boy was that awkward. I wanted to illustrate that sometimes you have to think very carefully about what you are saying as you are saying it because you will not only see what you're typing as it appears on screen.

 

Social awkwardness and rambling

 

If you're watching this video and reading along with what appears on screen, you may notice that I am rambling a little bit. This is the second unforeseen consequence of using Dragon. You will notice that I never say "uh". Two things to note here; one, you will note that I speak eloquently, deliberately, and without hesitation. However; you will also note that Dragon had a hard time understanding me when I attempted to say a very very short word. This represents the only time that I had to use the keyboard to correct the software.

 

I have been using Dragon NaturallySpeaking 11 home edition for around two weeks now. Indeed; the last two reviews that appear on my site were written almost entirely with Dragon. I say "almost" because I am still getting used to the various commands of the program, and it is difficult to do corrections with one voice, when one is so used to doing it with the keyboard. For example; in my review of the Seagate BA 110. Notice what happened there? It took the program several attempts to understand what I wanted, and even then it not type it quite the way I would've typed it with the keyboard. I would not have added the space there is it is not appropriate in that title of that particular item. If you're reading this review, without actually watching the video, some of this review won't make sense to you. This is of course by design.

 

Meta-review

 

I cannot begin to tell you how strange, unique, wonderful, exciting, many other words, this particular review process actually is. Even as I dictate this review itself, I'm beginning to be more comfortable doing it. I know that many of you, hundreds to thousands of you, will be listening to this voice and watching this video . Notice the error there? Normally; Dragon understands to do certain things to paragraphs without being told. In most instances it understands that proper English dictates a punctuation mark at the end of sentence, followed by two spaces, and then a

 

New sentence. Again; notice that my dictation got in the way of proper formatting. I wanted to stay a certain phrase, but the software interpreted this as a command. This is a balancing act, and one that is easily solvable through the use of commands, custom though they are. It is my understanding that premium and professional editions allow one to create sophisticated commands beyond the scope of what the home edition can do. I have not begun to really get into commands myself, as I was waiting for my shipment of the premium or Professional Edition, which was promised. I am therefore doing this review as the first step in a larger review.

 

So where are we?

 

I pause for a moment; as most reviews are done in several stages. You're actually watching this review absolutely in real time, without hesitation, and without even any real plan ahead of time. I put myself out there by design both as a "trial by fire" for myself and the software.

Overview of the Software

 

First impressions

 

what is my first impression of Dragon? Dragon NaturallySpeaking Home was easy to install, and quite a bit less onerous to train than previous versions. I had already occurred. Folder of approximately a dozen of my various business cases, videogame design docs, reviews, and commentaries. This represented approximately 2 or 300 new words for Dragon to learn. The process for training those words was surprisingly automatic, although I did have to teach it how I pronounce certain of those words. But all told, it was a painless process.

 

In point of fact; Dragon was shockingly good right out of the box. As you see from this particular dictation, it almost never makes a significant mistake. In fact; I find that the most challenging aspect of using Dragon, aside from the awkwardness of using your voice, especially when people are listening, is to use proper punctuation as you go along.

 

Differences in Editions

 

I will come back to differences in editions once I have the other additions in hand.

 

Test Platform and Methodology

 

testing? We're testing it right now. This meta-review; awkward though it may be represents a real-time test of the product.

 

Test Results

 

you are seeing it as I am. The software simply works. What else can I say? Because if I do say it you're gonna see it. Note that contractions were even recognized, and represented properly.

 

Test Result Conclusion: 

 

this is an exciting development, and I do hope that the premium and professional editions, with their expanded vocabularies, and increased macro ability, will prove to be even more exciting.

 

Issues?

 

None so far. Software simply works. I have installed this particular software on three different computers representing three different platforms, at three different price points. Although I have really only trained, and done major dictation on this particular platform, which you see is capable of not only doing the dictation in real time, but also recording those in Fraps in real time, for you to see. Needless to say; it worked just fine on the other two as well.

 

Other Features

 

I will get into the additional features including commands macros and additional training as we go along. For this video I'm just doing a basic overview, but I will get into a couple of additional things here. If you look to the right side of the screen you will notice something called the "Dragon Sidebar". You will note that it currently says "Word and WordPerfect". This sidebar is actually contextual. If I were to move to another program, or application, it would change to reflect that. I'm not actually do do that right now, but we may come back to that for future video. I do want to show you a couple of items in it though. Note to global tab.

 

Also note that for some reason the microphone went to sleep. I'm really not sure why it did that, as it normally does not do that.

 

Michael appeared to the profile manual

 

Integrity Check

 

As this is a brand new paradigm in product reviews, I will take a moment to explain the logic behind it in each of my early reviews.

 

This is how it works:

 

For my site, my keystone paradigm is “Integrity”. It governs everything that I do. I do not “scoop”, I do not “spy”, nor will I purchase stolen hardware, or less serious but still crappy behavior such as copying content, posting something on my site as if it was my content, with a “via-“ link. There is no via ANYthing on my site. 100% of all of my content is generated by me. Period.

 

On that same token, I have certain standards for vendors. It has been my long experience that vendors will treat their reviewers equal to how they treat their customers. The only difference between a professional reviewer and an end user is that reviewers don’t pay for the product. However, we still, or at least, I still expect a certain degree of support, communication, acceptance of feedback, and level of behavioral conduct.

 

As part of this process, I will detail my dealings with each company from first contact, product acquisition, support, and follow up. Exceptional companies will gain a lot of credit here, and the poorly run, greedy, or otherwise “less thans” will be outed.

 

Conclusion

 

As this is just the first look at a family of products, I will reserve my final conclusion until I have reviewed the rest. However, I am extremely confident in what is to come. Stay tuned for that. 

 

 Video Version of Review

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Comprehensive Demonstration

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