IF YOU USE A STENORAM II, WHAT SOFTWARE DO YOU USE?

[Mary Jo Cochran]

Please let me know. Thanks.

[Tami]

I honestly can't blame you girls for holding on to your old writers.

I've always heard that the StenoRam II is right up there with the Smartwriter as far as the best machine ever made. They both don't stack, period. If you stack on those machines, it's your own fault. If you stack on a newer machine, I've found 99% of the time it's the writer's fault. I never even knew what a "dribble" was when I owned a Smartwriter.

It just got to the point where my Smartwriter was no longer compatible with my software, and I had to move on.

I know more than one NCRA RT/speed qualifiers who opted to go back to a Smartwriter to get the job done. One, a present Mira user, went to the StenoDoctor and borrowed a Smartwriter -- plug for StenoDoc: they didn't even charge him -- just for last summer's speed contest a day before the actual test. He did incredibly awesome, qualifying towards the top, on a machine he had for a day, perhaps two.

I'll whine once again . . .

Can't we combine the old technology with the new and make a perfect machine???

[Brenda Rogers]

I was so ready for a different machine after 10 yrs on my SRII! There's no floppy, just the RAM. I had to restroke so many jobs for one reason or another (it had been knocked over; power issues, etc.). When I changed to the Stentura, I had to change some of my writing style -- stop using S combined with T and Z with D for endings because I'd drag those. So the SRII was more accurate for me in that way.

Generally I liked it because I didn't know what I didn't have, but it was sure nice to have the raw data on a floppy, not having to download every job every time, whether it was ordered or not.

It's totally dead now since the battery is shot and no way for me to replace it. And I was stroking down to China with the keystroke depth! I could never go back now. Not to mention the SRII weighs a TON!!!

But you're right, Tami -- how about the PERFECT machine? (The LS is pretty close for me though!)

[Janet]

You can select Stenoram II as your writer in Eclipse. When I'm using the LS, I have been using the Transcriptor X setting. That machine is a dinosaur. I had that before my Smartwriter, which I loved & wished I had never replaced with the Stentura and then Mira.

Mary Jo, where there's a will, there's a way. I know you'll get up and running. I wish I didn't throw away my old computers. I'd give you one if I had it. I will search my attic & make sure that I don't still have one up there.

Janet

[Janet]

Mary Jo,

I just saw there are some DOS-based laptops pretty cheap on eBay. Just look through to get an idea if the price you were quoted is good. What did they offer you for a warranty?

Janet

[Mary Jo Cochran]

I ended up getting rid of the software. And I am a very lousy salesman. I paid $120 and sold it for $50. I advertised it on e-bay and on stenosearch and craigslist. Needless to say, someone wanted it from each group. Acculaw bought it off e-bay (apparently at the very last bidding time) for $47 - and I had already sold it. They got pretty angry.

It just didn't seem logical to buy an old laptop, get the software installed - and hope I got a working system, particularly when I have never used CAT.

So what I am going to do: Right now I am getting unemployment. I'm going to stay that route until the end of August. When school starts up here again I will do substitute teaching (which cuts down and delays my unemployment). In September I'll look for reporting work.

I'm going to either use DigitalCat - or if StenoCat has a deal then I will go that route. They might take pity on me. They had a deal for $450.00 for six months - which wasn't bad considering that was the only cost - $450 for six months, then $650 a year.

That was a very good point of having to download every job whether it was ordered or not. I didn't even think about that.

Someone has on e-bay Case Catalyst 3. The bidding will end next Saturday. I am going to watch that.