Comments on: When spellcheckers attack: The Cupertino Effect http://boingboing.net/2008/12/14/when-spellcheckers-a.html Brain candy for Happy Mutants Tue, 21 May 2013 02:14:00 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.1 By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2008/12/14/when-spellcheckers-a.html#comment-356106 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-356106 It wanted to change Obama to Osama for me... It wanted to change Obama to Osama for me…

]]> By: WolfFishbein http://boingboing.net/2008/12/14/when-spellcheckers-a.html#comment-356108 WolfFishbein Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-356108 That was no lame duck! That was no lame duck!

]]> By: Kevin Kenny http://boingboing.net/2008/12/14/when-spellcheckers-a.html#comment-356116 Kevin Kenny Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-356116 Ohhh. That's <a href="http://thedailywtf.com/Articles/The-Clbuttic-Mistake-.aspx">clbuttic!</a> Absolutely clbuttic! Ohhh. That’s clbuttic! Absolutely clbuttic!

]]> By: MattFriedrichs http://boingboing.net/2008/12/14/when-spellcheckers-a.html#comment-356117 MattFriedrichs Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-356117 Reminds me that anybody who's worked on a newspaper design/copydesk knows the danger of the the dropped l when public is used in a headline ... Reminds me that anybody who’s worked on a newspaper design/copydesk knows the danger of the the dropped l when public is used in a headline …

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2008/12/14/when-spellcheckers-a.html#comment-356373 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-356373 I was working at GE as a consultant in the mid-90's and was witness to a middle manager enraged at the IT department for "making a fool of him and purposely causing his spell checker to replace Pentium with penis" in an email to his direct reports. I was working at GE as a consultant in the mid-90′s and was witness to a middle manager enraged at the IT department for “making a fool of him and purposely causing his spell checker to replace Pentium with penis” in an email to his direct reports.

]]> By: mcarrick http://boingboing.net/2008/12/14/when-spellcheckers-a.html#comment-356384 mcarrick Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-356384 And a shout out to my old friend "Oslo Monsoon" er, you get the drift. And a shout out to my old friend “Oslo Monsoon” er,
you get the drift.

]]> By: strumpet windsock http://boingboing.net/2008/12/14/when-spellcheckers-a.html#comment-356135 strumpet windsock Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-356135 haha! Reminds me of one of the more spectacular typos I failed to catch: The automatic spellchecker mis-corrected the word "placemats", resulting in a newspaper listing for the church ladies' sale of "knitting and placentas". They were not amused. We also used to spellcheck the names of local politicians and community figures - not for publication, of course. "Darken Parsnip" was one of them, as I recall. haha!

Reminds me of one of the more spectacular typos I failed to catch:

The automatic spellchecker mis-corrected the word “placemats”, resulting in a newspaper listing for the church ladies’ sale of “knitting and placentas”.

They were not amused.

We also used to spellcheck the names of local politicians and community figures – not for publication, of course. “Darken Parsnip” was one of them, as I recall.

]]> By: Micah http://boingboing.net/2008/12/14/when-spellcheckers-a.html#comment-356393 Micah Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-356393 The Cupertino Effect, second cousin to all those attempts to correctly wreck a nice beach. The Cupertino Effect, second cousin to all those attempts to correctly wreck a nice beach.

]]> By: David Carroll http://boingboing.net/2008/12/14/when-spellcheckers-a.html#comment-356138 David Carroll Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-356138 I was so happy when Apple allowed us ignorant users to turn off auto-correction on the iPhone/Touch. That stupid feature mangled just about every fourth word I typed. I was so happy when Apple allowed us ignorant users to turn off auto-correction on the iPhone/Touch. That stupid feature mangled just about every fourth word I typed.

]]> By: Halloween Jack http://boingboing.net/2008/12/14/when-spellcheckers-a.html#comment-356397 Halloween Jack Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-356397 My favorite: a health care plan that was based on Catholic tenants. My favorite: a health care plan that was based on Catholic tenants.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2008/12/14/when-spellcheckers-a.html#comment-356656 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-356656 Hah! You know, for every DeMeco, there's got to be one out there actually named Demerol. Hah! You know, for every DeMeco, there’s got to be one out there actually named Demerol.

]]> By: jetsetsc http://boingboing.net/2008/12/14/when-spellcheckers-a.html#comment-356657 jetsetsc Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-356657 I remember a newspaper article that got though with some sort of style-bases auto-correct on, where somebody named Mr. Black was referred to as "Mr. African American" throughout the whole piece. -j I remember a newspaper article that got though with some sort of style-bases auto-correct on, where somebody named Mr. Black was referred to as “Mr. African American” throughout the whole piece.
-j

]]> By: bolophonic http://boingboing.net/2008/12/14/when-spellcheckers-a.html#comment-356411 bolophonic Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-356411 I worked for the long distance carrier MCI during the infamous merger with WorldCom. Several of us were given the task of updating ALL of the training information with the new company name of MCI WorldCom. I will never forget the look on my boss's face when it was discovered that someone (not me) had gone the extra mile and used spell check to accidentally convert everything to "MCI Whoredom" right before delivering it all to a management meeting. Good stuff! I worked for the long distance carrier MCI during the infamous merger with WorldCom. Several of us were given the task of updating ALL of the training information with the new company name of MCI WorldCom. I will never forget the look on my boss’s face when it was discovered that someone (not me) had gone the extra mile and used spell check to accidentally convert everything to “MCI Whoredom” right before delivering it all to a management meeting. Good stuff!

]]> By: fbrusca http://boingboing.net/2008/12/14/when-spellcheckers-a.html#comment-356929 fbrusca Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-356929 My favorite spell checking correction was circa 1993. If you typed "pentium" MS Word would suggest "penis" as the correct spelling. Honest! My favorite spell checking correction was circa 1993. If you typed “pentium” MS Word would suggest “penis” as the correct spelling. Honest!

]]> By: Enron Hubbard http://boingboing.net/2008/12/14/when-spellcheckers-a.html#comment-356677 Enron Hubbard Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-356677 Is the alteration of sprinter Tyson Gay's name to "Tyson Homosexual" by a Christian website also a case of the Cupertino Effect? Even if it isn't, it's still pretty damn funny/telling. Is the alteration of sprinter Tyson Gay’s name to “Tyson Homosexual” by a Christian website also a case of the Cupertino Effect? Even if it isn’t, it’s still pretty damn funny/telling.

]]> By: billstewart http://boingboing.net/2008/12/14/when-spellcheckers-a.html#comment-357958 billstewart Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-357958 I've had a spelling checker offer to correct "management" to "madmen" - it was tempting to let it do so. But I've also had an experience like Flaminica's post #25, where MS Mail spell-corrected my attached document without asking me, so the "Org Chart" I was forwarding to someone not only got everybody's name randomly spell-corrected, but was changed to an "Orgy Chart". Fortunately I was able to send a replacement before the recipient read it... I’ve had a spelling checker offer to correct “management” to “madmen” – it was tempting to let it do so. But I’ve also had an experience like Flaminica’s post #25, where MS Mail spell-corrected my attached document without asking me, so the “Org Chart” I was forwarding to someone not only got everybody’s name randomly spell-corrected, but was changed to an “Orgy Chart”. Fortunately I was able to send a replacement before the recipient read it…

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2008/12/14/when-spellcheckers-a.html#comment-356680 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-356680 I used to have a female co-worker whose name was spellchecked into "penile." Yipes! I used to have a female co-worker whose name was spellchecked into “penile.” Yipes!

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2008/12/14/when-spellcheckers-a.html#comment-356169 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-356169 Just a few weeks ago I managed to misspell "inconvenience" and Outlook's spell check changed it to incontinence. As in, "I realize your computer is broken and you haven't been able to get any work done today - sorry for the incontinence." Saw it as the email disappeared off my screen after hitting the Send button... Just a few weeks ago I managed to misspell “inconvenience” and Outlook’s spell check changed it to incontinence.

As in, “I realize your computer is broken and you haven’t been able to get any work done today – sorry for the incontinence.”

Saw it as the email disappeared off my screen after hitting the Send button…

]]> By: zuzu http://boingboing.net/2008/12/14/when-spellcheckers-a.html#comment-356939 zuzu Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-356939 I just remembered that in Japan, due to <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_input_methods" rel="nofollow">automated transliteration</a> from roman characters into the complex kanji, younger generations are forgetting how to write more esoteric kanji and have been termed "waparu baka" -- "word processor idiots". I just remembered that in Japan, due to automated transliteration from roman characters into the complex kanji, younger generations are forgetting how to write more esoteric kanji and have been termed “waparu baka” — “word processor idiots”.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2008/12/14/when-spellcheckers-a.html#comment-356431 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-356431 The first version of Word for Windows used to correct "Novell Netware" to "Novel Knitwear". Also, "Unisys" was corrected to "Anuses". The first version of Word for Windows used to correct “Novell Netware” to “Novel Knitwear”.

Also, “Unisys” was corrected to “Anuses”.

]]> By: crayonbeam http://boingboing.net/2008/12/14/when-spellcheckers-a.html#comment-356954 crayonbeam Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-356954 The Clbuttic Effect is more amusing to say than the Cupertino Effect. The Clbuttic Effect is more amusing to say than the Cupertino Effect.

]]> By: MWainer http://boingboing.net/2008/12/14/when-spellcheckers-a.html#comment-356446 MWainer Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-356446 Just one small attribution. The passage quoted is originally from Michael Quinion's excellent World Wide Words site. http://www.worldwidewords.org/nl/olwy.htm#N5 Just one small attribution. The passage quoted is originally from Michael Quinion’s excellent World Wide Words site.

http://www.worldwidewords.org/nl/olwy.htm#N5

]]> By: randrews http://boingboing.net/2008/12/14/when-spellcheckers-a.html#comment-356451 randrews Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-356451 I think that's better than the opposite problem. OS X consistently fails to warn me when I type "wold", which is a word, but is also usually a misspelling of "would". I think that’s better than the opposite problem. OS X consistently fails to warn me when I type “wold”, which is a word, but is also usually a misspelling of “would”.

]]> By: Flaminica http://boingboing.net/2008/12/14/when-spellcheckers-a.html#comment-356453 Flaminica Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-356453 The office manager of my co-op once carelesly used the spellcheck to change every occurrence of the word 'organisation' in our board agenda to 'orgasm.' That was a fun meeting. The office manager of my co-op once carelesly used the spellcheck to change every occurrence of the word ‘organisation’ in our board agenda to ‘orgasm.’ That was a fun meeting.

]]> By: sazzamook http://boingboing.net/2008/12/14/when-spellcheckers-a.html#comment-356967 sazzamook Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-356967 My favourite is Hippocampus suddely morphing into Hippopotamus :D My favourite is Hippocampus suddely morphing into Hippopotamus :D

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2008/12/14/when-spellcheckers-a.html#comment-356218 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-356218 I remember that in the 90ies the Claris Works spellchecker on the Mac suggested to replace the term "misattribution" with "masturbation" ... I remember that in the 90ies the Claris Works spellchecker on the Mac suggested to replace the term “misattribution” with “masturbation” …

]]> By: bardfinn http://boingboing.net/2008/12/14/when-spellcheckers-a.html#comment-356737 bardfinn Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-356737 One of my favorite .sig's from the BBS era: Dew knot trussed yore spill chequer tiw kitsch awl mistacks. One of my favorite .sig’s from the BBS era:

Dew knot trussed yore spill chequer tiw kitsch awl mistacks.

]]> By: Anonymous http://boingboing.net/2008/12/14/when-spellcheckers-a.html#comment-356996 Anonymous Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-356996 My favorite from years ago was the correction of the city name of Fullerton to fellation. Almost left it that way (ha ha) but thought the better of it. My favorite from years ago was the correction of the city name of Fullerton to fellation. Almost left it that way (ha ha) but thought the better of it.

]]> By: feesh http://boingboing.net/2008/12/14/when-spellcheckers-a.html#comment-357000 feesh Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-357000 Beloved Aunt anybody? Beloved Aunt anybody?

]]> By: takeshi http://boingboing.net/2008/12/14/when-spellcheckers-a.html#comment-356241 takeshi Wed, 30 Nov -0001 00:00:00 +0000 #comment-356241 Spell check does not a brain replacement make. My beef is that so many prominent publications still have misspelled words. <i>The New York Times</i> is one of the gravest offenders—almost as bad as <i>The Chicago Sun-Times</i>. I understand that typos happen, but not knowing the difference between "their," "there," and "they're" should automatically disqualify an individual from being a paid journalist. I've been noticing this effect for years without knowing it had a name. I wonder, though: how many writers use spell check without bothering to check the article by eye? Every time I use it, I try to make certain that the replacement words are the correct ones. I've goofed on occasion, of course, but not very often. Then again, I hardly ever use spell check. Spell check does not a brain replacement make. My beef is that so many prominent publications still have misspelled words. The New York Times is one of the gravest offenders—almost as bad as The Chicago Sun-Times.

I understand that typos happen, but not knowing the difference between “their,” “there,” and “they’re” should automatically disqualify an individual from being a paid journalist.

I’ve been noticing this effect for years without knowing it had a name. I wonder, though: how many writers use spell check without bothering to check the article by eye? Every time I use it, I try to make certain that the replacement words are the correct ones. I’ve goofed on occasion, of course, but not very often. Then again, I hardly ever use spell check.

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