Not necessarily.  Here is a brief excerpt from Wikipedia:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IBM_ViaVoice

In 1997, ViaVoice was first introduced to the general public. Two years later, in 1999, IBM released a free of charge version of ViaVoice.

Also, and this may or may not bare on the question, products that I have used that install Via Voice don't install it in a

restricted manner, evidently IBM didn't or doesn't require that it be restricted.  I consider this an opened question.

On 12/21/2020 1:21 PM, Nimer Jaber wrote:

IBm Via Voice was bundled into other software, it was, as far as I know, never made open-source or free for use on its own. So same thing that I said applies.

On Mon, Dec 21, 2020 at 10:58 AM Gene <gsasner@...> wrote:

But the reference was to IBm Via Voice.  I don't know what its status is.  I
suspect it is illegal to not pay for it but I haven't heard much of any
discussion of it for years.

Gene
-----Original Message-----
From: Nimer Jaber
Sent: Monday, December 21, 2020 9:51 AM
To: main@techtalk.groups.io
Subject: Re: [TechTalk] nvda with eloquence


Hello Geoff,

There is no legal way of obtaining Eloquence without purchasing Eloquence
first, or purchasing and owning another program which includes Eloquence,
but none of these exist at this point, to my knowledge. So yes, this is an
illegal piece of software, and the blindhelp website is known for
distributing cracks and illegal software, thus in my view, any reference to
that site ought to be prohibited on this mailing list, and any other which
wishes to not get shut down for discussing illegal activity. There are legal
ways for purchasing Eloquence, but no legal way of obtaining and using it
for free unless you have very old software which contained sapi4/5
Eloquence.


On Mon, Dec 21, 2020 at 7:16 AM Geoff Eden <geden1@...> wrote:
Thank you GENE, to the best of my knowledge this is a widely available
and legitimate piece of software produced by IBM.  if anyone has
knowledge to the contrary, please let me know as soon as possible.


Geoff




On 12/21/2020 6:46 AM, Gene wrote:
> That's probably an illegal utility or add-on and it isn't allowed to
> share illegal software on the list.  A list may be closed by Groups.io
> oowners if it is done and they somehow find out. This isn't just my
> rule, it is a rule on other lists as well.
>
> Gene, owner
> -----Original Message----- From: Geoff Eden
> Sent: Sunday, December 20, 2020 10:35 PM
> To: main@TechTalk.groups.io
> Subject: Re: [TechTalk] nvda with eloquence
>
>
>
> Try the IBM TTS, sounds and acts like Eloquence.
>
>
>
>
> https://blindhelp.net/software/ibmtts
>
>
>
>
>
> Geoff
>
>
>
>
>
> On 12/20/2020 4:36 PM, Missa wrote:
>
> I don’t have the links right now, but that is not what I’m talking
> about. I mentioned that I am not impressed with vocalizer… It takes
> too long to get around and as I said it is not as responsive as the
> previous eloquence add-on that was the illegal one. I do not mind
> paying, but I am not going to pay for something that doesn’t help my
> productivity.
>
>
> Melissa
>
>
> On Dec 19, 2020, at 11:32 PM, David Goldfield
> mailto:david.goldfield@... wrote:
>
>
>
> 
>
> Hi, Melissa.
>
> There is a legal copy of Eloquence for NVDA, which you can try out or
> purchase from Codefactory by going to the following link.
>
> https://codefactoryglobal.com/app-store/voices-for-nvda/
>
>
>
>
>
> David Goldfield,
>
> Blindness Assistive Technology Specialist
>
> WWW.DavidGoldfield.org
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> From: main@TechTalk.groups.io mailto:main@TechTalk.groups.io On Behalf
> Of Missa
> Sent: Sunday, December 20, 2020 12:09 AM
> To: main@techtalk.groups.io
> Subject: Re: [TechTalk] nvda with eloquence
>
>
>
>
>
> I have found that eloquence, not just the voice, is more responsive
> and easier to use. I wasn’t impressed with vocalizer… It sounded the
> same… But did not work the same. I read that there is a legal version
> of the ad on, but I am unable to put the other parts together or
> whatever it is called. Right now, just using jaws.
>
>
>
> Melissa
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> On Dec 19, 2020, at 9:47 AM, Monte Single <mrsingle@...> wrote:
>
>
>
>
> 
>
> Hi list,
>
>
>
> Over the years, and especially since I started using a screenreader in
> 2011, I hear many people talking about the features of Eloquence which
> they like. I think onne of the main ones is clarity of speech at
> higher verbosity rates.
>
> I mostly use nvda with the Zara one core voice.  Once in a while I’ll
> load the jaws demo  when a web page  is not working well.
>
> Is the default jaws voice Eloquence?
>
> Does nvda with eloquence sound the same as jaws with eloquence?
>
> Personally, I don’t mind nvda with one core Zara.
>
> But,  I usually have the verbosity rate  just a little faster than
> normal human speech.  I lose too much info if I try listening  at a
> fast rate.
>
>
>
> Thanks for your feedback.
>
>
>
> Monte
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>









--

Best,

Nimer Jaber

The message above is intended for the recipient to whom it was
addressed. If you believe that you are not the intended recipient,
please notify me via reply email and destroy all copies of this
correspondence. Action taken as a result of this email or its contents
by anyone other than the intended recipient(s) may result in civil or
criminal charges. I have checked this email and all corresponding
attachments for security threats. However, security of your machine is
up to you. Thanks.

Registered Linux User 529141.
http://counter.li.org/

To find out about a free, open-source, and versatile screen reader for
Windows, visit nvaccess.org

You can follow @nimerjaber on Twitter for the latest technology news.

To contact me, you can reply to this email or you may call me at (970)
(393-4481) and I will do my best to respond to you promptly.

Thank you, and have a great day!

--

Best,

Nimer Jaber

The message above is intended for the recipient to whom it was
addressed. If you believe that you are not the intended recipient,
please notify me via reply email and destroy all copies of this
correspondence. Action taken as a result of this email or its contents
by anyone other than the intended recipient(s) may result in civil or
criminal charges. I have checked this email and all corresponding
attachments for security threats. However, security of your machine is
up to you. Thanks.

Registered Linux User 529141.
http://counter.li.org/

To find out about a free, open-source, and versatile screen reader for Windows, visit nvaccess.org

You can follow @nimerjaber on Twitter for the latest technology news.

To contact me, you can reply to this email or you may call me at (970) (393-4481) and I will do my best to respond to you promptly.

Thank you, and have a great day!

But the reference was to IBm Via Voice.  I don't know what its status is.  I
suspect it is illegal to not pay for it but I haven't heard much of any
discussion of it for years.

Gene
-----Original Message-----
From: Nimer Jaber
Sent: Monday, December 21, 2020 9:51 AM
To: main@techtalk.groups.io
Subject: Re: [TechTalk] nvda with eloquence


Hello Geoff,

There is no legal way of obtaining Eloquence without purchasing Eloquence
first, or purchasing and owning another program which includes Eloquence,
but none of these exist at this point, to my knowledge. So yes, this is an
illegal piece of software, and the blindhelp website is known for
distributing cracks and illegal software, thus in my view, any reference to
that site ought to be prohibited on this mailing list, and any other which
wishes to not get shut down for discussing illegal activity. There are legal
ways for purchasing Eloquence, but no legal way of obtaining and using it
for free unless you have very old software which contained sapi4/5
Eloquence.


On Mon, Dec 21, 2020 at 7:16 AM Geoff Eden <geden1@...> wrote:
Thank you GENE, to the best of my knowledge this is a widely available
and legitimate piece of software produced by IBM.  if anyone has
knowledge to the contrary, please let me know as soon as possible.


Geoff




On 12/21/2020 6:46 AM, Gene wrote:
> That's probably an illegal utility or add-on and it isn't allowed to
> share illegal software on the list.  A list may be closed by Groups.io
> oowners if it is done and they somehow find out. This isn't just my
> rule, it is a rule on other lists as well.
>
> Gene, owner
> -----Original Message----- From: Geoff Eden
> Sent: Sunday, December 20, 2020 10:35 PM
> To: main@TechTalk.groups.io
> Subject: Re: [TechTalk] nvda with eloquence
>
>
>
> Try the IBM TTS, sounds and acts like Eloquence.
>
>
>
>
> https://blindhelp.net/software/ibmtts
>
>
>
>
>
> Geoff
>
>
>
>
>
> On 12/20/2020 4:36 PM, Missa wrote:
>
> I don’t have the links right now, but that is not what I’m talking
> about. I mentioned that I am not impressed with vocalizer… It takes
> too long to get around and as I said it is not as responsive as the
> previous eloquence add-on that was the illegal one. I do not mind
> paying, but I am not going to pay for something that doesn’t help my
> productivity.
>
>
> Melissa
>
>
> On Dec 19, 2020, at 11:32 PM, David Goldfield
> mailto:david.goldfield@... wrote:
>
>
>
> 
>
> Hi, Melissa.
>
> There is a legal copy of Eloquence for NVDA, which you can try out or
> purchase from Codefactory by going to the following link.
>
> https://codefactoryglobal.com/app-store/voices-for-nvda/
>
>
>
>
>
> David Goldfield,
>
> Blindness Assistive Technology Specialist
>
> WWW.DavidGoldfield.org
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> From: main@TechTalk.groups.io mailto:main@TechTalk.groups.io On Behalf
> Of Missa
> Sent: Sunday, December 20, 2020 12:09 AM
> To: main@techtalk.groups.io
> Subject: Re: [TechTalk] nvda with eloquence
>
>
>
>
>
> I have found that eloquence, not just the voice, is more responsive
> and easier to use. I wasn’t impressed with vocalizer… It sounded the
> same… But did not work the same. I read that there is a legal version
> of the ad on, but I am unable to put the other parts together or
> whatever it is called. Right now, just using jaws.
>
>
>
> Melissa
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> On Dec 19, 2020, at 9:47 AM, Monte Single <mrsingle@...> wrote:
>
>
>
>
> 
>
> Hi list,
>
>
>
> Over the years, and especially since I started using a screenreader in
> 2011, I hear many people talking about the features of Eloquence which
> they like. I think onne of the main ones is clarity of speech at
> higher verbosity rates.
>
> I mostly use nvda with the Zara one core voice.  Once in a while I’ll
> load the jaws demo  when a web page  is not working well.
>
> Is the default jaws voice Eloquence?
>
> Does nvda with eloquence sound the same as jaws with eloquence?
>
> Personally, I don’t mind nvda with one core Zara.
>
> But,  I usually have the verbosity rate  just a little faster than
> normal human speech.  I lose too much info if I try listening  at a
> fast rate.
>
>
>
> Thanks for your feedback.
>
>
>
> Monte
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>









--

Best,

Nimer Jaber

The message above is intended for the recipient to whom it was
addressed. If you believe that you are not the intended recipient,
please notify me via reply email and destroy all copies of this
correspondence. Action taken as a result of this email or its contents
by anyone other than the intended recipient(s) may result in civil or
criminal charges. I have checked this email and all corresponding
attachments for security threats. However, security of your machine is
up to you. Thanks.

Registered Linux User 529141.
http://counter.li.org/

To find out about a free, open-source, and versatile screen reader for
Windows, visit nvaccess.org

You can follow @nimerjaber on Twitter for the latest technology news.

To contact me, you can reply to this email or you may call me at (970)
(393-4481) and I will do my best to respond to you promptly.

Thank you, and have a great day!