Can you remember … or imagine … life without spell check or life with a manual typewriter?
January 13, 2008 by Lillie
Recently, a client sent me a document to edit that was filled with spelling errors that should have been caught by spell check. I sent my client a note offering to help her new assistant turn on automatic spell checking.
A few days later, I was working on a new document for the same client. I typed a word and realized I had misspelled it … but there was no squiggly red line under the word. Was it right? No, it looked wrong, but Word said it was correct when I manually checked the spelling. So I looked the word up in the dictionary, and it was wrong. Maybe there something wrong for the listing of that word in Word’s dictionary. So I typed another misspelled word … and another … and another. Word said all were correct. I typed gibberish. Word said it was correct. I opened all the other Office programs and typed the same gibberish and spell check put squiggly red lines under every “word.”
Thus began a three-hour process of researching and experimenting to correct the problem. I read Word help and checked all the settings. I logged into the Microsoft forums and tried the numerous suggestions for spell check problems. I changed settings and edited the registry and rebooted the computer after each change. Word still told me my gibberish was correctly spelled.
Finally, I came across a message that sometimes a “bad” add-in can cause a problem with spell-check. So I decided to disable add-ins one at a time, then see if spell-check worked. When I opened Add-ins and looked at the drop down menu to manage add-ins, I saw a selection for Disabled Add-ins. I opened Disabled Add-ins and discovered spell check was disabled! Word said the add-in was disabled because it caused a serious problem the last time it was used. I don’t recall any “serious problems” with Word – and I’m not likely to forget “serious problems” – but whatever happened, the problem is solved!
Spell check can be easily misused and abused. I continually see words that are spelled correctly but are the wrong word for the context because the writer accepted Word’s spelling suggestion. However, I know much time it can save and how much it can improve accuracy if used correctly.
That thought led to the memory of the typewriter. There wouldn’t be nearly as many writers as there are today if we still used manual (or even electric) typewriters.
Several years ago, I transcribed my mother-in-law’s life story from tape recordings she made. I had helped my mother with her story (which I’ll talk about in a few months in a series on writing memoirs and family histories), and my husband and I had encouraged my mother-in-law to write her own life story. She finally agreed to talk into a recorder if I would transcribe the recordings.
After I typed the manuscript, we took it to her to edit, especially to be sure I spelled unfamiliar names and places correctly. She asked how I wanted her to mark the changes. When I told her to just mark the manuscript pages, she said, “Oh, I don’t want you to have to re-type the whole page for a small error!”
She had used the same manual typewriter since her college days in the 1920s. She had never used a computer and was amazed when I told her I could make the corrections on the computer and print out a new manuscript.
Jack picked her up and brought her to my office to spend the afternoon while I was making the corrections. Cut and paste amazed her. She kept saying, “I would have had to re-type the whole thing to move things around like that.”
That experience gave me a new appreciation for the computer and word processing. It also gave me a wonderful visit with my mother-in-law and lovely memories years after she is no longer with us.
[tags]spell check, computer problem[/tags]
That story about your mother-in-law is wonderful. I sometimes wonder what my grandmother would have thought of computers. I mean, she knew about them and all, but she passed on in 1985 before the PC-age, and wouldn’t have been able believe the whole internet thing!
As to the wacky spell-check thing? That sounds so familiar. I posted a picture last week of my Dad’s computer screen as he wrote the apparently incorrect phrase, “This site will explain,” which flagged a warning light on his spell-check, and naturally, the system leapt to the rescue. It offered such useful suggestions as “This site wills explain,” for example–so, so helpful.
Well, at least it gave me a good idea for a post, anyway!
Ha ha, Lillie we were just laughing about spellcker today Spellcheckers! Wow; your post though, has made me miss using a typewriter. I still have an old Underwood and one electrical typewriter!
Wow! Flashback to typing class! I remember the teacher complimented me because I had a “great sense of the middle of the page”. (I could center a headline almost perfectly the first time.)
Now I have proof that I’ve always been in the Middle Zone!
What you experienced with your mother-in-law was a case of “technology gap”. The typewriter has served its part and is becoming a relic just like “typographical error” being thrown into the dust bin with “spellcheck”. With typewriters, people needed to use ten fingers with the “touch system”. Now with PC or laptop, people use only six fingers on the keyboard and two eyes on both the keyboard and the monitor. These just shows how technology has changed things.
Lillie,
I remember in the early 1990s, when I took an advanced English composition course at my local community college: I didn’t even have a word processor, as most other students did, but was still using an electric typewriter; and my papers were usually the longest in the class–as long as 13 double-spaced pages.
Needless to say, it wasn’t easy when I decided to insert, delete, or move paragraphs around! One day, I was half-an-hour late for class (which wasn’t like me) due to editing and retyping a paper that had to be handed in that day–but at least I was able to get it done. Soon after, I bought a word processor–which made such a difference!
With everything that modern word processing programs can do, even that old-fashioned Brother word processor was inconvenient; but I didn’t realize it at the time, because it was far more convenient than anything I’d ever used before! (My dad used a manual typewriter to type up his poetry when I was growing up; but thankfully, while I grew, that era passed.)
Strange thing about your MS-Word spell check being disabled. Glad you finally figured that one out! Sometimes you’ve simply got to play “detective”–because there will always be those times when even our modern word processing programs will fail us in one way or another!
Great post!
Jeanne
I have one of those old typewriters in my collection. I think it’s a Royal typewriter.
I never was too fond of Word’s spell check. I’m on a Mac; more specifically a 17″ MacBook Pro. I purchased Grammarian. I like it.
The story about your mother-in-law made me chuckle.
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I wrote for years with a manual typewriter and it still occupies a place of honor in my office. A lawyer from across the hall came over to borrow it. He had some forms to fill out and no way to do it. His two assistants came to watch since they’d never seen one used!! When I told them about carbon paper and white-out, they were amazed!
Has it really been that long ago? Wow I must admit that I’ve got some fond memories of my typing classes. The manual ones were early on in high school and by the time we were finishing up, they had been replaced by the electrical ones. I must say, that I too would not give up the comfort of my present keyboard. No way ! Lillie, thanks for letting me reminisce.
I’m just old enough to remember life before spelling checkers. I’m dyslexic and I wouldn’t be writing now if it wasn’t for them, I would be completely unemployable without a spelling checker. Lillie we are not spoiled, this is a necessity.
It’s very easy to forget how common technology became in rather short time, and how accustomed we are to it(won’t say we depend on it tho it might be true too) in everyday life. I mean I hardly ever write by hand anymore for example, anything more than a short note, it’s either laptop, pc or mobile phone. About spellcheck… for non native speaker like me it was huge help, tho I must say it made me somewhat lazy. I used to check dictionary far more often if only to check spelling before and thus my vocabulary improved significantly I believe. Still I couldn’t imagine writing without one now.
[...] I depend on spell-check to catch typos and those certain words I always misspell, I probably reject more suggestions than I [...]
that spell checker poem is awesome
Haha, great poem.
How lost we would all be without spell checker
as a writer, i love spell checker but sometimes it makes me crazy.
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I know what you mean—grammar checker is even worse.
Since I’m a writer my self, spell check has help me check my errors and spelling and get A’s on my school reports.
So I’m happy for spell check.
Juan,
Although spell check can be mis-used when people accept the suggestions without making sure they are spelling the word they really mean, it improves our lives as writers tremendously.
I replied to all comments at the time they were made. However, when I moved my blog, threaded comments were lost.
i am using spellchecker right now while writing this comment
T42P (if you wrote YourName@Keywords, I could address you as a person rather than a product, and you would still get your keyword link),
I confess I don’t usually spell-check comments, but do for posts and other writing I do.
did it work?
T42p – maybe I should be writing as the typewriter in stead of a person
The old manual typewriter worked fine … though, of course, you can’t type very fast on a manual or the keys get all tangled up.
It must have been sooo hard. Nowadays, I hardly ever use paper, so I get slightly worried when there are no red squiggly lines under my handwriting!
Amy,
Thanks for the chuckle about the red squiggly lines under the words.
I seldom print documents, and I read electronically, so I rarely encounter paper.
i like to use the typewriter to polish my typing skills
gold (if you wrote Your Name @ gold bouillon, I could address you as a real person instead of carrying on a conversation with a precious metal, and you would still get your keyword link),
I didn’t know anyone still had a typewriter these days.
I think that spell checkers are an invaluable tool and once you’ve used them it’s very difficult to do without. One problem though is that they make you very lazy – I often don’t even try to spell a complex work correctly because I know that as long as I get it near enough the spell check will save me.
Chris,
Technology tools tend to make us lazy. I’m taking a Bible study at church—the first time I’ve done a live rather than online study in a long time. I’m so used to using the various Bible study tools online, I’ve forgotten where to find the various books in a printed Bible!
It’s amazing how we come to rely on technology, isn’t it. Before computers we coped fine, but now we use them so much, going without them seems inconceivable.
Anders,
We get spoiled easily. When we don’t know an easier way to do something, we put forth the time and effort needed. But once we know there’s a more efficient way … we can’t imagine going back to what was fine to us not long before.
Spelchekers have made me incredibably lazi.
Alexis,
Your comment reminds me of that poem that gets passed around in e-mail about spell-check. It’s filled with wrong words (their for there, etc.) and it’s all about how the spelling is perfect because of spell-check.
I just love spell checker but sometimes it makes me crazy.Technology tools tend to make us lazy and i think that spell checkers are an invaluable tool and once you’ve used them it’s very difficult to do without.
You’re right, Sam. And too many people depend on them for too much. Spell check can tell you if a word is spelled right, but it can’t tell you if it’s the right word. So people end up writing there for their, then for than, etc.
Well i think Microsoft’s word is a great thing for this because it gives you lots of facilities to correct the word and the sentence. Anyways keep it up and keep continue with your valuable posts.
Rock,
Yes, Word offers a lot of features that are great for editing–either your own or sharing edits with others.
Thanks so much for another post! hahah. Spellcheckers have made me lazy also. Especially auto spell checkers. Thanks for the post. Love the site.
Charles,
Thanks for the compliments.
I have never had that problem with Microsoft Word but I know that if I did it would get me pissed, I am using Vista and there always seems to be updates on Microsoft word included in them – maybe that is why I do not get many fatal errors when using it?
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sarah,
I keep Windows XP and Office 2007 updated, and I don’t think the add-on problem had anything to do with updates. It was a problem with an add-on that can happen anytime.
Well, it’s easier for me to use Microsoft word and I have been using this for the long time. It has all the stuff that you will be needing for the correction of your spellings and as well as the grammar.
karla,
As you will note in my post, I also use Microsoft Word. However, I don’t agree that it has everything you need for spelling and grammar correction. It can tell you if a word is spelled right, but it can’t tell you if it’s the right word. I see frequent errors in documents created in Word where people use there instead of their or except instead of accept or dozens and dozens more common errors. And the grammar check doesn’t understand context, so it’s wrong almost as much as it is right. I depend on spell check and grammar check in Word to bring possible problems to my attention, but I rely on my knowledge (or research if I don’t know) to make sure that I’m correcting an error and not creating one.
I know I couldn’t imagine life without spellcheck. We all should be having more typos everyday without it. And as for the typewriter, whiteout company could be 2 times richer.
Nelma,
I love your comment about White-out. If I had to use a typewriter, they would be a lot richer as well.
Well am surprised to read this as i never had any problem with spell checker and i agree that spell checkers have somehow made us a bit careless and lazy.
Kristen,
People who haven’t had trouble with spell checker fall into one of two categories: people who don’t make the common spelling mistakes and consequently don’t get wrong corrections or people who don’t know the difference with the correction is wrong. You’ll have to decide which category you fall in.
Spell check is an absolute must! Im a horrible speller and without it most people would wonder if I grew up in a cave!
Walter,
Spell check is a huge help. We just have to be careful not to use words that are spelled correctly but used incorrectly.
You know what I think is the best thing about computers? The undo button. Sometimes I wish that life had an undo button.
Dave,
I’m with you on loving the “undo” button!
A really poignant post…I too remember having to re-type long pages of text just to fix a tiny error or two, so spell check is definitely a blessing. But, as pointed out, it’s made us all a bit lazy, not to mention diminish the ability of our younger generation to be good spellers. Next, we’ll be seeing the demise of the keyboard as voice recognition software takes over.
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Jan,
We always lose something when we make gains with technology. I’m sure when the car came into use, buggy makers and buggy whip aficionados mourned the loss of the skill of buggy-driving.
Word processing and spell checkers have certainly enabled more writing than ever before – the quality of the writing available is another matter – however modern technology also allows for easy searching and sorting of subject matter, so a win-win really!
John,
I’m with you on the value of searching within documents! Very useful.
Deb,
I got a good chuckle out of your post last week. It was a lot funnier happening to your father than happening to me.
Jeane Michele,
The spell checker poem is hilarious!
Now we know, Robert. And we thought this middle zone stuff came with middle age.
Interesting comment, Ventura. I use ten fingers on the keyboard and look only at the monitor. Guess that’s from all my years of typing. But it sure is faster. My husband uses your method and can’t come close to my approximately 100 words per minute speed. Technology changes things, of course, but I like to take advantage of the best of the past and the present.
As I said in my post, though, there wouldn’t be nearly as many writers if we had to create our manuscripts with a manual typewriter!
Jeanne,
Doing all those papers on an electric typewriter surely made you appreciate today’s technology even more. It also demonstrated that you are a serious writer.
Even a few hours of detective work solving a frustrating problem of disappearing spell-check is better than using a typewriter.
But, as you said, we didn’t know it at the time. When I was in high school, our school owned only a couple of electric typewriters. We all used manuals except for once or twice during the year when it was our turn on the electric – the height of modern technology! When I reported to my college job in the library, the librarian said she saw on my transcript that I took two years of typing, so she was assigning me to type catalog cards. I almost panicked when she showed me the electric typewriter I was supposed to use. I was the first person in my family to go to college, and I could do it only if I had enough scholarships and jobs. I imagined that I’d be fired if I admitted I didn’t know how to use the typewriter, so I asked the librarian if I could read the manual since “I’ve never used this model before.” She didn’t need to know I’d almost never used an electric typewriter before and didn’t even know how to turn it on and off.
I read the manual, bluffed my way through, and ended with all the complex jobs because the librarian thought I was so good. Now that “modern technology” that was so scary back is so outdated that I can’t imagine using it.
Opal,
That old Royal typewriter is a nice collector’s item and a good reminder of how fortunate we are to have the technology we do today.
Thank you for the award! I subscribe to your blog so I’ll check it out when I read my feeds.
Writing on a manual typewriter shows real commitment.
Filling out paper forms is one thing typewriters are better for than word processors. I’ve pulled out the electric typewriter I still own for the same purpose.
I can imagine the assistants’ amazement if they grew up in the days of computers. I remember when white-out was a great advancement over erasers. When I typed catalog cards in the college library, I used an electric eraser – faster and more effective than a regular eraser but it required just the right amount of pressure for the right amount of time to erase the typing without making a hole in the catalog card.
And what a technological advancement those electric typewriters were, Sia. We’re so spoiled by today’s technology …
Great story, Lillie! Sometimes we do have to bluff our way through, don’t we!
Back in my earlier college days, I realized that word processors were better than electric typewriters–just couldn’t afford one! LOL!
Jeanne
In my college days, word processors weren’t an option – they hadn’t been invented yet.
Molly,
Many people wouldn’t be writing today without the modern conveniences. I was just thinking about the “olden days” and how many of today’s successful writers wouldn’t have even been writers if they had to type on a manual typewriter or do without spellcheck … not to mention write everything out by hand on a scroll!
Technology can make us a little lazy, Vanessa. I’m afraid I’m too lazy to ever write an entire novel on a manual typeweriter … but I guess if was writing in the days when the manual typewriter was the latest and greatest, I wouldn’t know any different.
The poem is funny … but unfortunately shows us what can happen if we’re not careful.
Yeah … seems like we can’t live with spell checker and can’t live without it.