Some home computers pre-installed with Microsoft鈥檚 Windows XP and Office XP software have been found sneakily inserting words into documents.
According to Microsoft, this mysterious behaviour can be explained by the built-in voice recognition software, which may be installed and activated by some computer retailers as a default option. This means a new machine could start listening to its owner the moment it is turned on, attempting to turn sounds into text and interpret commands.
鈥淚f you have turned it on, it will do what you are asking it to do, which is listen to what you are saying,鈥� a spokesman says. He added that so far the phenomenon has only been reported in the US.
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But the problem has left some Windows XP users bewildered. The voice recognition software does not just type words in documents but can perform commands and open documents as well.
鈥淲hen I run MS Word a 鈥榞host鈥� takes over and toolbars, options, etc, keep popping up that I haven鈥檛 even requested,鈥� reads a message posted to one newsgroup for Windows XP users. 鈥淎lso, in applications where I can type text and even on the internet sometimes, letters just start typing themselves.鈥�