Advice on brand, RAM, etc. to load MT'ing software on.

Needing to replace my old computer for a new one. I need to get a really deal on a really fast computer. Help, please, with your experiences.

• Advice on brand, RAM, etc. to load MT'ing software on. - New Computer
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I need to buy some type of shortcut/word substitution software.  I need to be able to program whole paragraphs into the program and use 2 letters to get it back out.  What is good out there now?  What about cost?  Any advice is appreciated.

Thanks

I need a software program similar to GearPlayer, free or cheap. Is there one that anyone can recommend? I want one that would work with the GearPlayer footpedal I have or with easy keyboard commands to start, stop, rewind, etc.   

I ran across a site months ago that had older versions of Stedman's spellchecker for $30 or so. If anyone knows that site, or one similar, please share that info, as well.

I also need WordPerfect, as new a version as I can get, but as inexpensive as I can get, also.

Thanks!

1.  You must be able to be alone alot, or else you will get very lonely.  I myself love it most of the time, but there will be a few days where I long for co-workers, happy hours, and gal pal'ing with colleagues, but then i'll quickly sober up and remember the backstabbing, office politics, all women in the office pms'ing simultaneously...I would rather be alone than deal with that even one day out of the month. 

2.  You have to be disciplined.  I am, but not to a fault.  There are still at least one or two days out of the pay period where I immediately "start work" by daydreaming, surfing the internet, checking email, chatting, float from room to room aimlessly.  You have to be on time, every day, ready to work, or else you won't make any money. 

3.  Get ready to justify being an MT to just about EVERYONE in your life.  Many people do not think of this as a "real" job, which I cannot for the life of me get over.  Its not respected, even though i'm very proud of my profession, and able to support myself soley on it, have a few hobbies and manage to go to school, and plan on buying a house.  

4.  This is THE most important...KNOW YOUR STUFF!  Research, never guess, if you cannot understand a word.  You will learn so much and will become that much better in the long run. 

I dont know if the girls can add anything else, but those of the double edge swords we deal with.  Good luck

of course it helps to type fairly fast.  However, there is sooooo much more to it than just typing speed.

That being said, my own speed without using any text expansions isn't nearly as great as some mention here.  I tested using expansions recently and hit well over 200 wpm.  Thankfully, I am able to use a text Expander while working . . . otherwise I might starve to death. 

x

I've included my email address here so you can reach me.  I wanted to chat with you for a second, if you don't mind....and just so ya know, I couldn't agree more!! You have hit the nail on the head! 

Great advice.  Attitude is everything.  It brings to mind a quote I read not too long ago... 

"I can't change the direction of the wind, but I can adjust my sails."

why pay for anything, right?

Except that is AGAINST THE LAW!!!

MTSO here - I *used* to send my accounts Christmas gifts, but I stopped doing it.  Why?  Because one year, after sending a $100.00 gift basket to one of my docs, for thanks, he dictated a formal letter to me, mixed in with his other dictation, thanking me!!??

Another very well to do doc sent me a $3.00 or so Walmart-style Hersey mug with a little bag of Hersey kisses in return for the nice gift basket I sent him.

Two years in a row, another doc couldn't even scrung up a thank you note - no acknowledgement whatsoever.

Another office did the same thing - no thank you - no note - no nothing.

Needless to say, my gift giving came to an end after about three years of this.

ST:  250 lines an hour at 8 cents a line is $20.00.  (I can do 250 an hour if I concentrate).  If I can only do 200 lines an hour, that is still $16.00 an hour.

Now for the VR:

VR:  400 lines (roughly 60% more than straight typing 250 lines an hour) at 3 cents a line is $12.00.

How is that more money?  It's a 25% cut!   

How many of you spent years perfecting your macros and shortcuts and Expanders just to have it taken away from you so you can't make a decent living? 

I won't be doing any VR work.  I think they wasted their money with this new technology.  They could have given us raises with that money and had happy employees cranking out the lines.  Win-win.

Too bad for us.  Shafted, once again! 

and watch the screen - turn speakers on!!  too funny but Big Brother did come to mind....*grin*

http://www.adcritic.com/interactive/view.php?id=5927

I'm also new to ES and can't figure out how to get it to auto load the next job file when I click "done" with the current file.  I have all my voice files in a folder and it loads them all, but sure would like to not have to manually load each new one.  Can anyone help?  TIA!

Wanting to go to work for a new company. What I am getting is - voice files failed to load- object does not support this method.

I would like to know- has anyone experienced something similar and if so any suggestions? Thought maybe too much on my computer or ?? Thanks so much.

I have been an MT for over 10 years.  I also am getting burnt out, tired of my job, day in day.  However, I do love transcription and make excellent money at it, have grossed over $50,000 per year the last 5 years.  I decided to go back to nursing school and am very happy with my choice.  However, over these 10 years of transcription I have had my ups and downs.  My biggest issue with being at home working is lack of socialization, being home day in and day out with just the kids and the animals really gets to a person, sure hubby is home at night and thinks working from home is the easy life, thus the return to school and boy has my overall enjoyment of life changed once I realized I was the problem, not everyone else and I needed to find myself again.

Anyway, my biggest advice to you three-fold:

1.  Get into counseling for yourself, find out who you are and what your needs are, whether or not you think you need to, I sense you are feeling overwhelmed and need someone other than your family to talk to that can be nonjudgmental to your feelings and needs.

2.  If you're only making $100 after you pay preschool you can either keep doing it and be miserable, or quit because you are lucky enough to have a husband who can support the family without your income. (See how fast his mind changes just by losing the income you do have as to whether your job means anything.)  Or look for a different company or office that you like more and are more productive if you really want to do transcription (lots of fish in the sea as far as companies).

3.  Find a local "mom's" group where you can get out and socialize.  MOPS (mother's of preschoolers) is an excellent one that is nationwide, they have a website.  Also Mom2Mom is in a lot of areas.  They provide a once a week time for moms with kids the same age to get together, socialize, (some offer spirtual guidance some don't) and each week a different mom takes a turn watching everyone else's children at the facility that hosts it so the other moms can talk about things they have in common.  Every stay-at-home and work-from-home mom needs to socialize with adults, without their kids, or they will have a nervous breakdown eventually no matter how much they love their kids.

Sorry so long but it does get better but you have to take the first step at making yourself happy.