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beverson · Jun 10, 2004, 01:07 AM

Surprised I hadn't found a thread about this yet....

So I got one of the e-mails from Apple today about the Spoken Interface Technology Preview. I downloaded the .dmg but I haven't installed it yet. I read through all of the documentation and there doesn't seem to be any sort of NDA, so I'm pretty sure I'm not breaking any "rules" by opening this discussion. If I'm wrong, admins please shut down this thread -- but if you do so, please also point me to the spot in the documentation that says I am not allowed to discuss this technology preview publicly. Also, to everyone in general, do not ask me for a copy of this software -- I'm sure you can get your hands on it if you really want it, but I'm not going to be the one to give it to you. That being said....

Has anyone installed it? First impressions? I really want to try it, but the documentation states that if you later want to remove it you'll have to REFORMAT your drive. Is there any reason to believe that an archive and install from my Panther CDs won't be sufficient? I'm not so much worried about something going wrong and losing data (definitely a possibility, but I'll risk it). But if the software makes my system unstable as it may very well do, I don't want to have to nuke my drive to get it working again. I'd be willing to go through an archive and install, though, and for the life of me can't think of why this wouldn't effectively "remove" the Spoken Interface software. If I have time later in the week I might try installing it on my FireWire drive and then doing an archive and install (or even just deleting all system files while not booted from it) to see if I can get it off. I'm hoping Apple is just being overly cautious here and that we won't actually have to wipe and install to get rid of it if we want.

(And please, if you feel the need to post something to the effect of, "You run this risk with pre-release software," or, "Apple tells you not to install it on a mission critical Mac," or, "Apple warns you to back up all important files," just don't. I know the risks involved -- that's why I haven't yet installed it. And I'm willing to take some risks to try this software and provide feedback to Apple. And I don't plan on holding Apple responsible if something does go horribly awry and I have to get rid of everything. In short, thanks but save it.)

ssegaric · Jun 10, 2004, 07:35 AM

Hi, I got the e-mail and tried d/ling Wednesday evening, but kept getting a "try later" message. Tried again this morning and was told that I exceeded my d/l limit. I've e-mailed apple for help.

Just wanted to let you know you weren't the only one to know about this. I'll be sure to install once I get it.

Steve

Randman · Jun 10, 2004, 08:01 AM

I got it and got the same "too many" downloads message.
MacMinute has news on it and the e-mail does say you can point other prospective beta testers to apply for the request form, so I don't think there's a problem with just talking about the program, but at least others are also having problems downloading it.
I also e-mailed Apple on it, so it seems the glitch is on that side.

moonmonkey · Jun 10, 2004, 08:04 AM

Originally posted by beverson:
Surprised I hadn't found a thread about this yet....

So I got one of the e-mails from Apple today about the Spoken Interface Technology Preview. I downloaded the .dmg but I haven't installed it yet. I read through all of the documentation and there doesn't seem to be any sort of NDA, so I'm pretty sure I'm not breaking any "rules" by opening this discussion. If I'm wrong, admins please shut down this thread -- but if you do so, please also point me to the spot in the documentation that says I am not allowed to discuss this technology preview publicly. Also, to everyone in general, do not ask me for a copy of this software -- I'm sure you can get your hands on it if you really want it, but I'm not going to be the one to give it to you. That being said....

Has anyone installed it? First impressions? I really want to try it, but the documentation states that if you later want to remove it you'll have to REFORMAT your drive. Is there any reason to believe that an archive and install from my Panther CDs won't be sufficient? I'm not so much worried about something going wrong and losing data (definitely a possibility, but I'll risk it). But if the software makes my system unstable as it may very well do, I don't want to have to nuke my drive to get it working again. I'd be willing to go through an archive and install, though, and for the life of me can't think of why this wouldn't effectively "remove" the Spoken Interface software. If I have time later in the week I might try installing it on my FireWire drive and then doing an archive and install (or even just deleting all system files while not booted from it) to see if I can get it off. I'm hoping Apple is just being overly cautious here and that we won't actually have to wipe and install to get rid of it if we want.

(And please, if you feel the need to post something to the effect of, "You run this risk with pre-release software," or, "Apple tells you not to install it on a mission critical Mac," or, "Apple warns you to back up all important files," just don't. I know the risks involved -- that's why I haven't yet installed it. And I'm willing to take some risks to try this software and provide feedback to Apple. And I don't plan on holding Apple responsible if something does go horribly awry and I have to get rid of everything. In short, thanks but save it.)

Got it, installed it, nothing very exiting, it just reads stuff you click on.
It describes windows too, like "Scrollable text field" etc.

Some strange type of item highlighting, don't really get it.

No new voices, don't bother unless you need the functionality.

gorickey · Jun 10, 2004, 08:06 AM

If you install it you can't delete it, correct? I believe I read that on MacNN somewhere and was just confirming...

Developer · Jun 10, 2004, 08:06 AM

Originally posted by moonmonkey:
Got it, installed it, nothing very exiting, it just reads stuff you click on.

How do you know where to click when you're blind? How does is read web pages with frames? New Spanish, French, or German voices?

mitchell_pgh · Jun 10, 2004, 08:18 AM

Originally posted by Developer:
How do you know where to click when you're blind? How does is read web pages with frames? New Spanish, French, or German voices?

I think it's interesting, but not necessarily revolutionary. I guess the key point is "It's built in to the OS". where in the past you would have to pay hundreds of dollars for similar software.

Horsepoo!!! · Jun 10, 2004, 08:26 AM

wtf, and here I thought Apple was paving the way for a new speech recognition system. The way Spoken Interface is described in this thread, it doesn't seem to be breaking any grounds.

The Speech preference panel in Mac OS X already allows almost every word on screen to be read back. And alert panel read back has been around since, what, System 7?

Horsepoo!!! · Jun 10, 2004, 08:28 AM

Originally posted by mitchell_pgh:
I think it's interesting, but not necessarily revolutionary. I guess the key point is "It's built in to the OS". where in the past you would have to pay hundreds of dollars for similar software.

But it's already built into the OS. How is it different than a combination of Speech and Universal Access?

mitchell_pgh · Jun 10, 2004, 08:50 AM

Originally posted by Horsepoo!!!:
But it's already built into the OS. How is it different than a combination of Speech and Universal Access?

I think the foundation lends itself for a more robust integration in to the OS, but yes, it's basically Speech and Universal Access on steroids.

I originally thought they were going to be taking another stab at voice recognition.

Dale Sorel · Jun 10, 2004, 12:50 PM

OK, so if you wanna undo the installation you have to wipe your HD

No thanks

mitchell_pgh · Jun 10, 2004, 01:12 PM

Originally posted by Dale Sorel:
OK, so if you wanna undo the installation you have to wipe your HD

No thanks

Well, it is a demo/beta...

Millennium · Jun 11, 2004, 10:59 AM

Is this on the connect.apple.com site?

I don't think I got the e-mail about this, so I'm trying to figure out if this is available to ADC Online members, or Premier/Select only. I'd like to get a hold of this if I can, so that I can test some of my stuff against it, but I'd prefer to keep it legal.

OptimusG4 · Jun 11, 2004, 11:05 AM

Originally posted by Millennium:
Is this on the connect.apple.com site?

I don't think I got the e-mail about this, so I'm trying to figure out if this is available to ADC Online members, or Premier/Select only. I'd like to get a hold of this if I can, so that I can test some of my stuff against it, but I'd prefer to keep it legal.

Def not premier/select because i'm not a member and got the email.

Randman · Jun 11, 2004, 11:25 AM

If you know someone else who would like to participate in the preview program, please direct them to http://www.apple.com/accessibility/s...tionnaire.html to complete the questionnaire and receive their own copy.

This from the e-mail I got. I would suppose it's all right to post this link.

borghart · Jun 11, 2004, 11:41 AM

After installing the Spoken Interface Preview, I am unable to access the Universal Access preference pane in System Preferences. When I click the Universal Access icon, I just get a blank screen and nothing else happens.
This means, I cannot turn it off or change any preferences...
This sucks!

philzilla · Jun 11, 2004, 12:25 PM

Originally posted by Millennium:
Is this on the connect.apple.com site?

I don't think I got the e-mail about this, so I'm trying to figure out if this is available to ADC Online members, or Premier/Select only. I'd like to get a hold of this if I can, so that I can test some of my stuff against it, but I'd prefer to keep it legal.

you had to sign up for it

philzilla · Jun 11, 2004, 12:28 PM

Originally posted by borghart:
After installing the Spoken Interface Preview, I am unable to access the Universal Access preference pane in System Preferences. When I click the Universal Access icon, I just get a blank screen and nothing else happens.
This means, I cannot turn it off or change any preferences...
This sucks!

This is Beta!

have you never tested any beta software before? did you not read the information properly? and over 1 year on the boards, but this is your first post? why don't you tell us all who you really are, and what your point is.

Millennium · Jun 11, 2004, 02:00 PM

Originally posted by philzilla:
you had to sign up for it

I did take the questionnaire, though, several months ago when it was first announced. I never got the e-mail, though.

Judge_Fire · Jun 11, 2004, 02:12 PM

The download page form had some problems, but I got a notification from them, the server has been fixed. Downloading it now.

J

Landos Mustache · Jun 11, 2004, 05:37 PM

No new voices?! I thought that was the whole point!?!!

SLam · Jun 11, 2004, 06:59 PM

Originally posted by Landos Mustache:
No new voices?! I thought that was the whole point!?!!

Actually, the whole point was to have a spoken user interface for Mac OS X. Imagine if you were blind, turn off the monitor and try using Mac OS X. You would have a hard time. At it's current sate, it's mediocre.

For Windows there's JAWS and Window-Eyes. Both of which costs over a grand. With JAWS, it reads everything that is on the screen. When you delete a character, it echoes it at different pitch. When you type a capital letter, you get a different pitch. It reads everything on the screen. You don't even need the mouse or monitor on. You can't do that with Mac OS X. Ask fellow blind students what they use, and they'll say a Windows PC with JAWS or Window-Eyes.

What Apple is doing is pretty revolutionary. Gives us a free spoken user interface that's built-into the OS. For free. The only reason my boss is still using Windows is that Mac OS X isn't accessible. Once they fix this, she'll gladly switch.

miligo · Jun 12, 2004, 10:09 AM

how long did it take to get the confirmation email? I want to install it on my mother-in-law's iMac because she is legally blind. I filled in the questionaire over 24 hours ago and still haven't received the confirmation to download.

philzilla · Jun 12, 2004, 10:42 AM

Originally posted by Landos Mustache:
No new voices?! I thought that was the whole point!?!!

whether you claim it was a joke or not, that has to be one of the stupidest things you've ever said.

miligo · Jun 13, 2004, 10:23 AM

Well, I leave for the west coast tomorrow and still no email for the download. Can someone host the file?

TIA

Randman · Jun 13, 2004, 12:12 PM

Apple is hosting the file.

miligo · Jun 13, 2004, 12:59 PM

Do you have a link?

Randman · Jun 13, 2004, 01:03 PM

http://www.apple.com/accessibility/s...tionnaire.html

miligo · Jun 13, 2004, 01:19 PM

I guess you didn't read my posts, thanks anyway

Randman · Jun 13, 2004, 01:28 PM

No, I read the posts. But I think you can wait for it. 24 hours is not much very time for a response.

miligo · Jun 13, 2004, 01:38 PM

Its been a few days now, and I return to the west coast tomorrow and probably will not be visiting my family on the east coast for at least another year.

Maybe they will respond tomorrow morning, I filled out the questionaire a few times explaining the situation.

jasong · Jun 13, 2004, 01:54 PM

Just a guess, but I would think that filling out the application multiple times would get you a slower response, not a faster one. Also, do you really want to install pre-release software that cannot be easily removed on your mother's computer and then take off for a year?

I hesitate to install anything on my mom's computer . . .

-- Jason

CharlesS · Jun 13, 2004, 03:00 PM

If it comes as a .pkg, you can use Pacifist to find out where it's installing things, which can help you remove it manually if you need to.

Person Man · Jun 13, 2004, 04:06 PM

Originally posted by CharlesS:
If it comes as a .pkg, you can use Pacifist to find out where it's installing things, which can help you remove it manually if you need to.

Assuming it doesn't overwrite other files, in which case you'll have to use Pacifist to extract said files from multiple sources including the original install CDs and any Software Updates that might have anything to do with the overwritten files. Probably easier to do an archive and install.

CharlesS · Jun 13, 2004, 04:21 PM

Originally posted by Person Man:
Assuming it doesn't overwrite other files, in which case you'll have to use Pacifist to extract said files from multiple sources including the original install CDs and any Software Updates that might have anything to do with the overwritten files.

True.

miligo · Jun 13, 2004, 04:52 PM

Not really a problem either way, both the in-laws and parents have Apple Remote Desktop installed for long distance tech-support. The joys of being the only comp sci major in the family...

Randman · Jun 13, 2004, 08:14 PM

I can understand your eagerness but with Remote Desktop, you should be able to install the package, right? And with a beta, especially a first release, it might be quite buggy and cause more hardships than help.
If you truly want to help her, you should install it on your Mac, figure out the bugs and go from there.
Either way, I didn't feel comfortable posting a link for the actual download. Sorry.