Spell Checkers

Spell checkers are one of the great inventions of the computer age. When was the last time you saw a dictionary? These were once indispensable for anyone who would write as part of their job, or when corresponding with acquaintances (remember letters?). This blog would be more a of a mess than it is without the built in Spell Checker.

I rely on Spell Checkers to make this dummy appear smarter. However, they can get you in trouble. If you are not precise in selecting the replacement word in a Spell Checker list, you can send the wrong message. For instance, I had a vice president with the last name of Flessas. Anytime I would use his name in an email or MS Word document, the Spell Checker would flag it as a mis-spelling. Two of the suggested replacements were Fleeces and Feces. Either of those selections would have conveyed an unfortunate message.

Another humorous instance involved an email I received. I was one of many sent the email that apologized for rescheduling a meeting. The sender intended to say: "I am sorry for the inconvenience", but selected the wrong option provided by his Spell Checker and sent: "I am sorry for the incontinence". Quite a different message?