Can you only get handwriting recognition on tablet PC'sw ith XP or on
desktops with XP ? Which version of XP does handwriting recognition come with
? In the future won't handwriting recognition come with ALL windows releases
? Is XP used much in the workplace ? I thought XP was mainly for home users.

Thanks

On Tue, 29 Mar 2005 04:47:03 -0800, "Littlebird" wrote:

>Can you only get handwriting recognition on tablet PC'sw ith XP or on
>desktops with XP ? Which version of XP does handwriting recognition come with
>? Which version of XP does handwriting recognition come with
>?

Handwriting recognition that runs on standard Windows XP is packaged
with (and only works with) Microsoft Office version 2002 and later. I
have been told that it is completely different from the version that
comes with Tablet PC Edition, although how or why it is different has
never been made clear. Handwriting recognition software is also
available as an independent product from several sources, but I do not
know details.

> In the future won't handwriting recognition come with ALL windows releases
>?

You will have to get the answer to that question from Microsoft. I
doubt that they will give it to you before they announce it publicly.

> Is XP used much in the workplace ? I thought XP was mainly for home users.

Windows XP is the only version of Windows currently offered for
general-purpose computers (as distinguished from palmtop computers,
embedded systems, etc). In principle, Windows XP Home Edition is for
the home, and Windows XP Professional is for the workplace. In
practice many home users prefer Windows XP Professional.

My email address is llm040903 at earthlink dot net.

Littlebird wrote:
> Can you only get handwriting recognition on tablet PC'sw ith XP or on
> desktops with XP ?

As part of the OS, only on the Tablet PC. That's when disregarding
developer licences via $$$ MSDN developer subscription.

Of course, there's Microsoft and 3rd party software available that will
do handwriting recognition, too. OTOH the Tablet PC OS recognition is
often claimed to be the best currently available (now, whether that's
true or not... at least others support more languages... ;-)

> Which version of XP does handwriting recognition come with
> ?

XP Tablet Edition, i.e. XP Pro with the Tablet extentions / superset.

> In the future won't handwriting recognition come with ALL windows
> releases ?

Just wild guesses at this time. Though there are some vague points to
start some speculation... Sites like
http://www.winsupersite.com/showcase...eview_2005.asp suggest
(without any reference to where that info actually comes from) that
there probably is a similar split into "editions" like currently in XP,
e.g. you might get 'Longhorn' Mobility/TabletPC Edition, and a couple of
other editions or supersets to the base WinFX OS. From which you could
further draw the (potentially wrong) conclusion that handwriting
recognition, as part of the OS, will be bundled only with the Tablet
Edition, also due to the specific hardware requirements (built-in
digitizer etc). Whether you'd still need to buy a Tablet PC to get the
Tablet Edition of the OS is another thing to make guesses about... Well,
maybe in a few months Microsoft releases real info.

> Is XP used much in the workplace ? I thought XP was mainly for home users.

XP is also for corporate use. At least Pro - I haven't read the XP Home
EULA if it allows corporate use. Yet many corporations and institutions
still use Win2k (i'm in one of those...) or even NT, so the answer to
your question would vary according to which country and "branch(?)" of
industry/government/education/etc you look at.

cheers,
- Jan