Summary of Condition of Installation

Also in General Studies, we had to present a subject to the whole class in the form of a short talk.

Z.

Now, forty-eight years later, I typed my preceding post on my Microsoft Surface Pro all in one tablet, laptop and desktop computer as I am this one.

As I type predictive text is trying to complete the sentence for me, offering suggestions for the next word, which it will insert if I hit the tab key. It is also correcting my spelling and grammar; some words are corrected automatically whilst others get a red wiggly line under them and if I right click on the word, it offers suggestions of what the correct spelling is. At the same time grammatical errors are double underlined with blue lines, again if I right click it suggests where there should be commas, semicolons and hyphens and will insert them for me.

Ther's not much of an excuse for spelling and grammar mistakes when using this particular device, though it all seems to get cocked up when I try and post using mobile devices.

I hate predictive text. How do you stand it?

Z.

Zoomup said:

I hate predictive text.

Me too ...

There is a spelling mistake in my last post saying there is much of an excuse for them,

Mind you, if you try typing an extract from the Wiring Regulations there are apparently grammatical errors all over the place.

It can be very useful. If I write in French on my iPad, I can be lazy and it will put the accents in for me. (It is v. easy to put them in manually too.) Problem is that when writing in English, it sometimes drops in a French word or two.

Sparkingchip said:

Mind you, if you try typing an extract from the Wiring Regulations there are apparently grammatical errors all over the place.

Illustrates what I said earlier, about the spelling and grammar checking, and predictive text, being a minefield for technical writers of all kinds.

There are also limitations ... a common typo that often goes undetected for obvious reasons is writing 'manger' instead of 'manager'.

Mind you, if you try typing an extract from the Wiring Regulations there are apparently grammatical errors all over the place.

Part of the "problem" is English is a 'living language' - i.e. it changes over time - even some of the simplest rules (e.g. "a, b and c" punctuation) seemingly have changed even in the short(!) time since I was at school.- and some of the words in the regs date back to the late 1800s.

   - Andy.

Which words date back to the 1800s Andy?

Z.

One of my English teachers at school said “if you are not sure if you can spell a word use a different one” which I sure lots of us were told to do.

When you were handwriting or typing you could not review and correct having completed a rough draft, neither could you do a quick internet search to confirm your chosen words are appropriate, you would practice spelling the words on scrap paper and if needs be using a dictionary.

I go into people’s homes on a daily basis, and they are not even using written words in any form to communicate or to complete transactions, they are merely holding a conversation with Alexa, their mobile phone or some other electronic gizmo.