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ViaVoice "virtual memory" processing error
"Fast Company" Article on Apple
Happy Holidays
Quick Pismo question, thanks for any response!
Sound-in for Powerbook[/url]



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ViaVoice "virtual memory" processing error

From David Getzin <dgetzin@mac.com>

Hello,

Please publish my e-mail address, as I am looking for all the help I can get.

I own , love and need IBM ViaVoice. I have horrible tendinitis. I'm using it right now, but have run into a problem. This problem also occurred on my old iBook 366, I currently have a 1GHz iMac 17".

When processing recorded dictation information, (corrections from SpeakPad) when the Voice Center quits, nothing happens and then I get an error telling me that there isn't enough virtual memory. I am running Panther. You know of course that this virtual memory error is a hogwash Carbon artifact from OS 9.

As it is, I cannot organically update my voice model as I have in the past. This is one of the best features of ViaVoice and I am very very sad it is currently crippled. Do you know the way to fix this aside from wiping my voice model?-- I seem to remember that even doing that did not help with my iBook. I suspect the problem arose from some kind of corruption that occurred when the I have been careless enough to let the machine go to sleep with the microphone on which causes problems.

Many thanks,
David Getzin

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Hi David;

I have found from experience with VV over the past several years, but in Classic and X versions, that the best policy when this sort of glitch manifests is to bite the bullet and create a new voice model from scratch, as tiresome as that is -- or even do a complete clean reinstall of the program.

I can almost recite the training stories from both ViaVoice and iListen from memory. Another good policy is to make frequent backups of your voice model when it is working well.

There may be a more elegant and less-tiresome solution, but I don't know what it would be. Perhas someone else out there does.

BTW, have you tried iListen? I use both programs, and am not sure which I like best, but iListen is somewhat less buggy than ViaVoice.

Charles





"Fast Company" Article on Apple

From Bernard Blander

Hi Charles,

First, as a regular reader of your columns, I'd like to wish you happy holidays and all the best for the coming year.

You just have to read the following article from Fast Company magazine:

http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/78/jobs.html

It is most interesting in the way it congratulates Apple for it's track record of innovation in technology, clearly giving Apple credit for being a driving force in the industry, while at the same time asserting that it just doesn't matter because Apple isn't dominant enough or making the most money (all or nothing thinking).

The author asserts, as a kind of fundamental creed or value, that the only point of being in business is to make as much money as possible. Any other guiding principle must be quaint or quixotic in comparison and in conflict with real business objectives.

The message and underlying value priorities come across as a kind of Orwellian theology: You must dominate - innovation gets you nowhere. Only size matters. What about creating value? What about progress and the social good? Where would we be today without the innovators in science? What about the value of art, music and design?

Regards,

Bernard Blander

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Hi Bernard;

Thanks muchly for the kind holiday wishes, which are reciprocated.

Thanks also for the article link. It is a good, and thought-provoking article, although I agree with your critique of the author;s philosophical conclusions.

Charles






Happy Holidays

From John Lazear

Just a little note to wish you all the best this holiday

John Lazear
http://www.geocities.com/no1camerasoc

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Thanks John.

Reciprocated.

Charles






Quick Pismo question, thanks for any response!

From Bill Snyder

I've been noticing some negative comments on the Pismo FireWire controller in that it being slow, flawed and about 1/2 the speed of a newer ibook 800 for instance.

Do you have any experience in confirming wether the Pismo comfortably handles full motion DV video i/o and a FireWire drive at the same time?

Answering this question positively or negatively will help me determine which way I need to go.

Again thank you for any help!

Bill

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Hi Bill;

Pismo (and first generation TiBook) FireWire throughput is a tad lazy -- I have heard that it benchmarkes at about half the speed of, say, the Dual USB iBook.

Unfortunately, I can't answer your technical question, as I have no experience with the circumstances you describe.

Perhaps some of our readers can help.

Charles






Sound-in for Powerbook

From Walt

Hi Charles,

I've got a few questions regarding sound-in for Powerbooks. Basically I have a Titanium 15" 1Ghz (2002) Powerbook. It has an analog sound input, so I can connect line-level outputs from CD players and such w/ an 1/8 inch adapter. But if I wanted to use an external mike, what exactly would I need?

Is there a Radio Shack mike and adapter that would let me get better mike input than the built-in mike?

I also have an old Plaintalk mike (from an old Quadra) that worked with my Lombard analog sound input. Would it function fine here too? Any risk of damage?

Any help in demystifying the whole line-level sound input deal would be greatly appreciated. Apple doesn&#x2019;t give a whole lot of explanation or instructions to help us along.

Thanks.
Walt

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Hi Walt;

Frankly, I'm not sure whether the analog sound-in port on the TiBook and other G4 PowerBooks is Plaintalk or not.

The developer notes just say:

"The audio inputs are designed to accept high-level audio signals: 2 Vrms or +8 dbu, which is the standard output level from CD and DVD players. The output level of some consumer audio devices is lower, often 0.1 Vrms or –10 dbu. Sound recordings made on the 12-inch PowerBook G4 with such low-level devices have more noise than those made with high-level devices. The user may obtain better results by connecting an amplifier between the low-level device and the computer’s audio input jack."

It should be pretty easy to establish if it does support PlainTalk by trying your PlainTalk mic in the port. Be gentle. If it seems to insert all the way, open the Sound preference panel and check for input volume. If the mic produces any then the port supports PlainTalk.

If it doesn't, then standard PC-type computer mics should work. You can also of course use USB mics for sound input with all USB Macs.

Let me know how you make out.

Charles



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Charles W. Moore


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