These Terms of use (“Terms”) apply when you download, install, run, or redistribute Cadence (the “Software”), free software by Oisin McGrath (“I”, “me”, “the developer”).
Short version: the Software is free. You use it at your own risk. There is no warranty. Cadence reads your keyboard, records your microphone, and types into other applications — all of which it needs in order to be dictation software, and all of which are explained in the Privacy policy. You are responsible for deciding whether to grant it those permissions on your machine.
These Terms are written in plain language for users of free software. They are not legal advice and do not create a paid professional engagement.
1. What the Software is
Cadence is a desktop application that records speech while you hold a key, has it transcribed by a speech-recognition server running on your own machine, and types the resulting text into the focused window. It runs on your computer and drives components on your computer. I do not operate a hosted Cadence service.
2. Licence — GPL version 2
The Software is free software licensed under the GNU General Public
License, version 2 only, as set out in the LICENSE file
distributed with the source. That licence gives you freedom to use, study,
modify, and redistribute the Software, provided derivative works are
distributed under the same licence and the source is made available as the
GPL requires.
If anything in these Terms conflicts with the GPL regarding your rights to copy, modify, or redistribute the Software, the GPL controls for those rights. These Terms restate the no-warranty and risk rules for clarity and add product-use notes.
Speech models, whisper.cpp, and other third-party components are
copyright their respective owners under their own licences, and are not
redistributed by this project by default.
3. Free software — no paid service, no support contract
I make Cadence available free of charge in the hope that it is useful. Unless we separately agree in writing:
- you are not buying a service, SLA, or guaranteed update schedule;
- I am not obliged to provide support, training, or custom work;
- I may stop maintaining the project at any time;
- any help I give (email, issues, chat) is voluntary and does not create a duty of care beyond what the law requires for free software distribution.
4. System permissions you are granting
Installing Cadence for full functionality involves granting permissions that you should understand before you proceed. In summary — with the detail in the Privacy policy:
- Keyboard access. Detecting a key being held requires reading the keyboard input device, which on Linux means access to all key events, not one key. The Software matches only its trigger key and discards the rest, but the operating system permission itself is broad. You are choosing to grant it.
- Microphone access. Capture runs only between pressing and releasing the trigger key.
- Virtual input (typing). The Software creates a virtual keyboard in order to type into other applications.
You are responsible for deciding whether these permissions are appropriate on your machine, particularly on a shared, managed, or employer-owned system where local policy may prohibit them. Check before installing if you are not the sole owner of the machine.
5. Accuracy of transcription
Speech recognition is imperfect. Cadence will sometimes mishear words, mispunctuate, drop audio, or insert text you did not say, and it types directly into whatever window has focus. Do not rely on it for anything where a transcription error would be costly without reviewing the output first — including but not limited to medical, legal, financial, safety-critical, or contractual text.
Because it types into the focused window, text can also land somewhere you did not intend if focus changes mid-dictation. Checking what was typed is your responsibility.
6. Entire risk is yours (no warranty)
The Software is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY. To the extent permitted by applicable law:
The Software is provided “as is”, without warranty of any kind, express or implied, including but not limited to the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose. The entire risk as to the quality and performance of the Software is with you. Should the Software prove defective, you assume the cost of all necessary servicing, repair, or correction.
In practical terms: if a transcription is wrong, text is typed into the wrong window, audio is missed, or the Software interferes with your audio devices or input, you bear that risk, not me — except only where a law says a disclaimer cannot apply.
7. Limitation of liability
In no event, unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, will the author or any other party who modifies and/or redistributes the Software as permitted by the GPL be liable to you for damages, including any general, special, incidental, or consequential damages arising out of the use or inability to use the Software (including but not limited to loss of data, data being rendered inaccurate, losses sustained by you or third parties, or a failure of the Software to operate with any other programs), even if such holder or other party has been advised of the possibility of such damages.
Without limiting the above, I am not liable for lost time, lost work, damage to a system, incorrect text produced by speech recognition, or reputational harm connected with your use of the Software, to the maximum extent the law allows.
8. Australian Consumer Law (important honesty note)
If you are a consumer under the Australian Consumer Law (ACL) and the ACL applies to a particular supply, some guarantees cannot be excluded. Where the ACL applies and liability cannot be excluded, then to the extent the law allows liability to be limited, my liability is limited to one or more of: re-supply of the Software; or the cost of re-supply. Where the Software is supplied free of charge, remedies may be limited further by the nature of a free supply.
Nothing in these Terms is intended to exclude liability that cannot legally be excluded (for example, fraud or certain non-excludable guarantees). Everything else is disclaimed to the fullest extent allowed. No disclaimer is a magic shield in every situation — that is true of all free software.
9. Not professional advice
The Software is a tool only. It does not provide security, medical, legal, or professional advice, and transcribed text carries no assurance of accuracy. You alone are responsible for reviewing what it produces before relying on it.
10. Your responsibilities
- Authorisation: only install the Software, and grant it keyboard, microphone, and virtual-input permissions, on machines you are permitted to configure that way.
- Consent: comply with the law where you are regarding recording, including any obligation to inform other people if their voices would be captured.
- Review: check transcribed text before relying on it, and confirm it went where you intended.
- Security: protect your machine and its credentials (see the Privacy policy).
- Lawful use: no use of the Software for unlawful purposes.
11. Third-party components
Cadence relies on third-party software and models — whisper.cpp,
PipeWire, ydotool, and openly published speech models — and its
setup script downloads some of them at your direction. Those components are
not mine, can change or break independently of Cadence, and are governed by
their own licences and terms. I am not responsible for third-party defects,
outages, or licence changes.
12. Privacy
How the Software handles data is described in the Privacy policy. In short: nothing is collected by me, and audio is transcribed locally on your own machine.
13. Website
These pages are informational. They are provided “as is”. I do not promise continuous availability. No tracking cookies or analytics are intentionally embedded by me on these static pages.
14. Acceptable use
You must not use the Software to:
- record people without a lawful basis or required consent;
- capture keystrokes, credentials, or input on systems or accounts you are not authorised to use;
- infringe others' rights; or
- violate applicable law.
15. Changes
I may update these Terms by publishing a new version on this site with a new “Last updated” date. The licence text for the Software changes only if a new version is adopted. If you do not agree with updated Terms, stop using the Software.
16. Governing law
These Terms are governed by the laws of Australia and, where they apply, the laws of Western Australia. Courts of Australia have non-exclusive jurisdiction. Mandatory consumer protections in your place of residence may still apply.
17. Contact
Questions: [email protected]