slbst18@unix.cis.pitt.edu (Stephanie L Bearse) (05/22/91)
Hi: Does anyone use the grammer checkers Grammatik IV or RightWriter 4.0. IF you do could you let me know as to which one is better when working with documents using wordperfect and MWORD. I am using both wordperfect 5.1 and microsoft word for DOS. I know that Grammatik exists for windows too. If you know or use these packages and think highly or think they are a waste of money please let me know. Thanks Steph
john@utafll.uta.edu (John Baima) (05/22/91)
I have used Grammatik a fair amount. My advice: wait for Power Edit from Artificial Linguistics. Power Edit is *vastly* better. They are just releasing a DOS version and should have a Windows version this summer. It requires a fast 286 or a 386, but if you are using Windows, you probably already have enough hardware. I have no relationship with them although I do have a PhD friend who works there and gave me an early copy. -- John Baima john@utafll.uta.edu
calloway@hplvec.LVLD.HP.COM (Frank Calloway) (05/22/91)
In comp.windows.ms, slbst18@unix.cis.pitt.edu (Stephanie L Bearse) writes: > Does anyone use the grammer checkers Grammatik IV or RightWriter 4.0. IF > you do could you let me know as to which one is better when working with > documents using wordperfect and MWORD. I am using both wordperfect 5.1 > and microsoft word for DOS. I know that Grammatik exists for windows too. > If you know or use these packages and think highly or think they are a > waste of money please let me know. Hi, Stephanie - I've used the past few revisions of Grammatik and am now using Grammatik for Windows with WordPerfect 5.1. Reviews I've read seem to agree that Grammatik is the best grammar checker on the market. I haven't read a review of the latest version of RightWriter, but there was a time when it wouldn't let you interactively make corrections--that is, it simply added comments to your file and then you used your word processor to make edits. To me, this seems much clumsier than Grammatik's interactive editing on the screen. (But the current version of RightWriter may be better than the one I read about.) Be aware that, despite the vendors claims for "advanced artificial intelligence techniques" and such, grammar checkers are pretty moronic. For example, Grammatik indicates every item in a bulleted list as an incomplete sentence; it seems incapable of understanding punctuation. Grammar checkers simply use a set of "rules" and then look for conditions that match these rules. Another example of Grammatik's low I.Q. is the way it repeatedly warns you of potential problems where it is unable to make a decision. For example, it will warn you that you *may* be mistaking the word "that's" for "thats"--it's too stupid to understand the context in which the word is being used, so it wastes your time with repeated "I think you may be making a mistake" kinds of warnings. This quickly becomes a nuisance. (Note that I'm mentioning these quirks in Grammatik because it's the one I use. From what I've read, the other products do the same things.) In summary, I'd say the poorer your writing is, the more you can benefit from a grammar checker. (No insult intended.) After being reminded of your mistakes a few times, you will make fewer mistakes. And the closer to pure prose your writing is--that is, no odd punctuation and such--the fewer "false alarms" you'll receive from a grammar checker. Is it worth using a grammar checker? My answer is a qualified "yes." Think of it as an adviser. It will challenge your judgement, but you will always be smarter than it is, and the final decision will be yours. I have a few quirks in my writing (misplaced modals, an occasional split infinitive, and others) that Grammatik reminds me of. In return for each legitimate problem it finds for me, I have to tell it to skip a dozen or so of its bogus warnings. I posted this response to the net because I thought it might be of general interest. If you have specific questions, please send them via e-mail. Regards, Frank Calloway
dave@kharma (05/23/91)
slbst18@unix.cis.pitt.edu (Stephanie L Bearse) writes: > Hi: > Does anyone use the grammer checkers Grammatik IV or RightWriter 4.0. IF > you do could you let me know as to which one is better when working with > documents using wordperfect and MWORD. I am using both wordperfect 5.1 > and microsoft word for DOS. I know that Grammatik exists for windows too. > If you know or use these packages and think highly or think they are a > waste of money please let me know. > > Thanks > > Steph > > This is my experience and, as such, is strictly my own observations. {A raving disclaimer} Having been a writer and having an extensive educationsal background in composition, it amuses me to see how our software has tried to to bring the art of a well-written sentence to the masses. Initially, I understand, in Grammatik III, they had minor bugs in the software relating to use with Wordperfect. According to the secretaries, they have eliminated nearly all the formatting errors. Still, Grammatik IV is not a replacement for a well-thought sentence. PC Magazine, PC World and Computer Shopper all agree {for once} on this subject. For, for the individual who wants to save precious time usually spent editing, who chooses to ignore the case errors which Grammatik still continues to tell you about, it does provide a quick and easy means of proofing a document. It works well with both Wordperfect 5.0 and 5.1 in our office, and since the secretaries neither have an education and background in grammer, it performs well for their needs. It really makes me feel wanted to see a four year education in english in a box...or almost, it would seem. Grammatik IV sometimes, rarely, catches me napping with regard to syntax, perhaps a dangling participle or two...|-) bugs - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - isc-br!tau-ceti!dogear!kharma!dave [dave@kharma] Dave Laird, SysOp: kharma The Computer Concern, Springdale, WA 258-7109 or 1-800-786-7109 kharma: 509-233-8474 (Local from Spokane Area) 24hrs 1200-14400 (HST)