This is the biggest release since VOWordCounter launched, so we’re calling it 2.0. We rebuilt the counting engine from scratch, moved it entirely into your browser, and made it faster and more private, all while keeping the spoken word counts exactly as you’d expect. Then we wrapped the whole thing in a warm new design. Grab a coffee, here’s the rundown.
A Brand-New Counting Engine
Until now, the Script Counter did its work on a server. You typed or pasted a script, we sent it off to be processed in PHP, and the expanded version came back. It worked, but it meant a round trip for every count.
For 2.0 we rebuilt the entire engine in JavaScript so it runs directly on your device. Every expansion rule the counter has ever supported, numbers, currency, dates, times, fractions, measurements, ordinals, years, ranges, and symbols, was reimplemented from the ground up on a faster, leaner foundation.
Same Results, Verified
A rewrite is only worth doing if the output you rely on does not change. So we held the new engine to one standard: identical results. We ran the original engine’s entire test suite through the new one and compared the output of every expansion rule side by side, character for character. It matches. Your spoken word counts stay exactly what they were. Nothing about the numbers changed. Everything about how they are produced did.
Instant, as You Type
Because the engine now runs locally, there is no server round trip and no waiting. The Script Counter no longer has a “Process” button. As you type, paste, or edit, the expanded spoken-word version updates instantly.
Even better, the words that changed are highlighted inline, so you can see exactly what got expanded at a glance. Currency, dates, numbers, and everything else the counter handles light up as they are converted, so there is no guesswork about why your spoken count is what it is. The tool went from something you run into something you watch work.
Your Scripts Never Leave Your Browser
Running locally has a second payoff that matters as much as speed: privacy. Your script is processed right there on your own device and is never sent to a server, not even briefly during processing.
For a lot of our users, that is a real relief. Scripts are often confidential: unreleased campaigns, client work under NDA, or projects you simply do not want floating around. Now they do not have to go anywhere. Paste whatever you like, and it stays with you.
A Warmer Look to Match
With the engine rebuilt, we redesigned the site around it. The refresh is site-wide this time: the homepage, both tool pages, every article, all of it. We moved to a warmer, more confident look built around a terracotta and amber accent, deep ink text, and a soft cream background. It feels warmer and easier on the eyes without losing that clean, professional edge.
The typography got a full overhaul too. Headings now use Bricolage Grotesque, body text uses Instrument Sans, and numerals and code use Spline Sans Mono. That last one matters more than it sounds, because word counts, time estimates, and expanded numbers all render in a crisp monospace that is easy to scan.
This builds on our 1.3 release back in February, which rebuilt the homepage and started the type system overhaul. 2.0 takes that same energy and applies it everywhere.
New Features Deep-Dive Pages
We have added dedicated Features pages for both tools that document every expansion rule and behavior in detail. If you have ever wondered exactly how the Script Counter handles a particular kind of number, currency, or date, or precisely how the Script Timer estimates duration, these are the pages for you.
Take a look at the Script Counter features and the Script Timer features. They are thorough, and we will keep them current as the tools evolve.
A Human-Readable Sitemap and Other Housekeeping
We have also added a simple sitemap page that lists every tool, site page, and article in one place. If you want a full map of everything on VOWordCounter, that is the spot. No search required, just scan and click.
Finally, we added important housekeeping pages like the privacy policy, cookies policy, and terms of use pages, so there is zero ambiguity about how we operate.
Why We’re Calling It 2.0
We do not bump the major version lightly. Point releases like 1.1 and 1.2 added expansion types and fixes, and 1.3 refreshed the homepage and typography. 2.0 is a different kind of change: a counting engine rebuilt from scratch, a tool that now works live instead of on a button press, and a guarantee that your text never leaves your device. New foundation, new way of working, and the same results you already trust. That is a major version.
What’s Next
We are continuing to improve both tools and the content around them. If you have feedback on the new design or ideas for features you would like to see, reach out through the contact page or email info@vowordcounter.com.