Can We Put Together A Set of Softwares To Replace NUANCE?

[BonzaiDuck]

Likely, if you winced at the last word knowingly, you have had a conflicted love-hate relationship with this company and its software.

I use PaperPort, PDF Converter, and OmniPage. The first and last were introduced to me in a software disc accompanying my first flatbed scanner around 1997.

It would be so nice if I could just replace those same two software programs with something else that "works together" -- something with the same functionality and reliability.

If you winced at recognizing "NUANCE," how does this throw you off balance? ISUSPM.EXE

HERE'S ANOTHER THOUGHT: You can probably rate software for "robustness." The software may be robust in the way it's organized, or how it operates. It may not be robust for uninstallation or removal. If the software needs a removal tool for some oft-found remnants or problems, it says something about whether you want it on your system. And even in the category of "robust operation," when changing something like an Account Name or ID, the software doesn't accept the same permissions, well -- that's a pain in the rear.

 

[SMOGZINN]

I just recently got tired of Nuance software and in a fit of rage uninstalled everything made by the company. So, I'm looking for replacements the same as you.
I'll watch this thread and report back with what I finally settle on.

 

[Virgorising]

Am not familiar with the products you mention.....am familiar with Dragon. Isn't Dragon their main product???

 

[SMOGZINN]

Nuance makes the Paperport product that is packaged with a lot of All-In-One Printers. It is a kind of document management system that allows for scanning, sorting, manipulating documents. While the program is pretty good for that purpose, it is also quite buggy. I decided to uninstall it after it spent most of 4 months telling me that there was an upgrade every few hours, and then when I finally allowed it to upgrade it messed up a number of (non-Nuance) programs and keep wanting to install a file that it couldn't find.

 

[Virgorising]

Nuance makes the Paperport product that is packaged with a lot of All-In-One Printers. It is a kind of document management system that allows for scanning, sorting, manipulating documents. While the program is pretty good for that purpose, it is also quite buggy. I decided to uninstall it after it spent most of 4 months telling me that there was an upgrade every few hours, and then when I finally allowed it to upgrade it messed up a number of (non-Nuance) programs and keep wanting to install a file that it couldn't find.

Thanks for explaining. That.....is DISGUSTING.

I do recall way back when I bought my first Dragon, I had to actually threaten them up there in MA to get my stupid rebate. Took forever, and time is money.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

Thanks for explaining. That.....is DISGUSTING.

I do recall way back when I bought my first Dragon, I had to actually threaten them up there in MA to get my stupid rebate. Took forever, and time is money.

Yes -- disgusting.

But they've truly mastered speech-recognition and training, and optical-character recognition and training. There was one other document management program I know of: Page Manager. I cannot remember the name of the company. But PaperPort beats it hands down.

You organize your PaperPort PDFs in folders and the software presents recognizable thumbnails of the documents. You can stack them to build a single document by dragging and dropping. If you put an Excel spreadsheet into a PaperPort folder, it will raise Excel and present it to you. But the best part: Even if you don't create "searchable text" PDFs, PP has an optical character recognition "engine" which will build a database of PDFs that are purely "image" documents and store the data so you can search for the documents you need to review.

OmniPage is a great OCR program -- very flexible -- and it can be "trained" to be very accurate.

But there are the downsides.

As someone noted, NUANCE software can foul up your Windows configuration. Mostly, I think this happens when you install a new version of something like Paperport over an older version, thinking that it will just "clean things up" like other more robust software products. But it doesn't.

Here's what happened to me. PaperPort 12 was listed as "compatible" with Win 7. And -- it was. I didn't even install PP 14 over the 12 version -- I just ran the uninstall from "Programs & Features" to remove it.

It left behind some registry entries and some folders in Program Files (x86). I didn't think much about it. But SFC /SCANNOW turned up a C++ redistributable DLL which was "missing." And there would be a daily pair of red-bang errors in Event Viewer showing two versions of a component associated with PP which conflicted with each other -- an X86 and X64 version -- which turned out to be the "remnant" associated with the missing DLL.

I had been troubleshooting this for months! I even replaced hardware. Then I stumbled across some NUANCE "forum" exchanges of people who had these same problems: "Is there a fix yet?" and "No. No fix." This later led me to NUANCE "KB" articles about uninstalling the program. EVERY . . . FREAKIN' . . . VERSION of PP has a "removal tool." Which -- quite frankly -- is totally insane!! Since you can't just install a new version and hope for the old one to disappear!

And finally -- their aggressive marketing strategy. If you install the program properly, you may want to uninstall components. For instance -- they ASSUME you're just happier than a pig in s*** to put all your legal and financial documents out there in "The CLOUD." So every time you boot the computer, the "PaperPort Anywhere" window pops up -- which, of course, you close. At least, with "Anywhere," you can uninstall the component from "Programs & Features."

But there is also a "Common Application Manager" or "update manager" which notifies you of upgrades. It puts a Java hook on your system. And for every "free" update to which you're entitled, there are five or ten offers to "Upgrade" for a price. Turns out, this "update manager" is used by both NUANCE and Roxio/Sonic software.

You have to turn it off in "MSConfig" among "Startup" programs. The name of the item is "ISUSPM.Exe" or something like that. There's a software house associated with it called "Flexera."

I have grown to think I "NEED" PaperPort and even Omnipage. There is another software house called Lucion Technologies:

http://www.lucion.com/terminology-paperport-alternative.html

Then you wonder if there is a "serious" OCR program which you can integrate with the Lucion product. And of course, there's a "free trial."

But like the black talk-show host of the mid-sixties -- Louie Lomax used to say -- "We're goin' from the fryin' pan into the fire!" Which -- might happen -- even with a "30-day trial" package.

I have pretty much eliminated a personal file cabinet and paper documents. When I receive "stuff" in the mail, I scan them to the appropriate folder. By late November, I pretty much have my taxes done except for some minor adjustments and corrections.

So I find these sorts of software programs worth having and worth using. On the other hand, I've been through hell the past couple months until I discovered these things I mentioned. All the time I saved for doing my taxes? Totally lost in unraveling this . . . . NUANCEd . . . mess!

 

[Virgorising]

Above now.....way beyond disgusting. And Bravo! you hung in and kept trying and delving!!!

While clearly, the last version of Dragon I got is way better than that first one way back.....interesting that I almost never use it.

Re OCR, in the rare times I need this, I use a free one online. Last time I looked, the good ones were off the hook expensive. I have little experience with these, but last time I tired, the free one could not manage to deal with a hand writtern note. It was pitiable. But, I am also sure, writing these is daunting.

YES......you truly have....been thru Hell.

 

[corkyg]

I only have one Nuance product, and I've used it since the late 1990s when Scansoft acquired Cazere Corp - the original developer. In 2000, Scansoft acquired Nuance, snd expanded into other areas by acquiring Dragon and paperport. I experimented with Dragon about 12 years ago, but found it too fussy and more work than just typing or scanning. It is probably a boon to someone visually handicapped.

Nuance is now touting Power PDF. Not interested in that - Nitro PDF 8 does everything I need in that area.

The version of Omnipage Pro I have now is 17. I started with version 5. It has steadily improved to the point where it produces OCR that I don't have to literally rewrite.

Never touched Paperport, and after reading BonzaiDuck's note, I never will. He suffered enough for all of us.

Some acquisitions are positive, but others are not (unfortunately.)

 

[Virgorising]

I experimented with Dragon about 12 years ago, but found it too fussy and more work than just typing or scanning. It is probably a boon to someone visually handicapped.

Corky, I strongly suggest you try the latest build of Dragon. I started with version 10 I got on Amazon with rebate it only took me like a year to get (still have it in the original box), but, while I rarely use this newest version, it truly is almost a whole other animal from whatever you experienced with a much earlier version than the first one I got!!!

 

[BonzaiDuck]

Corky, I strongly suggest you try the latest build of Dragon. I started with version 10 I got on Amazon with rebate it only took me like a year to get (still have it in the original box), but, while I rarely use this newest version, it truly is almost a whole other animal from whatever you experienced with a much earlier version than the first one I got!!!

I have a friend crippled with MS, mostly able to use a computer with a mouse using the three remaining fingers of his right hand. He'd been using Dragon for years, and had become quite adept at controlling it verbally.

I just switched from OmniPage 17 to OmniPage 18. I figured, for the bargain price from a reseller like "BuyCheapSoftware," it was worth upgrading because I'd been using v.17 for more than five years. And of course, I was troubleshooting my recent difficulties. But OmniPage is the least troublesome of the NUANCE product offerings, except for the "Update Manager" and the high-powered sales pitch.

They sell versions of the software for hospitals and other specialties. It is extremely sophisticated software for what it does. Voice recognition? Voice training? OCR training -- with custom "dictionary files" or whatever? If it weren't for the "removal tool" necessities and the arm-twisting sales promo, I'd be happy with it. [Of course, "removal tool" was the means to getting rid of the configuration troubles. It would be better if there simply weren't any . . ]

Also, their tech-support might be something worth a negative review on Angie's List or a similar information provider. I chose to pay the $10 for a "support instance" to resolve the "SideBySide" errors generated by the program once every 24 hours or so. Did they offer me a solution? No!

They said -- "Well. If all you have is a SideBySide error, and since your year of free support has ended, we will consider this ticket closed." I PAID TEN DOLLARS!! KNOWING THAT MY YEAR OF SUPPORT HAD EXPIRED!!

If they hired me at the management level, I'd be shaking some thing up right now. What kind of morons do they have in their marketing department, who can insist on what can only be called "hype-programming?" They should know better. First opportunity, I'll bolt and leave their customer base. After all -- keeping the loyal customer base trumps short-run scam-induced profits any day.

 

[Virgorising]

I have a friend crippled with MS, mostly able to use a computer with a mouse using the three remaining fingers of his right hand. He'd been using Dragon for years, and had become quite adept at controlling it verbally.

This.....made me emotional. I am newly grateful for Dragon because of it.

If they hired me at the management level, I'd be shaking some thing up right now. What kind of morons do they have in their marketing department, who can insist on what can only be called "hype-programming?" They should know better. First opportunity, I'll bolt and leave their customer base. After all -- keeping the loyal customer base trumps short-run scam-induced profits any day.

Pithier words are rarely said. No vision; penny wise, pound stupid/niggardly.

Again, my one experience with these people in MA was so unimaginably disgusting, I shall never forget it. And it was back when version 10 was the current build of Dragon. I recall finally emaling the CEO....mind you, after doing the garden variety things.

 

[BonzaiDuck]

This.....made me emotional. I am newly grateful for Dragon because of it.



Pithier words are rarely said. No vision; penny wise, pound stupid/niggardly.

Again, my one experience with these people in MA was so unimaginably disgusting, I shall never forget it. And it was back when version 10 was the current build of Dragon. I recall finally emaling the CEO....mind you, after doing the garden variety things.

What really burned me was the experience of submitting my support ticket and paying $10. Everything I needed to know was scattered around their forums, but there was a bit of luck for my stumbling into it. They should know the symptoms of software-removal issues. They're the ones who produced their "removal tools."

What they produce might seem to involve an AI programming dimension. Maybe their chosen niche had -- or still has -- a larger R&D cost factor. But the marketing strategies don't help them. In some eagerness to "recoup," they're damaging their reputation.

 

[Virgorising]

What really burned me was the experience of submitting my support ticket and paying $10. Everything I needed to know was scattered around their forums, but there was a bit of luck for my stumbling into it. They should know the symptoms of software-removal issues. They're the ones who produced their "removal tools."

What they produce might seem to involve an AI programming dimension. Maybe their chosen niche had -- or still has -- a larger R&D cost factor. But the marketing strategies don't help them. In some eagerness to "recoup," they're damaging their reputation.

Copy that.....ALL OF IT. It seems nothing has changed since I had my U Must be Kidding experience with the rebate way back.

Marketing strategies which define alieneating their client base.....SERIOUSLY?

 

[tynopik]

for just the OCR side, Abbyy FineReader is pretty good

 

[BonzaiDuck]

for just the OCR side, Abbyy FineReader is pretty good

Thanks. I'll look at that one. I'd mentioned Lucion Technologies for their "document management." I'll just have to create a test-bed for trial versions.

After all I went through so far this year to unravel the nexus of troubles including NUANCE and some other things, I'm going to be more careful about picking software for my "Flagship Workstation."

I just found ABBYY's web-page. Pricing seems reasonable. the "Pro" version shows $99 for "upgrade." I wonder if "upgrade" can mean "switching from OmniPage."

Of course, like we said -- the worst troubles with OmniPage is the "Update Manager" sales-hype.

 

[Cerb]

I have a friend crippled with MS, mostly able to use a computer with a mouse using the three remaining fingers of his right hand. He'd been using Dragon for years, and had become quite adept at controlling it verbally.

OT, but has he tried alternative pointing devices, like big trackballs, a joystick, pedals, etc.? Xpadder and Joy2key are both good programs for such things, allowing experimentation and implementation on the cheap (in my case, it was ALS).