Hello Dear Members,

RecentX is available at 50% discount once again today [January 15, 2008] at http://www.bitsdujour.com/
Price after discount - $9.95.

In addition, NoteZilla is available also today at 40% discount at http://www.bitsdujour.com/  (Donation Coder discount is 30% available until January 31, 2008).  Price after discount $17.95.

You can use the same key on NoteZilla Portable. Two hours and 50 minutes left.

Best wishes,
Marjorie

Hi URLwolf,

I just installed your program, Interruptron, this afternoon.  I would like to know if it would take very long to make a way to browse for the programs that automatically stop the timer and chalk it up to an interruption?  I find it complicated to find the path to a program and would find it more user friendly to be able to browse and click.

In my work, I use the Internet, read the pages (often with a text-to-speech program), check references and write.  Your documentation says that the program assumes you're not working after a time you set has passed without activity on the mouse or keyboard.  I guess I will have to work out the time to set.  I guess that even when I am using text-to-speech, I am doing some mousing, so it will work out.  If I am looking up something in a reference book, will I be able to move the mouse periodically to let the program know I am working?

I am looking forward to using the program and watching my productivity.

Thanks,
Marjorie

PS:  The program I want to list in the automatic section is Free Cell.  I have not been able to find the path to it, but I can start it!  ;)

I owe some thanks here to the people of this forum.

nosh has introduced me to Loquendo Voices (excellent at http://www.loquendo.com/en/demos/demo_tts.htm), DSpeech, and G.O.T.D.  At the site for DSpeech I learned that Windows XP does not have SAPI4, which explains why all those free voices have not been available to me.  I installed the SAPI4 file given on the DSpeech page (http://dimio.altervista.org/eng/), but maybe I have to restart for it to take effect.  G.O.T.D. turns out to be a wonderful source for reviews of software that was given out free.  I have made a note of it so I can remember to check there in the future (http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/textaloud-2266/#comments).

muntealb introduced me to Balabolka (http://www.cross-plus-a.com/balabolka.htm) which is now installed on my computer.  It was listed on TUCOWS (http://www.tucows.com/Windows/AudioVideo/Audio/TextToSpeech/), but was not rated so I did not check it out previously.  DSpeech is also there not rated.  In my brief look at Balabolka, it seems up to the competition.  As it reads the text, the letters change from black to blue so it is easy to track where the reader is.  I'll report more later.  muntealb also introduced me to Expressivo, which is on the TUCOWS list and is rated with the highest 5-cow rating.  I don't have any good reason for not noticing it before other than overload (for $49 at http://www.expressivo.com/experience/ideas_and_description.html).  I really like the Jennifer voice.  Maybe I can get the voice to use.  In time I will check out the program more fully.  By the way, at TUCOWS you can get the program for $29 (http://www.tucows.com/preview/514550).

muntealb also introduced me to Nuance, which was reinforced by Doc Savage's comments.  But I am in total overload now so I need to digest some of this.

neel spoke of wordtalk, a MS Word macro, but I have not been able to get into the web site given (connection timed out http://www.wordtalk.org.uk/).

curt is a person who uses very few words to give lots of links to voices and additional TTS programs.

Jock Snow, Vellu (the Finnish guy), and I agree that Audrey is probably the best AT&T voice.  It is not because she has an English accent.  It is because Audrey has a clear voice with very pleasant tones.

And thanks to Grorgy for introducing me to Bits du Jour.  I bought the planning software that was offered today (http://www.bitsdujour.com/).  I am hoping it will help me with lesson planning in my teaching job, which has become very complicated of late.

In short, I am happy to be a part of this community.  I have learned a lot!

Best wishes,
Marjorie