I have been using a free Internet Explorer spell checker for the past few months. No more misspelled words in my posts to the Internet. Give it a try by going to http://www.iespell.com. Did I say it was FREE? Ken Palmer, S/V Water Colors
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Beware
I can tell you as a newspaper editor that spellcheck is a disaster waiting to happen. Too many writers rely on it without realizing it can't discern homonyms, the worst of which is it's and its. Not to mention egregious malaprops that are spelled correctly but nonetheless the wrong word and sometime hilariously so. That's what made Richard Sheridan famous.
I can tell you as a newspaper editor that spellcheck is a disaster waiting to happen. Too many writers rely on it without realizing it can't discern homonyms, the worst of which is it's and its. Not to mention egregious malaprops that are spelled correctly but nonetheless the wrong word and sometime hilariously so. That's what made Richard Sheridan famous.
Spell checkers! Yeauh!
But, ain't they wunnerful for ham-fisted grammar school flunk-outs like me. They can take my illegible attempts at communication and turn them into semi-intelligible missives containing worthless opinion. Hmmmm...or is that a downside also?
But, ain't they wunnerful for ham-fisted grammar school flunk-outs like me. They can take my illegible attempts at communication and turn them into semi-intelligible missives containing worthless opinion. Hmmmm...or is that a downside also?
I'm four it
I wood steak my life on spell checker. If it was four helping me make more sense forget it. However, my ant wood sit and drink her ail and was always marry. Mostly because she had a made that always brought in the male. Regarding a sale boat, the massed has the mane sheet and I had to get a lone to by it in loo of cache. Look out for the leech - it must be on the lea side. Anyway, if I tell a lye I will get struck by lightening that will knot nok me in the juggler vane.
I wood steak my life on spell checker. If it was four helping me make more sense forget it. However, my ant wood sit and drink her ail and was always marry. Mostly because she had a made that always brought in the male. Regarding a sale boat, the massed has the mane sheet and I had to get a lone to by it in loo of cache. Look out for the leech - it must be on the lea side. Anyway, if I tell a lye I will get struck by lightening that will knot nok me in the juggler vane.
I'm four it too John...
I'll just bet that the Admiral doesn't care much for the wenches in the cockpit though! Forgot to thank Ken for the link, gracias amigo!
I'll just bet that the Admiral doesn't care much for the wenches in the cockpit though! Forgot to thank Ken for the link, gracias amigo!
Thanks again Ken. As a South Kitsap High grad,
I am a horrible speller. (I get homonyms wrong too)
I am a horrible speller. (I get homonyms wrong too)
LOL
John, I really enjoyed your post. It should be required reading in school. The other feature that causes some real interesting mistakes is that good old cut and paste. We all use it to refine well developed and previously used documents into new versions for other situations or clients. Sometimes with very interesting results. It's embarrassing when a client compliments you on the analysis and then asks you why you did it on a property located across town from the one they were interested in. Carefully reading it before your client does is always good advice. Dan Jonas (S/V Feije II)
John, I really enjoyed your post. It should be required reading in school. The other feature that causes some real interesting mistakes is that good old cut and paste. We all use it to refine well developed and previously used documents into new versions for other situations or clients. Sometimes with very interesting results. It's embarrassing when a client compliments you on the analysis and then asks you why you did it on a property located across town from the one they were interested in. Carefully reading it before your client does is always good advice. Dan Jonas (S/V Feije II)
Now...
figure out how to teach everyone the difference between "your and you're," and you'll be doing something!
figure out how to teach everyone the difference between "your and you're," and you'll be doing something!
forget your and you're
and do like the rest of us rednecks and just use yall! and aint that M in male suppose to be capitalized?
and do like the rest of us rednecks and just use yall! and aint that M in male suppose to be capitalized?
The Spelling Debate
I get a little upset when everyone jumps on a post about spelling and diction. The vast majority of North Americans are challenged to write 100% correctly in their native language. Many of the sites users may be working in their 2nd or 3rd language and in those cases do very well. The site is about sharing knowledge about sailing and not about correcting grammar and spelling. I would not want to intimidate people from accessing the site. At any rate with the addition of the handy spell check I will at least spell words correctly, now I only hope I choose the right word!
I get a little upset when everyone jumps on a post about spelling and diction. The vast majority of North Americans are challenged to write 100% correctly in their native language. Many of the sites users may be working in their 2nd or 3rd language and in those cases do very well. The site is about sharing knowledge about sailing and not about correcting grammar and spelling. I would not want to intimidate people from accessing the site. At any rate with the addition of the handy spell check I will at least spell words correctly, now I only hope I choose the right word!
I agree with Challenged...with a Caveat...
I make too many errors, even after I have proofread my posts, to ever criticize anyone else...period. I am a two-finger typist, so I can empathize with folks that are less than comfortable with a keyboard, yet seeking information from a friendly source. I can usually tell when someone is struggling with a foreign language and try to make an effort to compose any response in the simplest, clearest fashion that I can. I am not bothered by a few slips here and there and some are downright funny. Though in such cases, if they are an e-friend, I might be guilty of a humorous gibe now and then. I do find it very irritating when every third word is wrong and it is clear that the author simply didn't take the least amount of time to try to post a clean message. This bespeaks of a certain lack of respect for the rest of us on the lists and boards. Much like the ill-bred brat that slouches up to counter with a demanding "gimme a koke (no TM)". FWIW, I downloaded the spell checker and it is rather full featured. I like it! Thanks again.
I make too many errors, even after I have proofread my posts, to ever criticize anyone else...period. I am a two-finger typist, so I can empathize with folks that are less than comfortable with a keyboard, yet seeking information from a friendly source. I can usually tell when someone is struggling with a foreign language and try to make an effort to compose any response in the simplest, clearest fashion that I can. I am not bothered by a few slips here and there and some are downright funny. Though in such cases, if they are an e-friend, I might be guilty of a humorous gibe now and then. I do find it very irritating when every third word is wrong and it is clear that the author simply didn't take the least amount of time to try to post a clean message. This bespeaks of a certain lack of respect for the rest of us on the lists and boards. Much like the ill-bred brat that slouches up to counter with a demanding "gimme a koke (no TM)". FWIW, I downloaded the spell checker and it is rather full featured. I like it! Thanks again.
Spelling
Some good points have been made about trying to see past the spelling and deal with the issues of the board. My comments were certainly not meant to criticize. I have a combination touch type and look at the same time with about six finger capability. For some reason, letters get out of order more often then I wish. I also tend to use the ; character in contractions (as in they;re). Just can't seem to reach over far enough for the ' key. Many years ago I dated an English teacher for a few years. My skills improved dramatically around her just in self defense. If she were any example I can imagine that those here who are educators probably wince noticeably when they read some of the posts. As a former employer, I have some of the same reactions. Interestingly, the worst applications came from the English as their only language applicants. For those employees who were less fluent in English we hired interpreters to make sure the evaluations were clear and usefull. I guess the point I'm making is that we do need to be relaxed about the issue here, but I understand where the frustration dwells. These usually get the most play when someone accusses someone else of not being too smart, and misspells every other word while doing so. It's the differences that make us interesting. Dan Jonas (S/V Feije II)
Some good points have been made about trying to see past the spelling and deal with the issues of the board. My comments were certainly not meant to criticize. I have a combination touch type and look at the same time with about six finger capability. For some reason, letters get out of order more often then I wish. I also tend to use the ; character in contractions (as in they;re). Just can't seem to reach over far enough for the ' key. Many years ago I dated an English teacher for a few years. My skills improved dramatically around her just in self defense. If she were any example I can imagine that those here who are educators probably wince noticeably when they read some of the posts. As a former employer, I have some of the same reactions. Interestingly, the worst applications came from the English as their only language applicants. For those employees who were less fluent in English we hired interpreters to make sure the evaluations were clear and usefull. I guess the point I'm making is that we do need to be relaxed about the issue here, but I understand where the frustration dwells. These usually get the most play when someone accusses someone else of not being too smart, and misspells every other word while doing so. It's the differences that make us interesting. Dan Jonas (S/V Feije II)
Ron
speak'n Southernese is so much simplier, and hey if ya misspell somethang it you can still pronounce it!
speak'n Southernese is so much simplier, and hey if ya misspell somethang it you can still pronounce it!
Spelling
"I don't give a damn for a man that can only spell a word one way" - Samuel Langhorne Clemens (aka Mark Twain)
"I don't give a damn for a man that can only spell a word one way" - Samuel Langhorne Clemens (aka Mark Twain)
Chris, you are on the money
I would only add that it can't be that difficult to understand that an apostrophe isn't neccessitated just because a word ends in "s".
I would only add that it can't be that difficult to understand that an apostrophe isn't neccessitated just because a word ends in "s".
OmniWeb Browser Has Spell Checker Capabilities
For those who like letter-perfect posts, OmniWeb is a browser that has spell check capability. Additionally, it has award-winning browsing capability and a number of other features not available with Msft Explorer. http://www.omnigroup.com/applications/omniweb/ This is a browser that is used by those who are heavy into browsing, such as those who do research.
For those who like letter-perfect posts, OmniWeb is a browser that has spell check capability. Additionally, it has award-winning browsing capability and a number of other features not available with Msft Explorer. http://www.omnigroup.com/applications/omniweb/ This is a browser that is used by those who are heavy into browsing, such as those who do research.
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