With OCR, accuracy depends on a number of factors, but the most important is the quality/resolution of the input image. If the input image is good quality (>150dpi), PDF OCR X generally gets over 99% accuracy. If the resolution is high and you're still getting bad results, contact support as there may be some other issues at play that can be resolved.

This is not correct. Version 2.0.1 does not require you to have Java installed on your system at all. It is a self-contained application.

Then when I ran it, the application insisted upon, and did, install its own Java directly into my System because why? I had to scour it all out again and drag a replaced file out of another installation of OS X Mavericks 10.9.0 to return my System folder to normal.

What do you mean by "insisted upon"? Did it prompt you in any way? What files are you referring to (exactly) that you say were installed in your system?

I repeat. PDF OCR X 2.x (which is the version you are commenting on) does *not* install Java in your system. It is a self contained application that does not depend on any outside libraries other than standard OS X frameworks that are already present in the OS. It does install language files for the OCR inside its designated application support directory, and it will add some preferences files (to store user preferences) at the designated locations, but none of this is contrary to OS X application guidelines, and none of it is a security risk to your system.

Details about the situation: If you've installed OS X Mavericks 10.9.0, a full installation of Java is not provided. I can provide details about the few files Apple does provide, upon request. Running PDF OCR X triggers OS X Software Update to pop up a box asking if you would like to install Java 6 into your system. If you agree, then a full installation of Java 6 is installed. Without this installation of Java 6, PDF OCR X (at least at version 2.0.1, I have not and will not test further versions) will not run.

I don't know if this is also the case with OS X 10.8.5 after the recent Apple Java update as I installed 10.9.0 on top of it. I know this does NOT occur with 10.7.5 after the recent Apple Java update.

The problem with Java 6 is that lousy Oracle has declared it EOL, or End Of Life and is no longer supporting it. It is known to have several security holes, which is why Apple does not provide it with OS X Mavericks 10.9.0. It is possible Apple themselves, via their open source project of JRE (Java Runtime Engine) patched the numerous security holes. But I have no indication that this is the case. Perhaps a Java security expert knows further details.

Meanwhile, to Web Lite Solutions Corp., you have not represented all of the facts of the matter. I have nothing against your software. But I despise Oracle for what they have done to Java, which is to turn it into the single most dangerous software anyone can install on their Mac. The Internet plug-in is the worst danger, well documented to be able to allow bots to infect Macs, depending upon the security hole involved. But because of the numerous security holes reported to exist in Java 6, I cannot recommend anyone install it on their Mac even to run applications. Trojan horse malware being perpetrated against Mac users continues. It is easy for such malware to take advantage of reported existing Java 6 security holes and bot a Mac, never a good thing.

I recommend Mac users avoid Java whenever it is not required to run software for Mac. I hope Web Lite Solutions Corp can move away from Java and use a safer programming language and system for their software. That's the sad state of Oracle's rendition of Java at this time. I'm sorry to be the messenger of bad news. But I'd rather take the undeserved hits for reporting the problem than leave everyone ignorant of the problem.

So hit me some more. I'm glad to be of service to those who appreciate the warning. So there.

The only explanation I can think of is that you were using version 1.9.36. One of the primary goals of 2.0 was to eliminate the dependency on Apple's Java 6 because it is deprecated. The App store version of PDF OCR X has been running inside the sandbox since version 1.9.32 (i.e. it doesn't depend on Apple's Java), but the non-appstore version still depended on Java. Since we knew that Java 6 was deprecated and that eventually (whether in Maverick or in a future version) you wouldn't be able to use it at all, we made it a key requirement in 2.0 to not depend on any deprecated APIs including Java 6.

We keep clean copies of Mavericks, Mountain Lion, Lion, and Snow Leopard for testing and am 100% certain that 2.0.x does not require Java. None of our test installs have Java installed, and the app works fine on them. Again, it was a *key* requirement.

Check the version number on PDF OCR X that you tried (i.e. get info), and I'm sure you'll see that it was 1.9.36. Not 2.0.1.

@Derek... I'm interested in your points above. I have no idea if I have the Oracle Java that you're describing on my 10.9 system (which, like yours, was installed over 10.8.5). Can you point me to the directory where I could check to see if java is installed? Or describe other means of discovering it?

Thanks.

@Prince_Isaac…

I'm glad you asked about Derekcurrie's claims. I was going to post this comment a couple of weeks ago, but refrained. You've given me a perfect opening. :-)

- Right-click (Ctrl-click) the application and select "Show Package Contents" from the contextual menu.
(The following is easiest if you switch your Finder window to column view [Cmd-3]….)
- Click on the Contents directory.
- Click on Java, and you'll find all the necessary JAR files for the application.
- Click on the PlugIns directory, and you'll see a subdirectory containing JDK 1.7. If you follow that trail, you'll find many JAR and dylib files.

@MacUpdate-Jess, @Prince_Isaac ...

There is a JRE bundled inside the application, but this is very different than requiring Java to be installed on the system. There are no security issues with Java when used in this way. Any security issues you may have heard about with Java are related to the Java Browser Plugin (i.e. when run inside the web browser). PDF OCR X bundles its own JRE inside the application bundle so that your system doesn't need to have Java installed.

The claims that @Derekcurrie made was that PDF OCR X somehow installs Java in your System folder. This claim is false. PDF OCR X does not install Java anywhere outside the application bundle itself, which is no different than any other library that any other application may have bundled with it.