Another approach for Dictation

[Asheville Joe]

At this point, it looks like dictation on Linux isn't going to be
available as an end user package for quite some time, so I'm looking for
ideas on how to proceed.  Below, I mention some scientifically wild
a..ed guesses on what might work.  The things I can think of are beyond
my level of expertise to implement, but some of you folks might be able
to do it for me and if that becomes a possibility, we can discuss that
off list.  This is not a research project.  I need to get something
working now, and it has to be something an end user can deal with (e.g.
rebooting between dictating and editing would not be acceptable).  The
sytem is going to be heavily used for writing material for publication
and needs to be moderately secure (e.g. no old version wi fi that
anybody can hack into ( on the Windows side at least)).

What I want to accomplish is running Dragon Naturally Speaking (or
another package) on WIN XP/Pro.  I f I stop at that, the natural
tendency for the user (Rita) will be to want to do everything else in XP
too and if there's any way around that, I *really* want to avoid it.  So....

First idea:  Get VMWare (anyone know if plex86 could handle this?) and
run both XP and RH 9 on the same notebook (a new, fast one).  Then,
dictate on Windoze and hot key back over to Linux for editing and
everything else.

Second idea:  Dedicate a machine to dictating and do everything else on 
another Linux box  (after transferring the files or accessing them via 
samba or null modem?).
This would probably be the easiest - could even transfer files by 
sneakernet, if necessary, but it would require buying two notebooks and 
carrying them both around as we travel (and Rita would need to take both 
of them when she goes anywhere without me).  That's probably a lot more 
hassle (and expense) than it's worth with batteries to charge and making 
sure both notebooks are always physically secure, etc.

Any ideas would be appreciated.

Joe

-- 
"Throughout history, it has been the inaction of those who could have 
acted, the indifference of those who should have known better, the 
silence of the voice of justice when it mattered most, that has made it 
possible for evil to triumph." --Haile Selassie (1892-1975) Ethiopian 
political leader