can I load linux without a keyboard?
 

Thank you for your attention.

Let me explain my situation please. I am a former Hewlett-Packard computer tech and an A+ certified professional so I know my way around a computer pretty good. I have always used the Windows operating systems but I would like to experiment with the Ubunto Linux distribution that I received from them

Now here is the problem. I now have Secondary Progressive MS and I am unable to use a standard keyboard because of my extreme tremors. With the Windows system I am able to use two programs for voice recognition, Realize Voice to control the computer with just my headset and microphone, and for typing I use Dragon Naturally Speaking 8. But I don't see any way to use voice recognition in Linux. Is there a log file or configuration file that I could complete in the Windows environment with all of the configuration settings included so I wouldn't have to type the information during the installation? And also is there a keyboard program that I would just have to use my pointer to choose the right lettering during regular functions in the Linux system?

I would appreciate any assistance that you could give me about this situation.

Thank you for your time.

Michael Havlat

havlat@netscape.com
mhavlat@yahoo.com

for all of your question,
My answere is "no"

I think the answer to your question is actually maybe but I suspect that you are much better off sticking with Windows.....

I came across this HowTo that lists a number of voice recognition software possibilites. The main problem seems to be that this portion of Linux has fallen to the wayside. Many of the solutions are dependant on IBM's ViaVoice, which was a commercial product that IBM no longer sells or supports and may be almost impossible to find.

One bit of ViaVoice independant software I came across was CVoiceControl but the author discontinued development several years ago.


The most promising find I came across was PerlBox, which despite its name, is a general speech recognition package.

Most of this stuff appears to be not ready for prime time in Linux. Given your real need for voice recognition, Windows may be a much better solution. However, if you have a spare box (and the time) to play with, a report of your efforts could be very valuable.

Welcome to LQ!

I have no experience with using voice-based software in Linux, however I am not aware of any way to install Linux without a keyboard. Again, that's just based on my own personal experience with the distros I've used. That said, many distros offer a Live CD, which essentially is a full-fledged Linux installation that runs off the CD. In order to use a Live CD, you'd just need to place it in the CD drive and reboot (note: make sure that in your BIOS boot sequence, the CD is listed above the hard drive). A Live CD will not write to the hard drive, so in order to restore your previous OS (aka Windows) you just need to pop the CD out and reboot. I don't know if that's helpful info for you, but perhaps it may be a worthwhile option