John Klehm wrote:
On Fri, May 23, 2008 at 8:58 PM, Bret Comstock Waldow bcw1000@yahoo.com wrote:
I will be very interested in looking at any open source handwriting recognition programs you can point me at.
Here's what I was able to dig up awhile back in regards to open source handwriting recog of any kind (not saying I found everything by any means):
http://code.google.com/p/ocropus/ <= maybe the best handwriting recog engine?
I've had a half-an-hour look at this. I see the phrase "handwriting recognition" a lot, but no examples or discussion yet.
http://www.dklevine.com/general/software/tc1000/jarnal.htm <= closest thing to onenote
Yes, and the handwriting recognition is entirely printed individual characters, and it's not particularly good. I don't think this is any reflection on the authors - handwriting recognition is one of the "hard" problems.
But it doesn't provide sufficient support.
http://groundstate.ca/tabletsoft <= good summary of a bunch of programs http://www.stressbunny.com/wayv/ http://www.handhelds.org/projects/xscribble.html http://www.etla.net/libstroke/
All of these are printed individual character (or glyph) recognition systems, and thus seriously compromise notetaking and post-recognition tasks.
Otherwise, I need to know about the legality, and practicality, of a scheme such as I am proposing above. I'm hoping for comment, pointers, and perhaps help about writing it.
If you are suggesting to use one copy of windows to serve functionality for multiple users that might be on shaky legal ground, IANAL though.
I don't know myself. The web has many examples, published with Microsoft's implicit (MVPs) or explicit consent (MS provides the examples themselves) of ink-on-the-web, including handwriting recognition. They're largely .NET, but not all.
I'm not interested in providing this service for many users, however, I'm only interested in using it for myself, on my own Tablet computer, with my own licensed copy of Tablet XP.
Here is the language from the eula:
1.4 Device Connections. You may permit a maximum of ten (10) computers or other electronic devices (each a "Device") to connect to the COMPUTER to utilize one or more of the following services of the SOFTWARE: File Services, Print Services, Internet Information Services, Internet Connection Sharing and telephony services. The ten connection maximum includes any indirect connections made through "multiplexing" or other software or hardware which pools or aggregates connections. This ten connection maximum does not apply to other uses of the SOFTWARE, such as synchronizing data between a Device and the COMPUTER, provided only one user uses, accesses, displays or runs the SOFTWARE at any one time. This Section 1.4 does not grant you rights to access a COMPUTER Session from any Device. A "Session" means any use of the SOFTWARE that enables functionality similar to that available to an end user who is interacting with the COMPUTER through any combination of input, output and display peripherals.
1.5 Remote Desktop/Remote Assistance/NetMeeting. The SOFTWARE contains Remote Desktop, Remote Assistance, and NetMeeting technologies that enable the SOFTWARE or applications installed on the COMPUTER (sometimes referred to as a host device) to be accessed remotely from other Devices. You may use the SOFTWARE's Remote Desktop feature (or other software which provides similar functionality for a similar purpose) to access a COMPUTER Session from any Device provided you acquire a separate SOFTWARE license for that Device. As an exception to this rule, the person who is the single primary user of the COMPUTER may access a Computer Session from any Device without acquiring an additional SOFTWARE license for that Device. When you are using Remote Assistance or NetMeeting (or other software which provides similar functionality for a similar purpose) you may share a Session with other users without any limit on the number of Device connections and without acquiring additional licenses for the SOFTWARE. For Microsoft and non-Microsoft applications, you should consult the license agreement accompanying the applicable software or contact the applicable licensor to determine whether use of the software with Remote Desktop, Remote Assistance, or NetMeeting is permitted without an additional license. Except as otherwise permitted by the NetMeeting and Remote Assistance features described above, a license for the SOFTWARE may not be shared or used concurrently on different computers, such as a workstation, terminal or other device.
Note this phrase especially: "As an exception to this rule, the person who is the single primary user of the COMPUTER may access a Computer Session from any Device without acquiring an additional SOFTWARE license for that Device."
I read this as saying I may use a running Tablet PC as a compute server, processing polylines into characters just as the ink-on-the-web exmaples Microsoft publishes do, but for my own use, on my own network.
And this: "You may use the SOFTWARE's Remote Desktop feature (or other software which provides similar functionality for a similar purpose)"
VMware provides similar functionality for a similar purpose - I can remote my desktop with it. It's still only running on the PC it's licensed for - my Tablet computer.
So, for individual use by the licensee, I'm comfortable about my current implementation (xmlrpc access to a compute server over the net by the licensee). I don't know about the legal grounds for running a program I write that provides the functionality, which program is installed on the actual copy of Tablet XP, and which program is accessed via the WINE compatibility layer.
And I don't know if it's technically feasible, as I don't program MS Windows COM applications (yet). I know .NET won't work with WINE, but the Tablet SDK does include COM support as well.
Any comments?
Cheers, Bret