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Open source speech recognition software allows for greater customization and collaboration among users, but may be overwhelming for non-tech savvy users and may contain harmful software. Closed source software limits customization but provides a sense of security.
Speech recognition software allows users to enter commands and perform actions on their computers using standard microphones and a predefined set of verbal commands. This allows users to open programs and enter text strictly using their voice. Open source speech recognition programs allow end users to view and potentially modify the source code of the programs. Source code modification allows changes to be made to all features of the software, allowing advanced users to add, remove, and otherwise change features of the software.
The primary benefit of the open source design in open source speech recognition programs is that it provides end users with a greater level of customization than a traditional closed source program. In closed source programs, the actual program code is both locked down and hidden from the end user, preventing changes from being made. A closed source speech recognition program provides options for changing the keywords used to access various features. Thus, an open source speech recognition program eliminates programming language limitations on commands; by reconfiguring the source code, the end user can theoretically alter the keywords for the program to anything they can imagine.
Another benefit of open source speech recognition is that it allows for collaborative customization of the software. When other end users make useful changes, they often link their program versions online, allowing others to use the tools they added or changed on the software. This means there can be an infinite number of variations on the software. One could counter this with a closed source speech recognition program, where the only possible version is the version released by the manufacturer.
One of the biggest disadvantages of open source speech recognition programs is that they appeal to the tech savvy. Without a background in programming, it can become overwhelming to edit even the simplest program features. Furthermore, it can be difficult to tell which versions of the program to “trust”, since both honest and unscrupulous users can modify the program alike. Some downloadable versions of the program may contain spyware, adware or other types of harmful software. This is never a problem with closed source applications, as end users know they are not getting more than what the software manufacturer has coded into the program.
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