Jatin K MalikandGitHub
1e0a2a6cee
Bump version from 0.6.0-beta to 0.6.1-beta with installation improvements: Version Updates: - src/vocalinux/version.py: 0.6.0-beta → 0.6.1-beta - install.sh: Default tag and help text updated - web/package.json: 0.6.0 → 0.6.1 - web/src/app/layout.tsx: schema.org softwareVersion updated - web/src/app/page.tsx: version badge updated Documentation Updates: - README.md: New 'What's New' section for v0.6.1-beta - docs/UPDATE.md: Added v0.6.1-beta release notes with new features - docs/INSTALL.md: Version references updated - docs/RELEASE_PROCESS.md: Example commands updated - tests/distro-testing-checklist.md: Version references updated - src/vocalinux/main.py: Error message updated New Features in v0.6.1-beta: - Interactive backend selection for whisper.cpp (GPU vs CPU) - Enhanced welcome message with testing instructions - Simplified install commands (tag-based URLs) - Better GPU support with proper library detection Bug Fixes: - Fixed bash arithmetic with set -e - Fixed TTY detection for interactive mode - Auto-install git if missing - Fixed GPU installation commands
379 lines
14 KiB
Markdown
379 lines
14 KiB
Markdown
# <img src="https://github.com/user-attachments/assets/56dabe5c-5c65-44d5-a36a-429c9fea0719" width="30" height="30"> Vocalinux
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#### Voice-to-text for Linux, finally done right!
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<!-- Project Status -->
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[](https://github.com/jatinkrmalik/vocalinux)
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[](https://github.com/jatinkrmalik/vocalinux/releases)
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[](https://www.gnu.org/licenses/gpl-3.0)
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<!-- Build & Quality -->
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[](https://github.com/jatinkrmalik/vocalinux/actions)
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[](https://github.com/jatinkrmalik/vocalinux)
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[](https://www.python.org/downloads/)
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[](https://www.gtk.org/)
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[](https://codecov.io/gh/jatinkrmalik/vocalinux)
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<!-- Tech & Community -->
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[](https://github.com/jatinkrmalik/vocalinux/stargazers)
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[](https://github.com/jatinkrmalik/vocalinux/network)
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[](https://github.com/jatinkrmalik/vocalinux/watchers)
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[](https://github.com/jatinkrmalik/vocalinux/commits)
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[](https://github.com/jatinkrmalik/vocalinux/commits)
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[](CONTRIBUTING.md)
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[](https://github.com/jatinkrmalik/vocalinux/issues)
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**A seamless free open-source private voice dictation system for Linux**, comparable to built-in solutions on macOS and Windows.
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## 📚 What's New in v0.6.1-beta
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This patch release brings significant improvements to the installation experience and GPU support!
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### ✨ New Features
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- **Interactive Backend Selection** - When installing whisper.cpp, choose between GPU (Vulkan/CUDA) or CPU backend
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- Intelligent hardware detection recommends the best option
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- Shows helpful tips when GPU libraries are missing
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- Respects your choice during installation
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- **Enhanced Welcome Message** - Completely redesigned end-of-installation experience
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- Shows exactly what was installed (engine, backend, locations)
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- Clear step-by-step testing instructions
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- Voice command examples ("period", "comma", "new line", "delete that")
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- All management commands in one place
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### 🔧 Improvements
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- **Simplified Install Commands** - No more `--tag` parameter needed
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- Before: `curl .../main/install.sh | bash -s -- --tag=v0.6.1-beta`
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- After: `curl .../v0.6.1-beta/install.sh | bash`
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- **Version Consistency** - Install script is now downloaded directly from the release tag
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- Ensures perfect version matching between script and code
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- No risk of main branch changes affecting releases
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- **Better GPU Support** - Fixed Vulkan development library detection
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- Properly installs `libvulkan-dev`, `glslc`, and other required packages
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- Falls back gracefully when GPU libraries are missing
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- Clear error messages with installation instructions
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### 🐛 Bug Fixes
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- **Fixed Bash Compatibility** - Resolved `((var++))` arithmetic issues with `set -e`
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- **Fixed TTY Detection** - Interactive mode now works correctly with `--interactive` flag
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- **Auto-install Git** - Installer now automatically installs git if not present
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- **Fixed GPU Installation** - Properly executes pip commands for GPU backend installation
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---
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## Previous Release: v0.6.0-beta
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**Major milestone: whisper.cpp is now the default engine!**
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- **⚡ 10x faster installation** (~1-2 min vs ~5-10 min)
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- **🎮 Universal GPU support** - AMD, Intel, NVIDIA via Vulkan
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- **🤖 whisper.cpp integration** - C++ optimized speech recognition
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- **📦 Interactive installer** - Choose between 3 engines
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- **🔧 Hardware auto-detection** - GPU, RAM, Vulkan support detection
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- **🐛 Critical bug fixes** - Text escaping, audio feedback, punctuation
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---
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> 🎉 **Beta Release with whisper.cpp!**
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>
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> We're excited to share Vocalinux Beta with the community!
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> whisper.cpp brings **10x faster installation** and **universal GPU support**.
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> See "What's New" above for details.
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---
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## ✨ Features
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- 🎤 **Double-tap Ctrl** to start/stop voice dictation
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- ⚡ **Real-time transcription** with minimal latency
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- 🌎 **Universal compatibility** across all Linux applications
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- 🔒 **100% Offline operation** for privacy and reliability
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- 🤖 **whisper.cpp by default** - High-performance C++ speech recognition
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- 🎮 **Universal GPU support** - Vulkan acceleration for AMD, Intel, and NVIDIA
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- 🎨 **System tray integration** with visual status indicators
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- 🔊 **Pleasant audio feedback** - smooth gliding tones, headphone-friendly
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- ⚙️ **Graphical settings** dialog for easy configuration
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- 📦 **3 engine choices** - whisper.cpp (default), OpenAI Whisper, or VOSK
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## 📸 Screenshots
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Here are some screenshots showcasing Vocalinux in action:
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<table>
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<tr>
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<td align="center">
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<img src="resources/screenshots/00-transcription.png" alt="Transcription in Action" width="350"><br>
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<em>Real-time voice-to-text transcription</em>
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</td>
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<td align="center">
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<img src="resources/screenshots/02-system-tray.png" alt="System Tray" width="350"><br>
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<em>System tray with listening indicator</em>
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</td>
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</tr>
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<tr>
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<td align="center">
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<img src="resources/screenshots/05-about-view.png" alt="About View" width="350"><br>
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<em>About view with version info</em>
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</td>
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<td align="center">
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<img src="resources/screenshots/03-log-viewer.png" alt="Log Viewer" width="350"><br>
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<em>Log viewer for debugging</em>
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</td>
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</tr>
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<tr>
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<td colspan="2" align="center">
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<img src="resources/screenshots/04-features-overview.png" alt="Features Overview" width="500"><br>
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<em>Overview of key features and configuration options with annotations</em>
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</td>
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</tr>
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</table>
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## 🚀 Quick Install
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### Interactive Install (Recommended)
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Our new interactive installer guides you through setup with intelligent hardware detection:
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```bash
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curl -fsSL raw.githubusercontent.com/jatinkrmalik/vocalinux/v0.6.1-beta/install.sh -o /tmp/vl.sh && bash /tmp/vl.sh
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```
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**Choose your engine:**
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1. **whisper.cpp** ⭐ (Recommended) - Fast, works with any GPU via Vulkan
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2. **Whisper** (OpenAI) - PyTorch-based, NVIDIA GPU only
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3. **VOSK** - Lightweight, works on older systems
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The installer will:
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- **Auto-detect your hardware** (GPU, RAM, Vulkan support)
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- **Recommend the best engine** for your system
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- **Download the appropriate model** (~39MB for whisper.cpp tiny)
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- **Install in ~1-2 minutes** (vs 5-10 min with old Whisper)
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> **Note**: Installs v0.6.1-beta. For other versions, check [GitHub Releases](https://github.com/jatinkrmalik/vocalinux/releases).
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### Installation Options
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**Default (whisper.cpp - recommended):**
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```bash
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curl -fsSL raw.githubusercontent.com/jatinkrmalik/vocalinux/v0.6.1-beta/install.sh -o /tmp/vl.sh && bash /tmp/vl.sh
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```
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Fastest installation (~1-2 min), universal GPU support via Vulkan.
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**Whisper (OpenAI) - if you prefer PyTorch:**
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```bash
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curl -fsSL raw.githubusercontent.com/jatinkrmalik/vocalinux/v0.6.1-beta/install.sh -o /tmp/vl.sh && bash /tmp/vl.sh --engine=whisper
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```
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NVIDIA GPU only (~5-10 min, downloads PyTorch + CUDA).
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**VOSK only - for low-RAM systems:**
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```bash
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curl -fsSL raw.githubusercontent.com/jatinkrmalik/vocalinux/v0.6.1-beta/install.sh -o /tmp/vl.sh && bash /tmp/vl.sh --engine=vosk
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```
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Lightweight option (~40MB), works on systems with 4GB RAM.
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### Alternative: Install from Source
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```bash
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# Clone the repository
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git clone https://github.com/jatinkrmalik/vocalinux.git
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cd vocalinux
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# Run the installer (will prompt for Whisper)
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./install.sh
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# Or with Whisper support
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./install.sh --with-whisper
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```
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The installer handles everything: system dependencies, Python environment, speech models, and desktop integration.
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### After Installation
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```bash
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# If ~/.local/bin is in your PATH (recommended):
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vocalinux
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# Or activate the virtual environment first:
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source ~/.local/bin/activate-vocalinux.sh
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vocalinux
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# Or run directly:
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~/.local/share/vocalinux/venv/bin/vocalinux
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```
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Or launch it from your application menu!
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## 📋 Requirements
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- **OS**: Linux (tested on Ubuntu 22.04+, Debian 11+, Fedora 39+, Arch Linux, openSUSE Tumbleweed)
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- **Python**: 3.8 or newer
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- **Display**: X11 or Wayland
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- **Hardware**: Microphone for voice input
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**Note:** See [Distribution Compatibility](docs/DISTRO_COMPATIBILITY.md) for distribution-specific information and experimental support for Gentoo, Alpine, Void, Solus, and more.
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## 🎙️ Usage
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### Voice Dictation
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1. **Double-tap Ctrl** to start recording
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2. Speak clearly into your microphone
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3. **Double-tap Ctrl** again (or pause speaking) to stop
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### Voice Commands
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| Command | Action |
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|---------|--------|
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| "new line" | Inserts a line break |
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| "period" / "full stop" | Types a period (.) |
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| "comma" | Types a comma (,) |
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| "question mark" | Types a question mark (?) |
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| "exclamation mark" | Types an exclamation mark (!) |
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| "delete that" | Deletes the last sentence |
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| "capitalize" | Capitalizes the next word |
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### Command Line Options
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```bash
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vocalinux --help # Show all options
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vocalinux --debug # Enable debug logging
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vocalinux --engine whisper_cpp # Use whisper.cpp engine (default)
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vocalinux --engine whisper # Use OpenAI Whisper engine
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vocalinux --engine vosk # Use VOSK engine
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vocalinux --model medium # Use medium-sized model
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vocalinux --wayland # Force Wayland mode
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```
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## ⚙️ Configuration
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Configuration is stored in `~/.config/vocalinux/config.json`:
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```json
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{
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"speech_recognition": {
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"engine": "whisper_cpp",
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"model_size": "tiny",
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"vad_sensitivity": 3,
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"silence_timeout": 2.0
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}
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}
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```
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You can also configure settings through the graphical Settings dialog (right-click the tray icon).
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## 🔧 Development Setup
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```bash
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# Clone and install in dev mode
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git clone https://github.com/jatinkrmalik/vocalinux.git
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cd vocalinux
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./install.sh --dev
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# Activate environment
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source venv/bin/activate
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# Run tests
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pytest
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# Run from source with debug
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python -m vocalinux.main --debug
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```
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## 📁 Project Structure
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```
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vocalinux/
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├── src/vocalinux/ # Main application code
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│ ├── speech_recognition/ # Speech recognition engines (VOSK, Whisper, whisper.cpp)
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│ │ └── recognition_manager.py # Unified engine interface
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│ ├── text_injection/ # Text injection (X11/Wayland)
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│ ├── ui/ # GTK UI components
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│ └── utils/ # Utility functions
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│ ├── whispercpp_model_info.py # whisper.cpp model metadata & hardware detection
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│ └── vosk_model_info.py # VOSK model metadata
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├── tests/ # Test suite
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├── scripts/ # Development utilities
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│ └── generate_sounds.py # Sound generation script
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├── resources/ # Icons and sounds
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├── docs/ # Documentation
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└── web/ # Website source
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```
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## 📖 Documentation
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- [Installation Guide](docs/INSTALL.md) - Detailed installation instructions
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- [Update Guide](docs/UPDATE.md) - How to update Vocalinux
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- [User Guide](docs/USER_GUIDE.md) - Complete user documentation
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- [Contributing](CONTRIBUTING.md) - Development setup and contribution guidelines
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## 🔊 Sound Customization
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Vocalinux uses smooth, pleasant gliding tones for audio feedback:
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- **Start**: Ascending F4→A4 (0.6s) - positive, uplifting
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- **Stop**: Descending A4→F4 (0.6s) - resolves completion
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- **Error**: Lower descending E4→C4 (0.7s) - gentle but noticeable
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All sounds use pure sine waves with smoothstep interpolation for buttery smooth pitch transitions - perfect for headphone use!
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### Regenerate Sounds
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To modify or regenerate the notification sounds:
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```bash
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python scripts/generate_sounds.py
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```
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This script generates all three sounds using the same smooth glide algorithm. You can edit the frequencies, durations, and amplitudes in the script to customize the sounds to your preference.
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## 🗺️ Roadmap
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- [x] ~~Custom icon design~~ ✅
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- [x] ~~Graphical settings dialog~~ ✅
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- [x] ~~Whisper AI support~~ ✅
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- [x] ~~Multi-language support (FR, DE, RU)~~ ✅
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- [x] ~~whisper.cpp integration (default engine)~~ ✅
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- [x] ~~Vulkan GPU support~~ ✅
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- [ ] In-app update mechanism
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- [ ] Application-specific commands
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- [ ] Debian/Ubuntu package (.deb)
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- [x] ~~Improved Wayland support~~ ✅
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- [ ] Voice command customization
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## 🤝 Contributing
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We welcome contributions! Whether it's bug reports, feature requests, or code contributions, please check out our [Contributing Guide](CONTRIBUTING.md).
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### Quick Links
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- 🐛 [Report a Bug](https://github.com/jatinkrmalik/vocalinux/issues/new?template=bug_report.md)
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- 💡 [Request a Feature](https://github.com/jatinkrmalik/vocalinux/issues/new?template=feature_request.md)
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- 💬 [Discussions](https://github.com/jatinkrmalik/vocalinux/discussions)
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## ⭐ Support
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If you find Vocalinux useful, please consider:
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- ⭐ Starring this repository
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- 🐛 Reporting bugs you encounter
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- 📖 Improving documentation
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- 🔀 Contributing code
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## 📜 License
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This project is licensed under the **GNU General Public License v3.0** - see the [LICENSE](LICENSE) file for details.
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---
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<p align="center">
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Made with ❤️ for the Linux community
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</p>
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