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The New Post Editor And Spell Checking

Now that the new post editor is available in Production (Orange) Blogger, a few bloggers have already noticed a significant deficiency
Where is my spellchecker?
as if use of a spellchecker is essential to their blogging activities.

It's possible that including a spell checker in post editor isn't a good strategic move for Blogger, in the long term.
  • Blogger / Google is international, and multi-lingual. Every different culture, and language, has its own unique spelling and grammar.
  • Even with single languages, blogging subjects require an almost infinite combination of individually permitted (designated "good" spelling), and individually prohibited (designated "bad" spelling) phrases and words. Every different blogger is unique, and likely has unique requirements.
  • Many browsers, and other third party products, include spell checking, that's configurable to the needs of the individual users (of which blogging would be a small part only).


So, instead of complaining about the lack of a spell checker, maybe we can start using third party solutions - at least, until Blogger develops an enhancement. Both Chrome and Firefox include a spell checker - and one which, to my eye, is more configurable than the Blogger spell checker. For Internet Explorer, a few bloggers use IESpell, which is, as many third party products, free for personal use.

An alternative possibility would be to return to using the old post editor. Hopefully, until the new post editor has been fully populated with features, the old post editor will continue to be available.

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Comments

Dudel said…
Indeed, there is no harm in getting a 3rd party app for spell checking as it will help with more then just "your blogging".

Not to mention that there are a few that Google wants "encouraged" so I can also see why they would not "allow" blogger spell-check. At least for that reason, alone.

Not to mention that the "old blogger spell-check" created some NASTY HTML code problems for me. It was brutal, to be 100% honest.
Nitecruzr said…
Thanks, Dudel,

I too tried running spell check against HTML. Once. Not again. 8-(
That's why I use firefox.. :)
Kim said…
I didn't even know Blogger had a spell check. I just rely on Firefox. And rely, I do! :)
Susan said…
I was one who complained about lack of a spell checker. Your tone about that leaves something to be desired. Is it a character flaw that I like the spellchecker? Well ... Esquooose Me!
:-)

Spellcheckers just offer suggestions, so I don't think unique spelling or good/bad spelling are a problem for Blogger. I'll bet they add it back. You could say the same thing about font colors - "Well, Blogger can't put everybody's favorite color in there, so we'll all just have to get a third party product to do it."
Nitecruzr said…
No, Susan, it's not a character flaw.

I have noted these deficiencies with the old Blogger post editor spell checker too. I just didn't get around to writing about it.

I just like to be a devils advocate every now and then. ;-)
Dudel said…
I think the original spell-check "for blogger" problems were the "highlight". That being that "highlighting" is actually an HTML code but once you fixed the problem with your spelling due to blogger's suggestions you either had things stuck with yellow "tape" around them or you have massive errors on your post. These errors happened in compose as well as HTML... but not always both. (That sound odd?)

Errors included.

Words that were not actually spelled incorrectly but spell-check did not recognize still having highlights on them in main blog after post. (A common few for me are names, especially site or game names that have a URL)

Blog post extending over other blog posts underneath it and creating something awkward and ugly. (I found the only way to "fix this" was by actually deleting the post and making a new one)

"Floating highlights". Small bars of yellow in spaces or on hyphens if that was how the word was "suggested" be fixed. (You had to "find" the "checker" HTML and remove it by force from HTML code)

It also destroyed any links, img sources and a SLEW of other things that were "dependent" on any wordings that are always spelled incorrectly. (Such as URLs, extended HTML and anything not in English. Way to fix is same as one above.)

Spell-check = Good.
Blogger spell-check =/= Good.

Hey, all the help this blog has given me I was very glad I could actually contribute something.
Susan said…
Thanks to commentors Kim and Nikki above, I am now trying Firefox. I see what you mean - it does automatic spellchecking in any text box that has more than two lines. Very nice. See? I found out about it on Real Blogger Status.
Only problem will be keeping my husband from freaking out five minutes from now when he awakes and finds out something "changed" on the computer - he hates that. I'd better get pancakes ready to soothe the blow.
Nitecruzr said…
Susan,

Make sure that your husband knows how much better off he is with Firefox, than Internet Explorer. And if he gets pancakes too, he's way ahead of where he was yesterday.
alanronkin said…
Is there a third party app that you suggest? I am already using chrome and don't want to go to yet another browser.
☼ Dayna said…
I use IE and Google Chrome and iespell works for both. You can even add words there to the dictionary so you don't have to hit the "ignore" all the time. It checks spelling in any text box (like status updates and forms).

It's not perfect, but it is free, and I have had every problem with the old Blogger spell-checker noted here, too. No problems with this 3rd party app.
info; said…
i want spelsheck back
Janet said…
I reverted to the old, buggy updater so I could have spellcheck back. If it highlights a word that's spelled right on occasion, oh well. I can ignore that. I don't really care if it doesn't know my personal favorite words, or my last name. It gets the job done quick with words I don't already know how to spell, and that's all that really matters. I can post from any computer I have access to without worrying if it has the right browser or plugin. And my own computer doesn't need another bit of 3rd party code mucking up the delicate ballance of stability. I already run too much extra crap. A built-in spell checker just makes things simpler.
Anonymous said…
How do I revert back to the old blogger?

I need spellcheck desperately. Can someone tell me the steps to take to revert to the old blogger with spell check?
harry bell said…
Me too. I need spellchecker and can't find out how to get back to old post editor!
Nitecruzr said…
Harry,

Settings - Basic is where you start. See instructions above.
harry bell said…
Thanks, Chuck! Figured it out eventually.

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