4 Where can I get it?

Now that's the number one question! Unfortunately, the answer is mainly: nowhere. The SDK (and runtime?) used to be available from IBM for free download, and included a 30-day evaluation license. There were only two ways to get a valid ViaVoice license:

1. Buy the ViaVoice Dictation boxed set from IBM. This is only an option for those living in USA or Canada, as IBM doesn't sell it anywhere else and gives a run-around on their website instead.

   This contains the packages (as far as I can make out)

   ViaVoice_runtime-??-??

   ViaVoice_TTS_rtk-5.1-1.2

   ViaVoice_Dictation-1.0-1.0

   In April 2002 IBM made the latest available runtime package, which was included with the SDK, available as update to the ViaVoice Dictation package. It is no longer available now.

   ViaVoice_runtime-3.0-1.2

   This is not the latest version ever available. The latest ever is 3.1-0.0 which was shipped by Mandrake.

2. Buy one of the Mandrake boxes which contained it. See section 6.1 for details.

   This is the recommended option because it gives the latest version. An IBM employee has stated that the reason IBM can't make the latest runtime rpm available as update is that a contract with Mandrake prevents this.

The SDK was discontinued early in 2002. Because it used to be available for free people may be willing to part with a copy. The last copies of IBM's ViaVoice Dictation box product were sold sometime in 2003. No licenses are available from IBM at this point, unless someone was prepared to buy maybe 10000. Scansoft, who now sell the MS-Windows version of ViaVoice on IBM's behalf, have never heard of Linux. The only method of obtaining a legal single license at this point is to buy old or used software boxes.

Damion Yates noted in Nov 2004 on the xvoice-users list that leftover copies of the relevant Mandrake 8.0 pack can be ordered from http://chygwyn.org/ (it is not in their online catalogue). The version Chygwyn sells is ISBN 1-57595-493-1, which contains US English only. This also happens to be the copy which was sold in Australia. William Norfleet reported in July 2005 that Chygwyn have sold out all their copies of Mandrake 8.0.

There are also copies of Mandrake 7.2 German available, but I'd like to get a copy first and verify the details. The version of ViaVoice in this may be older.

Old Mandrake boxes are most likely gathering dust everywhere as their owners moved on to newer Linux versions. There should therefore be a sufficient supply in theory. It's worth asking around.

Perhaps Mandrake can be persuaded to sell more copies. However this would almost certainly be a question of numbers.

Rupert Kolb asked IBM about the status of Linux ViaVoice in March 2005. The answers were: IBM: ``ViaVoice is no longer supported by IBM. You may contact Media Gold GmbH, or ScanSoft Germany GmbH''. Media Gold GmbH: ``We have nothing for Linux''. ScanSoft Germany GmbH: ``We can't offer a program for Linux''.