omnipage pro support

[ivowel]

dear group:

I have an odd question. I purchased 2 copies of omnipage pro 15. I
want to write an application that can use the browser find function to
highlights (on the web) words in a TIFF file when searched with the
standard browser ctrl-f. So, I need to learn the exact format of the
nuance XML format. I first thought the nuance format was easy so I
could reverse-engineer it. Alas, then I ran into strange cases. This
may either mean that it is buggy, or that I do not understand it.

Easy, me thinks: just pay the $20 per incident, and get the answer.
alas, the pay-per-incident support folks tell me that they cannot
answer such questions. I need to purchase the support contract to talk
to better skilled folks. so, I call up nuance to get one. Alas, they
tell me that I need to purchase 4 new copies of omnipage pro [existing
ones do not count] in order to be eligible to purchase their support
contract. I wouldn't mind purchasing the support contract, but even at
edu discount, this seems steep just to learn what their XML format tag
meanings really are, and whether I have discovered a bug therein (or
whether it is a feature).

fortunately, the support contract is unlimited calls. so, may I beg
someone who has such a contract already to ask my two questions (they
will be something like [a] please send me an English description of
what the format means, not just the DTD; is the following small ocr
example a bug or is there a reason?). I presume anyone with an
Omnipage Pro 15 support contract and interest in the technical aspects
could legitimately share my curiosity.

help appreciated.

regards,

/iaw

 

[Milind Joshi]

Is using something other than Omnipage Pro an option? What would you
have to pay for the 4 copies before and after your educational
discount?

Regards,
Milind Joshi
IDEA TECHNOSOFT INC.
http://www.ideatechnosoft.com/ocr_icr.html

 

[ivowel]

I may indeed look for another OCR program now. the only issue is that
I have already written my code for the omnipage XML format, as I
understand it, and of course I have spent $500 on the software.
Grrr...

To get support, I need to buy four more copies at edu discount [but not
resellable after]. This means it would cost me about $1,400 in total
to get an answer to the following question:
"can you please send me an explanation of your XML format [the
semantics, not the DTD]."
Remember---you have touted this so nicely in
http://www.nuance.com/news/pressreleases/2003/20030407_capture.asp and
in my pre-sales calls to you as one of the supported formats.

ironically, I need your XML description so that I know whether I have
found a bug in your XML generator, or whether I have not understood it.
if it is the former, I am providing free bug locating service to you.
[I already reported one.]

oh...and nuance seems to have no web support forums. nuance only has
links to dead web forums.

I am checking around some large law firms right now. apparently, a
number of them are having such support contracts. maybe they can
inquire what the XML format really means.


for anyone else, I can only recommend to avoid omnipage for modest
programming use...

regards,

/iaw

Is using something other than Omnipage Pro an option? What would you
have to pay for the 4 copies before and after your educational
discount?

Regards,
Milind Joshi
IDEA TECHNOSOFT INC.
http://www.ideatechnosoft.com/ocr_icr.html

dear group:

I have an odd question. I purchased 2 copies of omnipage pro 15. I
want to write an application that can use the browser find function to
highlights (on the web) words in a TIFF file when searched with the
standard browser ctrl-f. So, I need to learn the exact format of the
nuance XML format. I first thought the nuance format was easy so I
could reverse-engineer it. Alas, then I ran into strange cases. This
may either mean that it is buggy, or that I do not understand it.

Easy, me thinks: just pay the $20 per incident, and get the answer.
alas, the pay-per-incident support folks tell me that they cannot
answer such questions. I need to purchase the support contract to talk
to better skilled folks. so, I call up nuance to get one. Alas, they
tell me that I need to purchase 4 new copies of omnipage pro [existing
ones do not count] in order to be eligible to purchase their support
contract. I wouldn't mind purchasing the support contract, but even at
edu discount, this seems steep just to learn what their XML format tag
meanings really are, and whether I have discovered a bug therein (or
whether it is a feature).

fortunately, the support contract is unlimited calls. so, may I beg
someone who has such a contract already to ask my two questions (they
will be something like [a] please send me an English description of
what the format means, not just the DTD; is the following small ocr
example a bug or is there a reason?). I presume anyone with an
Omnipage Pro 15 support contract and interest in the technical aspects
could legitimately share my curiosity.

help appreciated.

regards,

/iaw