Say it like it is

I never learned to type properly and, consequently, my keyboard time is not as efficient as it should be. Occasionally I have flirted with typing tutor programmes but willpower and dedication always desert me. I have recently been experimenting with a speech to text program and have been mightily impressed. The software required very little initial training so that I was up and running virtually straight out of the box. By no means do I have RADA-like diction and know that I can, all too easily, descend into mumbling yet the number of times it misinterprets what I say are very few.

The greatest benefit comes when I am writing longer pieces of text for a proposal, report or this blog. Normally I find it difficult to maintain my train of thought through the many corrections of my miss-keying. The software is also very useful when filling in forms and the like. Instead of moving hand to mouse to place the cursor in the box, hand back to keyboard to type and then back to mouse to select the next box I can just leave my hand on the mouse and say the words as I select each box in turn.

The software I bought is Dragon NaturallySpeaking (other programs are available) and my only complaint is that the microphone headset that came with the box was designed for a much smaller head than mine. Luckily I had a suitable, adult-sized one already. Oh yes, and do remember to switch the microphone off when you’re on the telephone.

At Your Keyboard No 2 – computing and web tips

A regular post of tips to help you work more easily at your keyboard

Data shots in Excel

There are occasions when it is useful to be able to isolate, copy and reproduce a section of a spreadsheet without some of the complications that arise if you copy and paste the ‘live’ cells. How? Select the range you want, hold down shift and then click on Edit. You will find that the copy command now reads ‘Copy picture’. Click on that and OK and you have a photograph of that section of the sheet. You can then paste it as a picture into another publication or relocate sections of a spreadsheet so that they will print on one page. Best of all If you have to keep referring to a sheet other than the one you are working on (a reference table, say) it can be useful to have a picture of the relevant data floating over the sheet you are working on. Generally it is helpful add a fill whilst you ‘take the picture’ so that the gridlines do not show through.