Re: Word should catalog misspelled words to study.

I'm not going to quibble over words. Yes, I *choose* to agree with Suzanne

I'm not sure that the argument that Word already does things it probably
shouldn't is grounds for suggesting that it do more. In particular I would
say that it should leave web page design to other dedicated software (very
few people actually like what Word does with web pages and I've never seen
it recommended as a tool for this). What it can do with images is pretty
limited. What it does with embedded objects (not actually as much as you
might think) is almost a requirement for the creation of many documents.

I don't think it's a difficult point to argue, and the reason, of course, is
that I enjoy a good argument :-) Word is not a study aid and what you are
suggesting would put quite a heavy load on everyday activity; it would have
to keep track of every word you typed and whether or not you corrected it
(or maybe just changed it later - because not all misspellings result in
invalid words) or it was autocorrected or it was picked up by the
spellchecker (or the grammar checker) - and if so, what you did with it. In
fact the more I think about what it would have to do to effectively
implement such a facility, the more I am certain it shouldn't be done.

OK - maybe the washer analogy was extreme, but the point stands. Word does
a certain type of manipulation of words and other document content and there
are other programs which do other types of manipulation. The more that's
bundled together, the more it would cost to produce and to buy. Perhaps a
better analogy would be this: I have just got broadband Internet access and
I looked at the various packages that were available. I bought one for £15 a
month. I could have bought one for £30 a month (AOL, say) but I didn't want
most of the facilities (all, loosely, related to internet connection) that
were included in the AOL package; I didn't want them running on my machine
and I didn't want to pay for them. Your suggestion (not unreasonable for a
separately purchased addon) would be attractive to a fairly small subset of
current, or prospective, Word users but all would have to pay for it.

--
Enjoy,
Tony


"rndthought" <rndthought@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:291AF79F-EA00-4F73-A192-D365EA5AAAF0@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> Tony,
>
> First, don't debase yourself. You do not "half to", you choose to.
Second,
> neither you nor Suzanne has established how "word processing" explicitly
> excludes building a personalized list of misspelled words for further
study,
> personal development.
>
> You and Suzanne have chosen a difficult point to argue (and for no
reason).
> If MS Word can manipulate HTML with web page previews, embed Excel tables
> able to be edited from within the document and manipulate image
> characteristics; the word processor has shattered the complexity barrier
it
> would take to build a simple list file - if the option was selected - of
> misspelled words. The text to voice feature is already in place. The
> argument that my request would add too much complexity is simply absurd
and
> baseless. My suggestion is not unreasonable and certainly not close to
the
> horrible washer parallel. Trying to negate a "spelling is to word
> processing" relationship? You will half to try very hard.
>
> While MS Word is ubiquitous, not just CEOs and MPV use the program daily
but
> it is on essentially every school computer in my district, it is not
always
> possible to rely on the crutch of spell check and auto replace in the real
> word. This spelling tutor feature is one from which my children and I
> believe many children and adults would greatly benefit.
>
> The cause for so much resistance and the need to voice it still baffling.
It
> is just a list of misspelled words. Why would this be so disconcerting?
>
> As always, except for the washer thing, thank you for the thoughtful
comments.
>
>
> "Tony Jollans" wrote:
>
> > I'd have to agree with Suzanne here. Word Processing is what Word does.
Just
> > because it uses words does not mean that it does, or should, provide
every
> > imaginable function that might also use words; before you know it
someone
> > will be suggesting that it solve crosswords.
> >
> > It is generally true that adding essentially unrelated functionality is
> > likely to bring problems. Imagine trying to add a dish-washing facility
to
> > your washing machine; they both use water and detergent to get things
clean,
> > so why not?
> >
> > --
> > Enjoy,
> > Tony
> >
> >
> > "rndthought" <rndthought@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
> > news:669AD00B-F1F5-474B-B9CA-D643A8CAFB1C@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > > Suzanne, spelling is Fundamental to this purpose. Period.
> > >
> > > Again, why so much resistance and the need to voice it?
> > >
> > >
> > > "Suzanne S. Barnhill" wrote:
> > >
> > > > A word processor is a way for people who know what they want to say
and
> > how
> > > > to say it to put those words on paper. Some of the functions you
mention
> > > > (such as automatic creation of TOCs) are fundamental to this
purpose.
> > Auto
> > > > formatting certainly facilitates it. Keep in mind that a huge target
> > market
> > > > for Microsoft is "knowledge workers" (secretaries and the like) and
> > > > executives in large corporations. They need to be able to create
letters
> > and
> > > > reports and easily and quickly as possible. It is assumed that they
> > either
> > > > know how to spell or will depend on spell check to correct their
> > spelling.
> > > > I'll grant you that this is an unreasonable assumption in the first
> > instance
> > > > and a dangerous one in the second, but there you have it.
> > > >
> > > > --
> > > > Suzanne S. Barnhill
> > > > Microsoft MVP (Word)
> > > > Words into Type
> > > > Fairhope, Alabama USA
> > > > Word MVP FAQ site: http://word.mvps.org
> > > > Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the
> > newsgroup so
> > > > all may benefit.
> > > >
> > > > "rndthought" <rndthought@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
> > > > news:61E72678-924E-421E-8801-E2C112916567@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> > > > > Suzanne,
> > > > >
> > > > > You make a good observation in regards to trying to be all things.
As
> > for
> > > > > keeping MS Word from loosing sight of the "primary functions" (or
> > > > focus)... I
> > > > > believe even a cursory overview of the options and abilities in
Word
> > > > show's
> > > > > the ship has set sail (Invoicing with macros, auto creation of
TOC,
> > auto
> > > > > formatting, Auto fill forms, creating HTML documents, altering
Image
> > > > > attributes - all on a word processor???). It seems to me that MS
> > Word
> > > > most
> > > > > definitely has higher aspirations than that of a functioned word
> > processor
> > > > or
> > > > > computerize type writer.
> > > > >
> > > > > If a spelling tutor, I like that term Suzanne, doesn't belong in a
> > program
> > > > > whose primary purpose is to type words in the creation of
documents,
> > > > > presumably for purpose of communicating information
accurately...where
> > > > then?
> > > > >
> > > > > This isn't a fundamental change in the program or a complete
change in
> > the
> > > > > interface (which is coming in the next version)...simply an option
(or
> > if
> > > > > possible a macro as Greg has shown in a limited fashion) that
could be
> > > > > enabled for those that wish to expand their spelling abilities.
Why
> > so
> > > > much
> > > > > resistance and need to voice it?
> > > > >
> > > > > Thank you again for the thoughtful comments.
> > > > >
> > > > > "Suzanne S. Barnhill" wrote:
> > > > >
> > > > > > Where Word most often gets into trouble is through trying to be
all
> > > > things
> > > > > > to all people. I don't imagine, however, that the Word
developers
> > will
> > > > ever
> > > > > > so far lose sight of the primary functions of Word as to
incorporate
> > > > > > features that make it a spelling tutor.
> > > > > >
> > > > > > --
> > > > > > Suzanne S. Barnhill
> > > > > > Microsoft MVP (Word)
> > > > > > Words into Type
> > > > > > Fairhope, Alabama USA
> > > > > > Word MVP FAQ site: http://word.mvps.org
> > > > > > Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the
> > > > newsgroup so
> > > > > > all may benefit.
> > > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> >
> >
> >


.

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