How One Programmer Is Coding Faster By Voice Than Keyboard

mikejuk writes "Is it possible that we have been wasting our time typing programs. Could voice recognition, with a little help from an invented spoken language, be the solution we didn't know we needed? About two years ago Tavis Rudd, developed a bad case of RSI caused by typing lots of code using Emacs. It was so severe that he couldn't code. As he puts it: 'Desperate, I tried voice recognition'. The Dragon Naturally Speaking system used by Rudd supported standard language quite well, but it wasn't adapted to program editing commands. The solution was to use a Python speech extension, DragonFly, to program custom commands. OK, so far so good, but ... the commands weren't quite what you might have expected. Instead of English words for commands he used short vocalizations — you have to hear it to believe it. Now programming sounds like a conversation with R2D2. The advantage is that it is faster and the recognition is easier — it also sounds very cool and very techie. it is claimed that the system is faster than typing. So much so that it is still in use after the RSI cleared up."

Comments

You can't win..

[Jah-Wren Ryel]

So how long until he gets laryngitis and has to start typing again?

Re:You can't win..

[Seumas]

If you watch the video, he discusses that. He does about 40-60% of his coding with this system and he does keep voice-strain in mind (in fact, he was sucking on a hard candy during the demonstration to keep his voice from drying out). You may not do 100% of your work in it, but just imagine if you could cut the amount of typing you do down to about half of normal? Suddenly, you're spreading some of the load to your voice, keeping either from being excessively stressed.

Re:Coding != Typing

[oodaloop]

I do not spend that much time ting, actually.

You don't say?

This is like the corded keyboard

[Required Snark]

The mouse/keyboard combination was not the original combination envisioned by Douglas Englebart, the inventor of the mouse. He paired it with a chorded keyboard that could be operated with one hand. Clearly text input with one hand and mouse input with the other is a better input paradigm, but it is still not in use much today.

This use of speech recognition seems like a similar situation. It works for a few people, but it will not ever have a large user community. QWERTY keyboards are so dominant that their network effect makes other input modes irrelevant. Even those who adopt it will still be using conventional keyboards away from their custom environment.

Oompah Oompah Band

[Tablizer]

Pararenthesis parenthesis parenthesis. ... Was that one too much?

No, open "parenthesis" will be abbreviated "pah". And close parenthesis will be "ump".

Thus, coding will sound like, "Umpah lumpa, dipity doo, I have another puzzle for you..."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qw0zZttfUaw

Lisp programmers need foot pedals

[ebno-10db]

What Lisp programmers really need are two foot pedals - one for left parentheses and one for right parentheses. That should cover 90% of their input requirements.

Re:Codijng faster by voice because...

[jeffb (2.718)]

That's like saying someone can get around faster in a wheelchair because they've broken their legs.

You might want to look up the record time for completing the Boston Marathon in a wheelchair vs. on foot.