This is why I laugh at the whole semantic web thing: we haven't even figured out how to hook up a spelling checker reliably to our blogging tools, let alone one sensitive to the context in which we are writting! And spel chekers are 25 year old technologies!

I find that the amount of spelling mistakes I make is directly correlated to the number of Ales consumed. To be honest about the spellchecker thing, unless I am in a hurry, I type onto a word processor, then cut and paste. Crude but effective, unless rapid response is required. (I think this may be the cause of so many question marks appearing in my comments...I may pay for that last statement.

I've made my position on spelling on blogs clear before - this is a conversation or even an argument but it is not formal. If anyone were to be deterred from posting for fear of being jumped on for OED priggery, I would lose that voice. I think there is a over-interest in spelling from the programming classes because the text of code does not operate if not done perfectly. Language, written and spoke, <i>at this level of informality</i>, needs no such perfection. Besides, some of the biggest prigs about spelling have the least to actually say about anything. As Dr. Johnson said of nationalism, it is the resourse of a scoundrel.

But on the other question - what image do you have in your mind for other parts of blogspace? Another I can think of, Dave3, is like a junior high vice-principal giving a lecture on use of the bike racks: trying but not getting it quite right and always conscious more than anything of the need to maintain control. By contrast, Craig is mid-morning coffee break at a diner.

I try to use proper spelling and grammar in my blog posts, though I don't aways succeed. Part of the reason I started this was to improve my writing.

In comments, I rarely make an effort -- I simply can't afford the time.

<p>As a permanent resident and a legal immigrant, I'm allowed to make spelling errors I hope. And on preview, what David says ('In comments, I rarely make an effort -- I simply can't afford the time.').</p>

I thought you'd just changed your opinion about Iraq :-)

Well, all I can say about this whole thing is that I am the queen of the typo/spelling mistake.

"we haven't even figured out how to hook up a spelling checker reliably to our blogging tools, "
Check with HB. He got me set up with spellcheck for blog commenting with a program called ieSpell. Great program, I just forget to use it!

As a general concept. I'm sure there's lots of great specific implementations, but the concept of [some tool] <---> [my favorite spell checker] as a plug in concept doesn't exist.

I agree that content is more important than spelling. I know I've made my fair share of mistakes. Having said that, it shouldn't be an excuse for poor standards though.

I code my blog in html using Ace which has a spelling checker.

Nice to see you quoting Dr Johnson, Alan.

Undergrad papers written 20 years ago have to have some value, Ale-fan.