jimison@bgsuvax.UUCP (Bryan Jimison) (08/31/89)
Can anyone recommend a Grammer/Style checker that runs on the Macintosh? I am looking for something that checks for common grammatical errors and possibly evaluates what audience level the document is suited for. Thank you in advance! Bryan --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bryan Jimison | D: I speak for me. Leave BGSU alone! 451 Thurstin Ave. #102 | UUCP: ...!cbatt!osu-cis!bgsuvax!jimison Bowling Green, OH 43402 | CSnet: jimison@andy.bgsu.edu ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
mpip@uhura.cc.rochester.edu (Robert Annechiarico) (08/31/89)
In article <4875@bgsuvax.UUCP> jimison@bgsuvax.UUCP (Bryan Jimison) writes: >Can anyone recommend a Grammer/Style checker that runs on the Macintosh? >I am looking for something that checks for common grammatical errors and >possibly evaluates what audience level the document is suited for. I asked the same question about 10 days ago, and intended to wait a couple more days before I summarized the responses. I guess that now is good enough. Two people responded (THANKS!); a summary isn't necessary... I've attached the replies. Eric ========================================================================= My personal opinion is that the programs that are available aren't worth diddly. I got suckered into buying Doug Clapp's Word Tools because it has his name on it and I respect him, but it was only after I bought the package that I found out that he was looking to get his name off the product in any way he could. I guess he still hasn't succeeded, but... The grammar checkers provide some value, I guess, but they certainly don't revolutionize your writing... at least DC'sWT. Wait until something comes out that uses some form of AI and expect to pay a bundle. ========================================================================= and ========================================================================= Summary: I'll sell you Word Tools, cheap. These programs are more bother than they are worth. You are much better off sitting down and reading a grammar primer. You'll be surprised how much of it will stick now, as opposed to when you were a kid. What happens with these programs is they flag parts of your writing as flawed. After a while you know when you're composing something that WT is going to complain so you rewrite it. You know what it's looking for. Every time you write `her' or `his' it complains "Are you sure this isn't a sexist phrase?" Most of the time it isn't unless you're from the Bronx... =========================================================================
hallett@shoreland.uucp (Jeff Hallett x4-6328) (09/01/89)
In article <4875@bgsuvax.UUCP> jimison@bgsuvax.UUCP (Bryan Jimison) writes: >Can anyone recommend a Grammer/Style checker that runs on the Macintosh? >I am looking for something that checks for common grammatical errors and >possibly evaluates what audience level the document is suited for. Well, I've used MacProof quite a bit. It does some "looking" for commonly misused/inappropriate phrases. It also has full support for gathering all the statistics you need to evaluate the reader level. You may find that most software that claims to do proof reading to be lacking. It is still a computationally "hard" problem for a computer to evaluate documentation. The capabilities I like in MacProof is to change the way I can view my document. It can show me first/last sentences of my paragraphs, for instance, that helps me to see if my paragraphs start and end on somewhat the same idea. The views like that I find to me much more useful than the straight textual checks. It comes in both a DA and application with rather extensive thesaurus, phrase and spelling dictionaries. I got mine at MacConnection. It is from some company that derives its name from the word "lexical", but for the life of me I can't remember exactly what. -- Jeffrey A. Hallett, PET Software Engineering GE Medical Systems, W641, PO Box 414 Milwaukee, WI 53201 (414) 548-5163 : EMAIL - hallett@positron.gemed.ge.com
MSR104@PSUVM.BITNET (Mike Rineer) (09/02/89)
We recently got one here called Sensible Grammar. It's made by Sensible
Software. I haven't used it extensively yet, but from the few times I did
try it, it seems to be an excellent piece of software. It and all it's files
fit easily on an 800k floppy, and it even comes with a sample MacWrite
document full of errors that you can try it out on. It can read MacWrite 5.0,
MSWord 3.xx documents, and I believe it reads several other formats as
well. We got it for around $60, but that includes a university discount.
Standard Disclaimer: I am in no way affiliated with the Sensible Software
corporation.
--Mike
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msr104@psuvm | wax. And we all know how horrid
msr104@psuvm.psu.edu * that tastes, right kids?"
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...!psuvax1!psuvm.bitnet!msr104 * -- Rik
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