OCR results:
Clara requires X11. Not happening on my Windows box, and a bit too much to ask for a Windows solution (my scanner is Windows-only atm). The app only requires stubs, I think. Looks like it was written poorly if that's the case and needs a good refactoring.

gocr... Installs great, but less than great results. Here are the results of reading in a test scan of a piece of paper (printed by inkjet) I had laying around:

- override filllnStackTrace() รฌn Exceptions, if this is
O.K. for your app security and debugging.
public Throwable fllInStackTr8ce() ( return nuIl.)
- _on't etop your application immediately รฌf your code detects
that sOmeone is obvรญous Iy hacking the lioense check (no h8It
after fnt liGense check. second one faรฌls). Modi_ some
variables instead that wรญII break execution at a far later
stage in the program.

So for Windows, for now go to this location to download Wocar, which luckily gave out a free [for non-commercial use] version before selling out (hey, nothing wrong with that, but that's what he did) and Wocar became Simple OCR.

Here're the results from Wocar (much better interface as well. Hit F9 to get your scanner started, and voila, the image is right in Wocar. Oh yeah, results:

- override filllnstackTracel) in Exceptions, if this is
O.K. for your app security and debugging:
public Throwable filllnstackTracet) ( return nuIl;)
- Don't stop your application immediately if your code detects
that someone is obviously hacking the license check (no halt
after erst license check, second one fails). Modify some
variables instead that will break execution at a far later

Word for word. There were only three mistakes, two of whice were in the following line (with one of the mistakes repeated elsewhere):
public Throwable filllnstackTracet) ( return nuIl;)

... which should have read...

public Throwable filllnstackTrace() { return nuIl; }

Get Wocar while you can for the best, free (if not Free and open) OCR application available for Windows. (NOTE: On second look, SimpleOCR's application (but not API) is free as well. I gave it a shot. Interface is, as a whole, not nearly as intuitive and useful as Wocar's, I'm afraid. Results were the same, plus a mistake. SimpleOCR seems a step down at first look.)

freakinname aside

Another example where I'd rather have something written well for free than something written poorly open source. This one guy did better for the fun of it than at least one open source project -- one I've seen reviewed against commercial programs, so it's apparently relatively popular. One good programmer, sticking to what s/he knows, given time, is all you need to make a great app. I'd be interested to see the Wocar (now SimpleOCR) ActiveX object and gauge how easy it is to use the object in an app.

A well commented object that works is definitely worth more to a programmer than even a fairly well-documented open source project (and try and find one of those!) that's only partially done.