PlainTalk 1.5: Read Me

This article comprises the Read Me for PlainTalk 1.5. This software was released by Apple on October 30, 1996 and is available for downloading from Apple Software Updates Online. Please see Software Updates Document Number 11288, or use the following URL to access the article directly: http://asu.info.apple.com/swupdates.nsf/artnum/n11288.

Description:
PlainTalk is a collection of software that enables your Macintosh to speak written text and respond to spoken commands. PlainTalk 1.5 includes three components, each with its own installer:

  • English Text-to-Speech
  • Mexican Spanish Text-to-Speech
  • English Speech Recognition

Note: Speech recognition is not supported on Power Macintosh G3 computers with the DVD personality card, iMac, or the Power Macintosh G3 (Blue and White).
About PlainTalk 1.5

PlainTalk is a collection of software that enables your Macintosh to speak written text and respond to spoken commands. PlainTalk 1.5 includes three components, each with its own installer: English Text-to-Speech, Mexican Spanish Text-to-Speech, and English Speech Recognition.

This document describes each of these three software packages, and discusses the differences between PlainTalk 1.5 and earlier versions of PlainTalk.

For more information about Apple Computer's speech software, please visit Apple's Speech web site at http://www.speech.apple.com/.

English Text-to-Speech

With the English text-to-speech software installed, many Macintosh programs can read English text out loud. To install the English Text-to-Speech software, you need the following software and hardware:


On System 7.0 or later (System 7.1 or later if you have a computer with less than a 68020 microprocessor) the Text-to-Speech software includes a Speech control panel. In PlainTalk 1.5 and later, this Speech control panel includes a "Talking Alerts" options panel. If you use this to turn the Talking Alerts feature on, your Macintosh will speak the contents of alerts to you. (An alert appears, for example, when your printer runs out of paper while printing.) For more information about the English Text-to-Speech software, see the Using English Text-to-Speech document in the English Text-to-Speech folder.

Mexican Spanish Text-to-Speech

With the Mexican Spanish text-to-speech software installed, many Macintosh programs can read Spanish text out loud. To install the Mexican Spanish text-to-speech software, you need the following hardware and software:


For more information about the Mexican Spanish Text-to-Speech software, see the Using Mexican Spanish TTS document in the Mexican Spanish Text-to-Speech folder.

English Speech Recognition

With the English Speech Recognition package and the proper hardware, your computer can respond to spoken commands. The English Speech Recognition package includes the Speech Recognition system extension, the Speech control panel, and a utility called Speakable Items.

With Speakable Items, whenever you say the name of an item inside the Speakable Items folder (which is inside the Apple Menu Items folder), the computer acts as if you double-clicked the item. You can turn Speakable Items on and off using the Speech control panel. You can also use the Speech control panel to set several preferences for how Macintosh Speech Recognition programs listen and respond.

For example, you can set the Listening options in the Speech control panel so that the recognizer only listens while you hold down a key of your choice. When you use this option recognition accuracy is improved and misfires (when the computer thinks you spoke a command but you didn't) are eliminated. To install and use the English Speech Recognition software, including the Speakable Items software, you need the following hardware and software:


For more information about the English Speech Recognition software and the Speakable Items utility, see the Using Speech Recognition document in the English Speech Recognition folder. You can also learn more about Apple's speech software -- and check for updates -- by visiting Apple's Speech web site at http://www.speech.apple.com/.

Differences between PlainTalk 1.5 and PlainTalk 1.4.1

PlainTalk 1.5 is a relatively minor update to PlainTalk 1.4.1. It contains a couple new features and a few bug fixes:


Differences between PlainTalk 1.5 and PlainTalk 1.4

PlainTalk 1.4.1 was a minor update to PlainTalk 1.4. It included a few bug fixes, including the following:


Differences between PlainTalk 1.5 and PlainTalk 1.3

Version 1.3 and earlier versions of the PlainTalk software had a single installer program that installed both text-to-speech and speech recognition. PlainTalk 1.4 and later contain three separate installers to make it easier to install just the parts that are appropriate for your needs: English Text-to-Speech, Mexican Spanish Text-to-Speech, and English Speech Recognition. You don't have to install them all.

However, if you are going to install version 1.5 of English Speech Recognition or Mexican Spanish Text-to-Speech then you should first install version 1.5 of English Text-to-Speech, even if you already have an older version of English Text-to-Speech installed. English Speech Recognition version 1.5 is a relatively minor update from versions 1.4 and 1.4.1, as described above. But English Speech Recognition version 1.5 (like versions 1.4 and 1.4.1) has some significant differences from the speech recognition software in version 1.3 and earlier versions of PlainTalk. Some features were eliminated to simplify speech recognition and make it more robust and usable. Other options have been added to increase accuracy and eliminate misfires.


Deciding whether to upgrade to version 1.5

(if you are currently running version 1.3 or earlier)

In general, version 1.5 offers a more robust and flexible set of features than version 1.3 or earlier versions. However, some people in special circumstances may do better with version 1.3.

Published Date: Feb 18, 2012