Best Free Spell-Checker
TinySpell is an impressive little utility which checks individual words on a correct-as-you-type basis, from clipboard contents or from a query box. The 110,00 word dictionary is not enormous but more than adequate for normal use, and you can also add words to the dictionary as needed. Resource demands are modest, and the product can be easily enabled/disenabled from the taskbar icon.
It has one odd feature; the dictionary has both American and English spelling so words like "color" and "colour" both show as correct. Overall, it's quite a solid product and an excellent companion to WordWeb.
TinySpell features include:
Checks spelling on-the-fly (alerts if the last typed word was misspelled)
Checks spelling of text that is copied to the clipboard
Allows you to specify tinySpell disabled or enabled applications (new in v1.6)
Optionally beeps on error (beep sound can be easily set to any wav file)
Opens replacements list with a simple mouse click or a hot-key
Optionally copies the selected replacement word to the clipboard
Optionally inserts the selected replacement word into the document
Allows you to add words to the dictionary
Easy Enable/Disable
Uses little system resources
TinySpell
Website: http: http://tinyspell.m6.net/
Download link: http://tinyspell.m6.net/#download
Author: KEDMI Scientific Computing
Current version: 1.6
Version date: January 22, 2008
License: Freeware
Download File size: 573KB
Operating Systems Supported: 95/98/Me/NT/2000/XP/2003 Server/Vista
Additional Software Required: None
64 Bit Capable: No
Portable Version Available: No
Non-English languages supported: None
This software category is maintained by William Fishburne.
- WordWeb (http://wordweb.info/free/)
- GNU Aspell (http://aspell.net/)
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Thu, 06/19/2008 - 02:14 — Johnboy
I just got EditPadLite 6.4.1 dated 12 March 2008. and tinySpell 1.7 a few minutes later.
Can you tell me how to use it with EditPadLite?
I'm Disabled
Johnboy,
Once you install tinyspell it will start checking your spelling as you type. A small yellow box will appear near any word that is misspelled with the word that tinyspell thinks is in error (I think you also get a beep, but I can't remember exactly how tinyspell arrives when it comes out of the box). If you click on the little yellow box, tinyspell will give you suggestions to correct your spelling. To test, I just downloaded and installed EditPadLite, downloaded and installed tinySpell. I then invoked both from the shortcuts that were dropped on my desktop as a side-effect of the install process and confirmed that both appeared in my toolbar. At that point, I started typing into EditPadLite and tinyspell threw up its little boxes as I typed errors. I hope that helps!
GNU Aspell is definitely worth a serious look - http://aspell.net/win32/
It has *many* languages available, and is available for Unix, Linux, Windows and more. It is the standard spell checker on Linux, and many Unix systems, and is very good, and fast. Unfortunately I don't think that there is a nice convenient Windows GUI where you can just drag or paste some text for checking, but many apps (Opera comes to mind, and some text editors) support spell checking via DLL calls to Aspell. What you can do, if your file is plain text, is to drag it and drop it onto a shortcut (created at installation time) which simply invokes the aspell.exe file with the single parameter "check". This works well, but opens up a DOS style window with plain text. All spell checking/replacement options are available, but no easy way to change a word in place.
Somebody listed a demo Windows GUI on the aspell.net home page - http://aspell.net/gui.txt, I have not taken a look at it. Since I'm busy learning Python right now, maybe a GUI spell checker interface that calls Aspell would be a good starting project for me to get some experience on.
Maybe Gizmo ... maybe! :-)
My personal favorite is 1-Click Answers which includes a dictionary, thesaurus, word translations, word tutor and more. It has a very small footprint and can be launched from the taskbar or by placing your mouse over a word and using alt-left click on your mouse. It can also be launched from within your browser by double-clicking on a word. The program has it's roots in the excellent program Atomica; which became Gurunet; which was later purchased by answers.com. Give it a try! It is great for improving your vocabulary/writing skills by clicking on words within e-mails or docs and using the thesaurus to find alternatives.
http://www.answers.com/main/download_answers_win.jsp
Regards,
John E. Vande Woude
I've used GNU Aspell, so I'll have to do a more complete review...I've put it on the list.
I've been using WordWeb for over a year now and I think it is fabulous. I change the hotkeys to ALT-Right Click rather than CTRL-Right Click since the latter is useful for splitting your screen among selected windows.
If you like to use text editor Notepad++, then you may also want to try GNU Aspell .
There is another category for the dictionary/thesaurus kind of thing (which I also maintain) take a look at: http://techsupportalert.com/dr/best-free-dictionary-thesaurus-utility.ht...
You will find WordWeb reviewed there.
It would be nice to know about other options, offering support in various languages such as French, Spanish, German.
Hmmm...My German is "OK" maybe some others who know some of these languages could make some recommendations? I'll pursue it, but it is going to be very hard for me to evaluate non-English spell checkers for, well, their ability to correct spelling!
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