Gransnet forums

Pedants' corner

Preview conversation vs Post conversation

(25 Posts)
schnackie Sun 04-Oct-20 11:57:04

I will admit to not being perfect grin but I do proof read every post I put on Gransnet and the wonderful facility to preview what I've written helps me catch so many mistakes. It makes me wonder why more Gransnetters don't use it! Every time I see a follow up post of "Grrr, autocorrect", or "Meant to say..." I just shake my head.

B9exchange Sun 04-Oct-20 11:59:51

It is perfectly possible to miss something even when reading back, especially if fired up about something, which applies to some posters! Or equally if distressed and asking for help.

MawB2 Sun 04-Oct-20 12:04:35

I do it! But there is a Sods Law that you (I) will miss something until the nanosecond after I have pressed “Post”
I also suspect Autocorrect of changing things en route- as I swear it was right first time.
Gremlins maybe? ???

MamaCaz Sun 04-Oct-20 12:07:22

Same here, Maw!

Chewbacca Sun 04-Oct-20 12:19:17

I'm a fast and accurate typist but typing out a post when you're on a tiny phone isn't the same as typing out a post on a lap top, computer or tablet; mistakes can easily be made. As Maw says, even if you preview your post, it's easy to miss a spelling mistake or that auto correct has changed a word to something completely inappropriate. For example, my ancient tablet is determined to change every letter "o" to the letter "i" and I sometimes fail to spot that. It's only when you see it, a few seconds later, that the error is obvious.

Oopsadaisy4 Sun 04-Oct-20 12:23:11

I think that most people’s brains are wired so that they can’t see the incorrect word, they glance at the ‘typo’ along with the rest of the sentence and to them it looks ok.
Some people don’t have that ability and mistakes are glaringly obvious.
There was a quote on FB recently that had half of the words spelt incorrectly and some with totally different letters in the words, they said that a lot of people wouldn’t understand any of it, I read it perfectly.

Well, that’s my excuse anyway.

BlueBelle Sun 04-Oct-20 12:24:44

I totally agree with other posters even using the preview isn’t foolproof and time comes into it too we might not all be sitting in our armchair when firing of a reply
Well my tablet isn’t ancient Chewbacca but it still changes all my ‘o’ s to ‘i’s and I don’t always notice
If only we had a 5 minute slot to change things ....sigh j

Oopsadaisy4 Sun 04-Oct-20 12:25:10

This is the text

Juliet27 Sun 04-Oct-20 12:26:55

Reminds me of an old comedy programme where a useless secretary said ‘oh I only typed it, I didn’t read it’

Juliet27 Sun 04-Oct-20 12:30:33

I’m pleased to say oopsadaisy that I too am one of the ‘certain people’

Roses Sun 04-Oct-20 12:33:27

Me too

MaizieD Sun 04-Oct-20 12:43:22

That jumbled letter thing has done the rounds for years. (Though I haven't seen it with numbers in before) It only works for skilled readers who have a fair idea of what it's saying.

As I used to work with unskilled readers, who couldn't even read correctly spelled words, it drove me mad when people used it to claim that spelling didn't really matter angry

Don't we all have 'B*gger, saw the error too late' moments?
Or 'Dammit, should have proof read'...

Lexisgranny Sun 04-Oct-20 12:43:25

Must confess I have always been hopeless at proof reading. DH is a whiz at it, but I have my doubts whether he would been keen on being called on to read my Gransnet posts,

schnackie Sun 04-Oct-20 12:52:34

Gosh, I have never looked at Gransnet on my phone! That would be difficult! I only use my laptop. But as I said, clearly I still find mistakes slip through after I've proofread things. I just thought I'd take advantage of this forum to have a moan!!

MerylStreep Sun 04-Oct-20 13:01:02

Why do you think copywriters never proof read their own work? They wrote it so chances are they won't see the mistake.

Calendargirl Sun 04-Oct-20 13:07:57

I always preview mine, but sometimes miss something. It’s obvious many don’t though, and then ask for an ‘edit’ button.

MamaCaz Sun 04-Oct-20 13:08:59

Very good point, MerylStreep. (Though I am very good both at spotting errors in other peoples work and in my own, but only after I've pressed 'Post'!) grin

BlueBelle Sun 04-Oct-20 13:15:29

I m a ‘certain‘ person too and always find those jumbled posts very easy to read
The edit button is not just about rectifying mistakes though calandergirl sometimes the previous post isn’t there when you post but has popped up while writing and may have a very pertinent point in that you see and want to answer the minute you complete and post yours to the thread

mokryna Sun 04-Oct-20 13:19:01

I could read the text above ?. However, I am sure that when I press the post button my text is changed. I am dyslexic so I have to battle with that, also my iPad has both English and French dictionaries, which doesn’t help matters.

avitorl Sun 04-Oct-20 13:21:54

I can read the jumbled message easily. What does that say about me? Is it meant to be a good or bad thing?

merlotgran Sun 04-Oct-20 13:23:05

I use preview on longish posts but sometimes I read it through and then forget to actually post the damn thing. hmm

grandtanteJE65 Sun 04-Oct-20 15:06:39

What I don't get at all is why people use autocorrect!

I spent ages working out how to disable it, that I will admit. It is relatively easily done on a computer, but murder on a smart phone. But the relief of not having to live with Microsoft or Apple's ideas of language is well worth the trouble.

Marydoll Sun 04-Oct-20 15:33:04

I am also a certain poster, who proof reads, but at least one error usually slips through.

My problem is that my brain works faster than my hand and I tend to transpose letters! blush.
It's certainly not worth stressing nor complaining about.

Anyway, we are in good company.
Countdown's Susie Dent apologised to readers after it emerged that the first edition of Word Perfect, her £14.99 “etymological almanac”, has been published in far from perfect condition. The wrong version was published. It hadn't been proof read. grin.

Grannybags Sun 04-Oct-20 15:45:55

I proof read but still notice a "there" instead of "their"or similar after I've pushed the button. Maybe I'm not good a proof reading!

I can read that Oopsadaisy but is that good or bad...?!

sodapop Sun 04-Oct-20 15:48:29

Well if Susie Dent can do it there is no hope for the rest of us Marydoll I do enjoy her slots on Countdown.