Google's GMail spellchecker

User avatar
ChrisGreaves
PlutoniumLounger
Posts: 15498
Joined: 24 Jan 2010, 23:23
Location: brings.slot.perky

Google's GMail spellchecker

Post by ChrisGreaves »

Gmail.png
This struck me as a little odd.
Gmail flags my word "breakpoint" as an error, and suggests a hyphenated form.
I could live with that.
But to my dying day I'd be wondering why an un-hyphenated form is allowable in the plural form.
(signed) :scratch: of Toronto.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
An expensive day out: Wallet and Grimace

User avatar
HansV
Administrator
Posts: 78237
Joined: 16 Jan 2010, 00:14
Status: Microsoft MVP
Location: Wageningen, The Netherlands

Re: Google's GMail spellchecker

Post by HansV »

Are you sure it's Gmail's spell checker and not your browser's spell checker?
Best wishes,
Hans

User avatar
ChrisGreaves
PlutoniumLounger
Posts: 15498
Joined: 24 Jan 2010, 23:23
Location: brings.slot.perky

Re: Google's GMail spellchecker

Post by ChrisGreaves »

HansV wrote:Are you sure it's Gmail's spell checker and not your browser's spell checker?
No :scratch:
Whoever is responsible, it still strikes me as peculiar.

I suspect that your response will be "Well, if it's your browser, Chris, it's probably because you have added some of those forms of spelling to your local browser-dictionary" :clapping:
An expensive day out: Wallet and Grimace

User avatar
HansV
Administrator
Posts: 78237
Joined: 16 Jan 2010, 00:14
Status: Microsoft MVP
Location: Wageningen, The Netherlands

Re: Google's GMail spellchecker

Post by HansV »

It's not Gmail, nor you, but Firefox.

Internet Explorer 11 does not flag breakpoint, but Firefox 44.0.2 does (with the alternatives from your screenshot).
Best wishes,
Hans

User avatar
ChrisGreaves
PlutoniumLounger
Posts: 15498
Joined: 24 Jan 2010, 23:23
Location: brings.slot.perky

Re: Google's GMail spellchecker

Post by ChrisGreaves »

HansV wrote:...but Firefox 44.0.2 does (with the alternatives from your screenshot).
Thanks, Hans, for the confirmation.
An expensive day out: Wallet and Grimace

User avatar
Rudi
gamma jay
Posts: 25455
Joined: 17 Mar 2010, 17:33
Location: Cape Town

Re: Google's GMail spellchecker

Post by Rudi »

I'd just add it to the dictionary and forget about it.
No use breaking yourself over this point.

If you're interested, the spellchecker is wrong. Breakpoint is a valid word.
Regards,
Rudi

If your absence does not affect them, your presence didn't matter.

User avatar
ChrisGreaves
PlutoniumLounger
Posts: 15498
Joined: 24 Jan 2010, 23:23
Location: brings.slot.perky

Re: Google's GMail spellchecker

Post by ChrisGreaves »

Rudi wrote:I'd just add it to the dictionary and forget about it.-
Rudi, you're right.
My problem is that in (any) spell-checker, when a word gets flagged I'm usually inclined to dismiss it as a quirk of (a) the Americans (b) the English (c) the indecisive Canadians and now (d) Google (e) Gmail (f) Firefox.
In short there are so many conflicting versions of -ise vs. -ize and -or vs. -our (you all know them well) that I am most strongly tempted to think that **I** am perfect and that they are all wrong - so I just click on AddToDictionary.
Especially in MSWord.
Let alone that smartphone that I have not yet switched to.

Then later I realise/realize that I DID make a typo, and worry about how far have propagated a genuine spelling error throughout various personal/local dictionaries.

You are right, too, in forums such as Eileen's Lounge we are all bright enough to work out what each other is trying to say.

Perhaps I'm just working up to a Rant that by now all these so-called modern technologies ought to have learned to co-operate and support just one personal dictionary for me.

I suspect it's time for me to go home and have a cuppa and a lie-down ... :cheers:
An expensive day out: Wallet and Grimace

PJ_in_FL
5StarLounger
Posts: 1090
Joined: 21 Jan 2011, 16:51
Location: Florida

Re: Google's GMail spellchecker

Post by PJ_in_FL »

Chris,

I heartily agree with the sentiment! There is NO REASON the PERSONAL computer on my desk can't keep track of my PERSONAL dictionary, and provide an API for all other programs to query when coming across a word that's not in that program's dictionary.

Not so sure about cross-platform, though. That may require a cloud-based personal dictionary and I'm wary of putting ANY personal information on the cloud in case some clever hacker/marketeer figures out a way to target me with underwear ads (or anything else for that matter) on all my web pages based on the words in my personal dictionary.
PJ in (usually sunny) FL

User avatar
ChrisGreaves
PlutoniumLounger
Posts: 15498
Joined: 24 Jan 2010, 23:23
Location: brings.slot.perky

Re: Google's GMail spellchecker

Post by ChrisGreaves »

PJ_in_FL wrote:Chris, I heartily agree with the sentiment!
:scratch: Where did I go wrong? :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
Not so sure about cross-platform, though.
I am.
I think like a human:-
Here I sit with a laptop (a keyboard and a screen)
I truly have no REAL idea about where stuff is.
OK; I have an idea that my MSWord Custom.dic is spinning at 5400rpm within a foot or so of my head.
I figure that Google/Gmail has stuff about me somewhere.
But whether it is up in the sky or on Mars or in Seattle doesn't really worry me that much.

I admit to some worry about nefarious Pizza Delivery people wearing their underwear as a hat, but frankly, I'm more worried about people who send me emails that look like this:-
Redha.png
You know what I mean; not the spray-painting, but the public CC list.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
An expensive day out: Wallet and Grimace

User avatar
ChrisGreaves
PlutoniumLounger
Posts: 15498
Joined: 24 Jan 2010, 23:23
Location: brings.slot.perky

Re: Google's GMail spellchecker

Post by ChrisGreaves »

Another (to me) quirk in Firefox 38.0.1.
Firefox01.png
I load a web page offline (at home, no internet connection) and see the scroll bar on the right-hand side.
Firefox02.png
I use Ctrl-plus just once to increase the font (and my intention is to narrow the text block to make it easier for my eyes to scan the text and the scroll bar disappears!
:scratch:
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.
An expensive day out: Wallet and Grimace