Karen Wilson wrote:
>>Our present configuration consists -
>>Pentium 133MHz Professional, 16MB EDO RAM, 256KB pipeline burst
>> cache, 1GB hard disk drive, 15" multiscan non-interlaced
>> low-radiation monitor, 2MB ATI graphics card, 1.44MB 3.5" floppy
>> disk drive, Windows 95, Microsoft Series II Mouse, and
>> three-year warranty.
Interesting, because this is actually a bit higher spec than we are usually
asked to supply for dyslexic students (and is more than we are currently using
ourselves, being still happy to demonstrate on P90, 16MB, still 14" & 1MB cheap
video cards). We tend to be supplying P100 (moving to 120 as the minimum you can
get) and 1MB cards -- although there is not so much difference in price or
performance compared with your spec. On the other hand we practically always
supply multimedia systems including a (cheap, SB clone) sound card (so that
people can run textHELP!) and CD-ROM. The latter because it is as cheap to buy a
multimedia machine with CD as to add a sound card and speakers to a non
multimedia machine (and it is a heck of a lot more convenient for loading
software than feeding floppy disks). CD-ROMS are not so important for machines
which are on networks, but, I think, are now pretty essential for machines which
will be used at home.
Incidentally, IBM VoiceType 3 (which needs P90, 256k level2 cache & Win95
minimum, ie today's starter PC) is pretty impressive for voice recognition, even
on this minimum configuration. I have found it quite a lot easier to get to an
acceptable standard of recognition than Kurzweil or Dragon. (In fact it really
*is* pretty good out of the box). Learning curves are a major problem with new
systems, particularly if you are dyslexic as well. So I think that this is a
major improvement. At L555 VT is also cheaper than the standard L625 ish of the
other two. On the other hand the new Kurzweil VoicePad Pro is pretty good value
at L79 (you can't dictate straight into other applications, however), and,
again, Dragon have just announced yet another upgrade in the US. . . So the
above is just today's opinion!
Ian Litterick
iANSYST Ltd Dyslectech Email [log in to unmask]
The White House, 72 Fen Road, CAMBRIDGE, CB4 1UN, UK
Tel(+44) (0)1223 42 01 01. Fax(+44) (0)1223 42 66 44
FREEPhone from UK only 0500 14 15 15
web url http://www.dyslexic.com
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