FeedDemon and Poor Proofreading
October 3rd, 2006If you noted recently, or note in the near future, that I have created posts with spelling or grammatical errors, my apologies (again). I’m pretty particular about being correct in my posts, because I’m a writer and I think correctness of diction and accuracy are ways of showing respect for you, the reader/listener. I also think correctness is both efficient and effective.
To achieve that, I use a Google Toolbar spellchecker. Occasionally I forget, and if I find an error, I go back and edit later.
However, I recently moved my feed reader client software from Google reader to FeedDemon, and when I respond to posts in FeedDemon, the Google toolbar is not available in the FD window. I like FeedDemon because it makes posts available to me when I’m offline (sort of), and I am off line quite a bit – like now, flying from Chicago to San Antonio.
A free book from our list if you can solve this problem in Feed Demon (to my satisfaction.) 
Until then, I will do my best to remember my proofreading skills.
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October 3rd, 2006 at 10:48 am
Sorry, I’m afraid I cannot help you (just yet). I just wondered however why you would think we need a free book as a motivator to help you out. Most of us would just be most happy to be able and return the favor in return for the valuable stuff you serve us every week. What about applying what you learned in school and check the spelling manually?
Tom (Not a native English speaker and without a spelling checker)
October 3rd, 2006 at 3:31 pm
Tom-
Sorry for any miscommunication. I’m just a giving person who happens to worry a little about those manual skills, and thought I’d be candid about my concerns while also addressing in advance the moment when someone found an error because I am, alas, imperfect.
Mark
October 3rd, 2006 at 6:01 pm
Mark,
Not sure if this will be to your satisfaction, but you can have FeedDemon open your default brower, where Google spell check would be available, instead of using the browser with in FeedDemon. If you select Options under the Tools menu and then click on the Browsing tab, you can put a check by “Open external links in default browser…” Click “OK”. Next time you click on an article’s title, FeedDemon will open IE, Firefox, or whatever you use and take you directly to that article. Posting a reply is the same as before.
October 3rd, 2006 at 8:46 pm
Hi Mark,
If you are windows user (there will be an equivalent for Mac I just don’t know it) a temporary workaround (and in fact the way I am doing this response) is to type the answer in your usual word processor and when “done” the simple
[CTRL]+A
[CTRL]+C
[ALT]+[TAB]
[CTRL]+V
Will transcribe the details.
On the windows theme to make life a little bit easier you can install some of Microsoft’s Power Toys like:
ALTTAB to see a mini picture of the screen before “landing” there – I hate “guessing” where I am going to land.
http://download.microsoft.com/download/whistler/Install/2/WXP/EN-US/TaskswitchPowertoySetup.exe
ClearType to make your LCD screen more readable.
http://download.microsoft.com/download/b/7/0/b7019730-0fa3-47a9-a159-98b80c185aad/setup.exe
A full list of useful bit is at:
http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/powertoys/xppowertoys.mspx
Hope this helps until a more seamless solution can be found.
Regards
Bernie
October 3rd, 2006 at 9:55 pm
Hi Mark,
In addition to my last post a quick look on the net uncovered the following (noting that I don’t use feeddemon hence this is unproven).
WB Editor is a non-free option that might be worthwhile investigating: http://www.wbeditor.com/content/view/3/25
Feeddemon is listed in the compatibility list and there is a 15 day trial to test it:
http://www.wbeditor.com/content/view/5/27/
Regards
Bernie
October 4th, 2006 at 10:21 am
JohnPabstJr-
If you’ll send me an email telling me which book you want and an address, I’ll send it along.
This is PERFECT! Thank you sir.
Mark
October 4th, 2006 at 10:22 am
Bernie-
Wow (2). Thanks for all the work on my behalf. Alas, as you can see, someone beat you to it.
It’s great having members like you.
Mark
October 5th, 2006 at 12:19 pm
I’m enjoying your podcasts immensely and looking forward to your first “guru” interview.
True, correct spelling is more efficient, perhaps primarily because mistakes are quite distracting, they can trip up the flow of thoughts. Regarding the problem you pose there is commercial software providing a spell checker than can be used with pretty much all your software and it has a glossary section for quickly filling in text to your own “short-hand” e.g. wbw quick becomes with best wishes. So if you haven’t heard of Spell Catcher, you might like to try it out. Incidentally, there is no conflict of interest here, I have nothing to do with that company, but I don’t mind promoting useful software. If you can find a work-around for the Google ap, that would probably be the most convenient option…go with what you know, especially if it is free. All the best!
October 8th, 2006 at 8:35 pm
Yes, I know it’s too late for the prize, but here goes my suggestion anyway:
Try Firefox 2 RC2: http://www.mozilla.org/projects/bonecho/all-rc.html
One of it’s features is online spellchecking (as you write) for forms. Disclosure: I’m working on the localization of Firefox to my own language. This release candidate is planned to become the final version (QA is happening as we speak to check if there are no showstoppers). Anyway, this has the advantage of being free and available for a lot more websites.
Thanks for all your incredible content.
October 8th, 2006 at 10:23 pm
JNeves-
Thanks for the kind words.
Yes, I’ve already got a solution, but thanks nevertheless.
I love it when technically smart folks recommend I solve a problem with my rss reader by changing my browser. I don’t feel so bad about being a consultant and building a watch for clients who ask what time it is.
Mark
October 9th, 2006 at 1:27 pm
Coming a little late to this party…
FeedDemon is now owned by NewsGator; and NewsGator make a couple of different products, including their eponymous flagship product. The NewsGator RSS reader, if you get the right version (there are options to meet different needs) will give you integrated RSS reading within Outlook (which I recall you use), synchronised to a Web Reader account for when you don’t have Outlook handy, and with some other sync bells and whistles, such as to Media Center installations and so forth.
Reading and writing from within Outlook, if you wanted, would give you the spellchecker functionality of Office, with any customsed dictionary entries you’ve alreasdy made and so forth.
If you were so inclined, and get the chance to “play”, it might be worth taking a look at this, to get all the “other benefits”, in addition to your specific issue (which I realise is now resolved, and time is a valuable commodity, so this may not fly anyway!).
Regards,
Gary
(and for the benefit of readers: my only relationship with NewsGator is as a satisfied customer. I get nothing out of this).
January 29th, 2007 at 4:58 pm
If you’re looking for an automated proofreading solution, check out Global Vision: www.globalvisioninc.com
They have visual inspection software that identifies any kinds of errors in your electronic documents.