Spell checkers, boon or bane?

[AilurusRed]

Most of the time I need spell checkers. I am slightly dyslexic, and so when I proofread, often my eyes won't pick up on typos or spelling mistakes because I will read them as correct. I am also a horrible speller, or rather I am average at spelling by American standards, and so I need a spell checker because there are a lot of words that I just don't know how to spell and it is much easier to use a spell checker then look up 3 dozen words in the dictionary for a school paper.  

[KiraLight]

I use spell check on MS Word all the time. But first I proofread the essay or whatever by myself. Since spell check can't really correct grammar I have to correct it, or send it to a friend. I also find the red and green squiggly lines quite useful.  

[Zealot of Insanity]

Well, I avoid the laziness by formatting my spellchecker so that it doesn't automatically correct my words. When I'm done typing whatever I need to type, I correct grammatically wrong sentences, correct misspelled words, reread the entire thing so that it sounds correct.

Spell check is not all that great. If you type something wrong and the thing you typed happened to be a word, it misses it. That's why I always reread.  

[Sola Catella]

First off, the grammar setting is almost always absolutely awful (at least on Microsoft Word, anyway). It's pure crap.

Second, the only thing spell-checks are good for is as an accessory to a good proof-read. Not only do they let through homonyms, but if a word does not happen to be in a database, they often change it automatically (this became a source of great frustration for me when I tried to type up a paper about Atalanta the huntress). Also, proofreading is obviously better for picking up grammatical issues, flow issues, and problems with the actual content (overuse of a certain word, logistical issues, flawed arguments, etc.). Spell-check is no substitute for having a friend go over your paper, and nor should it be.  

[ringwraith10]

For me, spell checkers are the ultimate waste of time and energy. Not only do they tell me that I've spelled words wrong that are, in fact, correct, but it also "corrects" my grammar when I've made no mistakes. I see no good use for them; I rely on my own ability to proofread what I've written.  

[ringwraith10]

Sola Catella

First off, the grammar setting is almost always absolutely awful (at least on Microsoft Word, anyway). It's pure crap.

Second, the only thing spell-checks are good for is as an accessory to a good proof-read. Not only do they let through homonyms, but if a word does not happen to be in a database, they often change it automatically (this became a source of great frustration for me when I tried to type up a paper about Atalanta the huntress). Also, proofreading is obviously better for picking up grammatical issues, flow issues, and problems with the actual content (overuse of a certain word, logistical issues, flawed arguments, etc.). Spell-check is no substitute for having a friend go over your paper, and nor should it be.

3nodding  

[talkintree]

Yes, they do promote laziness, but I would hate to have to search through the old 1000 page dictionary. BOO!  

[GabbySilverwood]

I love the things, but I almost never use a program that has a half decent one. So I use Merrium-Webster, which I happen to like better than dictionary.com.  

[Gigglypuff]

Spell checkers can be very helpful, because a lot of times we don't catch small mistakes. However, they aren't good if you want to improve your typing skills. Spell checker automatically capitalizes the first word of every sentence, for example. So, people have stopped capitalizing the first word, and just type it like all the others. Things like these promote laziness. So I guess spell checker is good, but shouldn't be depended on. And, as mostly everyone has said here, it doesn't catch everything and corrects things that don't need corrections.  

[Obito Sharingan Uchiha]

I'm going to have to say, that it's hard to find spelling mistakes sometimes. On those days, I use the spell checker. And I use the spell checker if I'm not sure about weather I spelled something properly. I like to think of it as a profreeding tool. biggrin  

[Aelia TKC]

Honestly, I use the spell checker in microsoft word a lot but at the same time, when in doubt, I trust myself more than it; I have fairly good grammar and (for the most part) excellent spelling.

Spell checkers are not a replacement for human proofreading- more people need to remember this. It's not meant to fix everything for you, and it certainly isn't perfect. Nonsensical sentences get through all the time, and the grammar check is atrocious.

I do believe that it is promoting laziness in some ways, and that needs to get fixed, but pulling spell checkers from word processing programs is not the answer. *sigh* I wish I could say I knew what was.  

[[ falling`star ]]

I like spell checkers, but I also agree that it does increase laziness. Proof reading is probably the best method to use.  

[Embodiment Of The Living]

Hmm, I am not sure on the topic of Spell-checkers, because they help with spelling, as the name implies, but they also encourage us Americans to become even the more lazier. Just whe I thought Americans could not any lazier, sitting with our bums glued to the chair, our eyes pratically stuck on the Televisions...

We do not even excerise as much as we used to.

Sheesh.

And Please do not take any offnese on this.
I am an american as well.  

[Rhiannen]

While spell checkers are indeed useful, I was pleased to see that most people who voted feel that they aren't a substitute for proofreading. I can't resist sharing this little anonymous poem:

Quote:

I have a grate spell checker
It came with my PC
It plane lee marks four my revue
Miss steaks aye can knot see.

Eye ran this poem threw it
Your sure real glad two no
Its very polished in its own weigh
My chequer tolled me sew

A cheek or is a blessing
It freeze yew lodes of thyme
It helps me right awl stiles two reed
And aides me when aye rime

Now spilling does not phase me
It does knot bring a tier
My pay purrs awl due glad den
With wrapped words fare as hear

To rite with care is quite a feet
Of witch won should be proud
And wee mussed dew the best wee can
Sew flaws are knot aloud

So ewe can sea why aye dew prays
Such soft wear four pea seas
And why eye brake in two averse
Buy righting want to please

Author Unknown

Cheers! cheese_whine  

[Bard of Nirvana]

They're alright, but shouldn't be used as a substitute for proofreading. It may correct spelling errors, but it doesn't always catch misplaced words; like writing eight instead of ate. It also doesn't catch all the grammer mistakes and can say there is a grammer error when there isn't. I always proofread and have someone else check my work as well.