speedread

Read a text file at a specific speed

$ cat [path/to/file.txt] | speedread -wpm [250]

$ cat [path/to/file.txt] | speedread -resume [5]

$ cat [path/to/file.txt] | speedread -multiword

$ <[>

$ <]>

$ <Space>

speedread [OPTIONS] FILE
or cat FILE | speedread [OPTIONS]

-w
    Sets the reading speed in words per minute (WPM).

--wpm
    Sets the reading speed in words per minute (WPM).

-d
    Specifies the delay between words in milliseconds, alternative to WPM.

--delay
    Specifies the delay between words in milliseconds, alternative to WPM.

-f
    Specifies the input text file to read.

--file
    Specifies the input text file to read.

-l
    Limits the number of lines to process from the input.

--lines
    Limits the number of lines to process from the input.

-c
    Sets the maximum number of characters to display per chunk/word.

--chars
    Sets the maximum number of characters to display per chunk/word.

-p
    Starts the reader in a paused state, requiring user input to begin.

--pause
    Starts the reader in a paused state, requiring user input to begin.

-h
    Displays the help message and exits.

--help
    Displays the help message and exits.

-v
    Displays version information and exits.

--version
    Displays version information and exits.

speedread is a utility designed to help users increase their reading speed by presenting text using the Rapid Serial Visual Presentation (RSVP) method. Instead of moving your eyes across a line of text, RSVP displays single words or short phrases at a time in a fixed position, at a user-controlled pace. This technique aims to reduce saccadic eye movements and encourage central fixation, thereby improving focus and reading efficiency. The command typically takes a plain text file or standard input as its source and displays its content word by word, allowing the user to dynamically adjust the display rate, usually measured in words-per-minute (WPM). It serves as a tool for practicing speed reading, often implemented as a lightweight script or program.

speedread is not a standard GNU or core Linux utility; its availability depends on specific distributions or whether it's installed from third-party sources or created as a custom script.
Implementations can vary significantly in features, syntax, and robustness.
Effectiveness for improving reading speed is subjective and varies per individual.
May not handle complex text formatting (e.g., bold, italics, tables) well, often stripping them to plain text.

Many speedread implementations offer interactive controls during reading, such as pressing `spacebar` to pause/unpause, `+`/`-` keys to adjust speed on the fly, or arrow keys to navigate forward/backward through text.

Some versions might include basic text preprocessing features like stripping punctuation, normalizing capitalization, or handling common abbreviations to improve readability and focus during RSVP.

The concept of Rapid Serial Visual Presentation (RSVP) dates back to the 1970s as a method for displaying text quickly, often used in research for reading and cognitive psychology. The speedread command in Linux is typically a modern implementation of this concept, often developed by individual programmers or communities as open-source projects (e.g., Python scripts, C programs). There isn't a single, long-standing 'official' speedread command analogous to ls or grep. Its usage has grown with interest in speed reading techniques and the availability of scripting languages like Python for easy development.

less(1), more(1), cat(1), grep(1)