Spellcheck

[Bert]

Why cannot this site have a spellchecker working on it? I know some of the mistakes are merely typographical, but a lot of them are real howlers. And the use of the apostrophe in 'it's' is more often wrong than right.

[andy hughes]

I imagine the technology won't support a spellchecker - we used to have a 'live' one but he got very snotty when people took issue witrh his attitude, and he seems to have gone ... unless someone out there knows different...?

[Quizmonster]

There are lots of other things this site could do with, Bert, perhaps even before a spellchecker...for example, the ability - even for a short time - to do some self-editing. I don't know why it is, but one invariably spots typos immediately after submitting a response rather than immediately before! This facility would doubtless remove many of the slips you refer to.

Another thing that would transform the place would be to have any question that is attracting responses automatically returned to the top slot. In other words, 'popular' threads would stay on stream, whilst those no-one cares about would disappear instead of vice versa. There are many other such ideas that have been expressed here before, so don't count on a spellchecker appearing any time soon!

[geofbob]

In the ultra-automated world we now inhabit, shouldn't we welcome anything which, on the one hand, reminds us that we are all human, with human weaknesses; but, on the other, does no harm whatsoever, apart from irritating the pedants among us - and surely that is always worth doing. (And I say that as something of a pedant!)

[geofbob]

And before anyone else says so, my first sentence above should possibly have a question mark at the end, though the last part of the sentence is a statement.

[bobbobley]

It used to have one; It was called Spellmaster. Not only spelling, but punctuation and grammar used to be corrected most diligently. Unfortunately s/he seems to have stopped this free service.

[Quizmonster]

"Most diligently" perhaps, Bob, but often wrongly...and invariably in a tone/manner seemingly designed to rile rather than rectify 'culprits'. I don't think many of us will agree that the service's cessation was "unfortunate"!

[BadBob]

I think the very nature of this site would make it annoying. Questions are often asked about people, places and odd names etc therefore many of these would not be in the spell checker and it would get a little upset and you would spend more time telling it not to correct stuff rather than correcting it.

[coggles]

Sorry to disagree with you bobbobley, but I always felt a little intimidated when spellmaster was 'about'. I have quite strong views on how and what children are taught and think that grammar and spelling are very important. So are good manners and politeness but they seem to be disappearing fast too. I make mistakes, we all do from time to time and it would be nice to be able to correct them on here. P.S. Almost as annoying as companies who make childrens toys and then spell the name wrong, like skool, or the big toy store that uses letters back to front - very helpful!!!!

[linlam]

I'm just happy that at least I can post an answer. I try and make sure everything is ok before I hit send, but I know I've regretted not checking properly in the past when its too late to do anything about it. ( I can't ask a question of my own, AOL wont let me. We should be changing soon though).

[bobbobley]

guys, tongue was firmly in cheek when I wrote my reply. sarcasm is hard to put across sometimes in the written form (although I do try as often as I can!)

[Al Brown]

Can you judge a man by the way he speaks or spells? Is it more important than the stories that he tells?