Software wants to predict your thoughts

WordLogic has just released software that lets people type in a few keystrokes--then has the computer spell the rest of the word.

Predictive Keyboard essentially tries to anticipate what a person is trying to type by analyzing the first one or two keystrokes and then providing probable answers. As the user continues to type, the selection of words is narrowed down, providing the most likely word as selectable options in the prediction window.

English word-processing applications can also prospectively fill in words, but not as extensively, according to a WordLogic representative. Predictive Keyboard comes with a dictionary listing 31,000 words and phrases. People can add words and phrases to the dictionary.

The software is geared toward people with physical disabilities or conditions such as dyslexia, who may have trouble typing. It will also be marketed to nonnative English speakers, said a representative of the company, based in Vancouver, Canada.

Chinese computers have worked with similar software for years. Chinese contains several thousand written characters, but the keyboards are in English. As a result, users type in a few English letters and the software throws up what it thinks the user is trying to type. The more letters, the narrower the results. One of the reasons handwriting recognition has yet to become widespread in China, say some researchers, is that users tend to adapt to predictive systems somewhat rapidly.

The application costs $24.95 as a download or $49.95 on a USB key.

[Sentinel]

Oh no! It can't be!

Oh no! Not a software for completing my words. The most annoying feature a word processor can have is word completion. I really like to be in control of what I write and I do not need software to tell me what I'm writing or how to write it. These feature is very annoying in programs like MS Word and OpenOffice.org Write. If I'm typing I like to look at the screen while typing, but the word processor's suggestions often confuse me and I end up typing the wrong letters. I think a better feature is to write your document completely and then use the spell checker option (that's what I would do if I used spell checking features at all). Perhaps some may find this software useful, but I know I won't.

[hackingbear]

are you any of them?

QUOTE:
The software is geared toward people with physical disabilities or conditions such as dyslexia, who may have trouble typing. It will also be marketed to nonnative English speakers, said a representative of the company, based in Vancouver, Canada.

[mbehren]

Please re-think your position

What about those that are disabled, and typing is a struggle? We use this software very effectively as an assistive technology...

Mike

[Sentinel]

Oh no! It can't be!

Oh no! Not a software for completing my words. The most annoying feature a word processor can have is word completion. I really like to be in control of what I write and I do not need software to tell me what I'm writing or how to write it. These feature is very annoying in programs like MS Word and OpenOffice.org Write. If I'm typing I like to look at the screen while typing, but the word processor's suggestions often confuse me and I end up typing the wrong letters. I think a better feature is to write your document completely and then use the spell checker option (that's what I would do if I used spell checking features at all). Perhaps some may find this software useful, but I know I won't.

[hackingbear]

are you any of them?

QUOTE:
The software is geared toward people with physical disabilities or conditions such as dyslexia, who may have trouble typing. It will also be marketed to nonnative English speakers, said a representative of the company, based in Vancouver, Canada.

[mbehren]

Please re-think your position

What about those that are disabled, and typing is a struggle? We use this software very effectively as an assistive technology...

Mike

[Bill Dautrive]

ugh!

This sounds like an annoyance more then anything. And more bloat to various bloated office apps.

Thanks, but no thanks.

[Bill Dautrive]

ugh!

This sounds like an annoyance more then anything. And more bloat to various bloated office apps.

Thanks, but no thanks.