It was with great interest that I read Mike Plumpe's blog post on speech @ microsoft entitled Windows Speech Recognition language support in Windows Vista.

Although I admit the content managed to inspire dismay when I read this bit:

In Windows Vista, Windows Speech Recognition works in the current language of the OS.  That means that in order to use another language for speech recognition, you have to have the appropriate language pack installed.  Language packs are available as free downloads through Windows Update for the Ultimate and Enterprise versions of Vista.  Once you have the language installed, you’ll need to change the display language of the OS to the language you want to use.  Both of these are options on the “Regional and Language Options” control panel.  You can look in help for “Install a display language” or “Change the display language”.

By tying language specific speech recognition to user interface language display packs, the Speech folks essentially confuse internationalization with localization and localizability, distinctions which I have talked about previously (in posts like Its not localization, really and internationalization vs. localizability) pointed out can be crucial.

Consider the following:

  • To display a random language Windows supports while using any UI language requires no language pack (both shaping and fonts included here!).
  • To sort in the order of a random language Windows supports while using any UI language requires no language pack.
  • To retrieve other preferences for any locale Windows supports while using any UI language requires no language pack.
  • To type in a random language using any UI language available requires no language pack.

In what way is speech recognition different from any of the above, especially that last point?

I know, I know, I am not completely naive -- this is another attempt at SKU differentiation, something I talked about in Additional personal speculation on the Vista MUI SKU story.

But in my own personal opinion (which I'll keep stating until the legal and PR folks tell me stop) is that this is not the correct way to do the split.

Consider all of the people out there whose lists of languages they can read, languages they can write, and languages they can speak really can vary. Why on earth would one kind of input method (keyboards) be "universal" for everyone while another (speech) not be available except to those who buy the Ultimate version of Vista?

And according to Mike's post, it is not just an installation issue; they are truly tying the functionality to the user interface language -- which makes the bold claim to customers that they should not dare to speak a language before they plan to be able to read it.

As a feature, it should not be based on either user interface language or user locale -- this is entirely an input language thing, and tying it to anything else violates not just the common sense issues I am talking about but the whole architecture of input selection inherent in the Text Services Framework!

And that is ignoring the rather bitter pill that due to that Error 2 bug I mentioned which keeps me from being able to install even the language packs that have been offered. I have currently downloaded over 10gb of language pack content in repeated attempt to address this bug using various steps people have put online, and the fact that I miss out on yet another cool feature that I should not be required to depend on is really annoying....

Of course, the battle for common sense and appropriate SKU definition is hard enough to be involved with when it is related to features in your building, let alone when it is about features that are across the street or even farther away.

If you want differentiate SKUs and features, fine.

Hell, if you truly want to limit it Vista Ultimate then that's not so fine but I'll live with it and just gripe a bit about the cases where people might be willing to shell out a bit of money for a feature where MS wants to say no thank you.

But the language recognition feature of speech and the MUI feature of allowing one to change one's user interface language are completely separate and lumping them together violates the important distinction between internationalization and localization....

 

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