Backing up window 7 speech recognition profiles

One thing that is true about speech recognition today is that you have to spend a lot of time training the computer to accurately organize your voice.  But what happens when you lose the data that the computer has?  You'll have to start over from scratch again.  This is especially painful if you've used the correct that command 1000 times.

Luckily though, Microsoft has created a little tool that will help you back up your speech recognition profile.  While there are actually other methods, I find this the most convenient way to backup my speech recognition profile lest something goes wrong.

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You will first have to download the WSRbackup tool from Microsoft's web site. Once you run this tool you will have the option to backup or restore your speech profile.

I recommend, you constantly make a backup of your profile and keep it somewhere safe.  This will help you if you want use another computer, update your operating system or in times of need when your computer crashes.  Also, don't forget to back up your macros if you have created some.  If you don't know how to create macros you might want to take a look at my post on how to create windows speech recognition macros.

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Windows speech recognition macros

If you've used commercial speech recognition software you probably realize that one feature missing in windows speech recognition is the ability to have macros.  However, windows actually does provide a tool which you can use to create your own custom macros.

These macros can be text macros, command macros and several other types of advanced macros.

Setting these macros up is very simple, one you have Installed speech recognition that is.  All you need to do is download (and install of course) the window speech recognition macro tool and start using it.

For instance, you can create a text macro like so (You’ll have to open up the  macros tool from the start menu):

You can also create a macro that will open up the most recent file that you worked on and open it up in the word editor of your choice. 

 

That's it!

I must say it is a pretty handy tool if you are bogged down with a lot of work

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Best Study Music

I find that there are two categories where music often helps. The first is when you are working out, and need a something to "motivate" you to stay on that treadmill/road for a couple of more minutes. The second is usually when you are trying to study and you just need a little something to improve your concentration. Although I usually prefer silence when I'm trying to learn something, there is the occasional subway ride where having something to listen to in the place of someone showing off their "awesome" guitar playing/singing skills.

As such, I scoured the net to search for some songs other people listened to, and added some of my own favourite songs to the list. This list is by no means complete and will forever be a work in progress, so I encourage you to share your thoughts in the comments below, or link to a post in your own blog! I'll be sure to read it.

Anyway, here's what I find I like to listen to:

Best study music/sounds

1. White/Pink/Brown Noise - Sometimes, what you need is not music but noise. Calm, soothing, and unrecognizable noise. I'd recommend that you either get a loop of white noise, or use a web service like SimplyNoise (you can get white noise loops here too) to listen to what most people refer to as "static".

Listening to something, but not something distracting, something you can hum along with or something that might make you think/laugh is, in my opinion, the key to good study music. If it's something that you really like to listen to, you'll probably hum along with it or sing along in your mind. If you something too fast, you might feel like dancing instead of studying. If it's too slow you might fall asleep!

2. Ambient Music - Something like DI.fm (it's a iTunes radio station... and the free version is free for all with an internet connection)is what I'd listen to if I want to listen to music but not listen to music that is going to distract me. Although DI.fm does have the occasional upbeat song, it's usually paced slow enough to make sure that I don't feel like dancing.

3. Misc Albums/Songs:

• Music for Airports (via Lifehacker) - By Brian Eno
• Lost Horizons - By Lemon Jelly (and check our some of their other works as well)
• Instrumental Music - I prefer something with drums (or the tabla) and something medium paced. Some people say that they prefer classical music like the Four Seasons from Vivaldi, or one of Beethoven's Symphonies (especially the 6th symphony Pastorale).
  

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Turbo-charge your productivity with dual computers

Ever hear someone talking about using dual monitors (or two monitors attached to one computer) to increase productivity. I used to think that way too, until I realized that why not use two computers with two monitors instead. Luckily, if you have a home network (in my case I have a wireless network at home) you can use a wonder piece of open source and free software called Synergy to use two computers together. Here's how you can use two computers simultaneously with 1 mouse and 1 keyboard to turbo charge your productivity. I was aware of using synergy when I first heard about it in some podcast, but it never struck me that one could put two laptops together and work on both of them at the same time with only 1 mouse and 1 keyboard.

Step 1: Prepare Ingredients (stuff you need)

1. First you'll need 2 or more computers that are capable of running either Windows, Linux or Mac OS.
2. You'll need a network between the three computers
3. You'll need one [1] keyboard and one [1] mouse that is going to be connected to your 'server'.
4. You'll need Synergy server on the host computer and synergy clients on the client computers

Step 2: Install synergy and hook up your computers

The synergy website has a great guide that is going to help you out with this step -- just make sure you follow the guide to the T.

Step 3: Enjoy your super productive computer workstation.

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21 Killer Tricks to Increase Your Productivity on your Computer

Ever wonder why some people get their work done faster than others? I do. In fact, I'm amazed at the fact that of how many often get their work and projects finished in a fraction of the time it takes others to complete the same tasks. So I set off on an adventure to find the best tips to turn myself into a lean mean working machine. With a little help from the great not so ol' computer of course.

1. Use Voice recognition - If you don't use it, I'm afraid, you're missing out on a lot of productivity. USE IT! If you don't know how then take a look at an article that tells you how. Bear in mind though that it isn't fully developed yet, but it should be in a couple of years time.
2. Get Organized (Put files in appropriate folder and delete files you don't need) - I can't believe how much time I've saved by not searching as much for the stuff I need.
3. Work Offline - Just because you don't have Internet on your way to work, it doesn't mean that you can still do work
4. Use a Dual Monitor setup - Invest in another flat screen LCD monitor of a considerable size and start using two screens. This is especially useful if you are a developing, researching, writing and even playing Counter-Strike.
5. Follow the do it now policy - don't leave anything for later. If you need to e-mail some one pictures of your vacation, do it now.
6. Stop using youtube, digg, facebook and the like - Yes, I realize how addictive this can be, but in order to focus on the task as hand, it is impossible to check what's happening on digg and do your work properly at the same time. Close your web browser, and keep only the necessary windows open and limit the time you spend on social networking sites.
7. Become and expert in using search engines - Once you become an expert, you will be able to find information more quickly and easily, without wasting any valuable time.
8. Turn off IM and Quit checking your e-mail. Do it once every couple of hours at most and keep and eye on the time you spend going through your e-mail
9. Make your computer faster - If you're using an old computer, or a computer that runs Windows, then you might be loosing a lot of time
10. Use an organizer - Use something like WordPerfect Lightning to quickly jot down notes onto your computer
11. Prioritize and Make sure to follow the schedule
12. Use sticky notes - the real ones more than the ones on your computer. And once your write/type something make sure to read it once in a while too.
13. Use RSS instead of visiting each and every single website that you'd like to read regularly
14. Brainstorm on PAPER. Use the PC only to prepare your final draft once you're certain of what you'd like to do. You'll save much more time that way
15. Upgrade your peripherals to suit your needs. Invest in a good chair and table if you tend to do a lot of work on your computer
16. Speed up your Internet connection and network
17. Proof read your document the smart way (if its small of course) - use Microsoft Word/Adobe Reader/Your Mac to read it out to you. You'll most likely find more mistakes that way.
18. Get a small pocket size notepad to make changes on the go. Cell phones don't really do the job right. Get a portable electronic device to record voice notes if necessary. Once you have access to your computer, transfer it all to your computer.
19. Become a e-mail ninja! Learn how to get rid of e-mail you don't really need to read.
20. Let the computer open your applications - I usually almost always have one of these set ups running on my computer so what I do is create a separate account for each configuration and then use the start up folder trick to kind of copy Apple's Spaces in leopard. Here are the following 'spaces' I use regularly:
    1. Word processing mode - I usually have Microsoft Word, my web browser and my music player open
    2. Blogging mode - 2 web browsers, windows live writer and my speech recognition application.
21. Tweak your software - Get a decent browser like FireFox, that is going to run faster and not crash as much. Use Macros in Microsoft Word to do the tasks that you perform regularly. Disable distracting applications and free up space on your computer. Keep only the windows that you need open.

And one final tip - Make sure you actually remember this list and stick to it.

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