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Using Voice to Code Faster than Keyboard

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Re: Using Voice to Code Faster than Keyboard

#91

Post by JabavuAdams »

rossjudson wrote: post #65

While I've never been able to adapt to using voice to code, what I have done successfully is use Dragon to document my code. I set up some macros that could move forwards and backwards between methods in Eclipse, added a "start doc" macro...Eclipse does a lot of very smart completion so basic features in Dragon handled it without difficulty. Dictating your javadoc is pretty damn convenient.

I have a relatively small working memory, and I've been coding since I was a little kid. Coding is like thinking out loud for me.

My default way to work is to bang some stuff into an editor and then constantly revise and reshape it. I'll draw diagrams on paper or white-board as necessary. I also tend to cut and paste "code notes" into a separate window so I don't have to keep that in my head.

Re: Using Voice to Code Faster than Keyboard

#92

Post by JabavuAdams »

SimHacker wrote: post #43
asgard1024 wrote: post #30

I like it a lot. I wish there would be solution to tie this with say Google Glass, and be able to go on a walk or sit in the woods and code or make notes with it, hands free. Or while doing cooking or laundry, etc. It's unfortunate he couldn't get the OSS speech recognition to work, though.

Yea, Google Glass would be ideal for DoucheScript Brogramming. Everyone could listen to you reindent your code while you held up the line at Starbucks.

Was just thinking of a way to be able to code on the subway. While it could annoy some, I'm often annoyed by stupid conversations on the subway. Can't close ears.

Re: Using Voice to Code Faster than Keyboard

#93

Post by ufo »

singularity2001 wrote: post #44
frozenport wrote: post #4

I wonder if we should also be voice coding in a language drastically different then for example, C++? Maybe a language more syntactically friendly for voice?

Fully agree This why we started working on a new language called "english script" : https://github.com/pannous/natural-english-script/tree/maste...

hmm, wouldnt it be better to link to some examples instead of the implementation?

Re: Using Voice to Code Faster than Keyboard

#94

Post by charlieflowers »

Question (halfway on topic) --

Who makes the best speech recognition software in the world? Regardless of whether it is available to consumers ... who is the best at it?

In particular, how do Apple (Siri) and Google (Google Now) compare to Nuance's stuff? Is Nuance so far ahead of everyone else that they're the clear leader? Or is their codebase "legacy" and vulnerable to better, more accurate software which can be built now due to better algorithms and approaches?

Re: Using Voice to Code Faster than Keyboard

#95

Post by networked »

mdaniel wrote: post #2

My counter-argument to voice-driven coding has been primarily around the input bandwidth and the fact that you must work from home with that kind of setup. I guess the presenter conducted the "faster than the keyboard" test under very controlled circumstances (e.g. only working on his own code, so one doesn't have to deal with non-english-word variables/functions). I don't mean to be a hater, because that was an _ama…

>My counter-argument to voice-driven coding has been primarily around the input bandwidth and the fact that you must work from home with that kind of setup.

I wonder how long it will take for reliable subvocal speech reading a-la [1] to become available in consumer products. It could potentially solve not only this problem but a lot of problems related to the use of cell phones in public spaces.

[1] http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2004/mar/HQ_04093_subvocal_s...

Re: Using Voice to Code Faster than Keyboard

#96

Post by crazygringo »

Where is it backed up that it's faster than the keyboard?

For the couple of minutes I watched of him demoing it... I type waaaay faster than that. In fact, I can't possibly imagine how I could speak faster than I can code on the keyboard.

(Regular English sentences are another story, but code is full of important punctuation, exact cursor positioning, single characters, etc...)

I mean, this is awesome for people with trouble typing (which was my own case a few months back), but I don't think it needs to be over-sold by being "better"...

Re: Using Voice to Code Faster than Keyboard

#97

Post by burke »

lifeformed wrote: post #10

I guess it depends on the type of software you're working on, but input speed has never been close to being the bottleneck with coding for me... Most of the time I'm trying to figure out what to do or how to implement an algorithm. Rarely do I get those mad-scientist frenzies where I'm typing away frantically trying to get all the words down as they come into my mind in a flash of inspiration.

I was never sure which side of this argument I came down on, and then I switched to a Kinesis Advantage keyboard.

I had to slow down my typing for a couple weeks to get the finger positions right. The whole time, I felt like I was coding with a hangover. I felt like I couldn't think properly, just because of the reduced brain->computer bandwidth.

Re: Using Voice to Code Faster than Keyboard

#98

Post by lutorm »

muxxa wrote: post #55
henrik_w wrote: post #40

Tangentially related, but I'll throw it in here, since so many developers aren't taking ergonomics seriously. RSI can happen to you if you are not careful, and it can wreck your career (almost happened to me). Several years ago, I started having aches in my arms. Over half a year it got gradually worse, until it was so bad, I thought I had to give up coding altogether. Fortunately, I managed to get it under control,…

Personal anecdote: I correlated my RSI directly to drinking coffee (tea is okay). I notice when I'm caffeinated that my posture is very different and I hold postures (e.g. holding down the shift key) for much longer. If RSI starts to blight you, try substituting your morning coffee for tea or water. For me, a break program just increased the stress levels of 'wanting to get something done', which I think is the root…

Interestingly, when my RSI was bad and I was writing my PhD thesis with NaturallySpeaking, I noticed that voice fatigue was directly related to drinking coffee, too. The more coffee I drank, the move tired my voice would be at the end of the day. Then I mentioned this to a singer friend and she said basically said "of course. every singer knows that caffeine is bad for your voice."

Re: Using Voice to Code Faster than Keyboard

#100

Post by egypturnash »

lambda wrote: post #72
lifeformed wrote: post #10

I guess it depends on the type of software you're working on, but input speed has never been close to being the bottleneck with coding for me... Most of the time I'm trying to figure out what to do or how to implement an algorithm. Rarely do I get those mad-scientist frenzies where I'm typing away frantically trying to get all the words down as they come into my mind in a flash of inspiration.

It's one thing to not be able to write code as fast as you can type. It's another to use a speech to text input method that's designed for long-form prose and try to use it to code. Can you imagine the frustration of trying to enter longCamelCaseVariableNames without a special macro to do so? I don't know the usual commands in Dragon, but I imagine it would be something like: "long delete space uppercase camel delete…

That's kinda the point of this article. He's got a bunch of macros and idiosyncratic commands.

At 11:30 in the video:

"Camel this is a test" -> thisIsATest "Studly this is a test" -> ThisIsATest "Jive this is a test" -> "this-is-a-test" "Dot word this is a test" -> "this.is.a.test" "Score this is a test" -> "this_is_a_test" "Mara" -> selects all text on screen "Chik" -> delete

He says he'll release his code in a few months.

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