Plover

About

Plover (rhymes with "lover") is a free, open source stenography engine that you can use instead of typing to write into any program at speeds of over 200 words per minute. It runs on Windows, Linux, and Mac. Plover is a small Python application that runs in the background. It reads steno input from your regular keyboard or a steno machine and emulates keystrokes, so the programs you use can't tell that you're using steno.

Because of this, Plover can be used for many tasks you would normally do with a keyboard, including chatting, writing in word processors, browsing the web, controlling media, using a terminal, firing off keyboard shortcuts, navigating with arrow keys, and writing code. Its features include extensive support for keyboard shortcuts, training tools to help you learn stenography, a minimal interface, and a plugins manager for community-added features.

Plover is used by over a thousand people, including professional stenographers, transcriptionists, programmers, and hobbyists. It is open source, and the Open Steno Project, which supports Plover, offers a Beginner's Guide for newcomers who want to start learning.