XRAR Systems

Grammar\Style Checking Software Review

grumpybug — Mon, 07 Jun 2010 12:26:11 +0000

Recently I was asked to do a review of grammar/style checking applications, what I found is a rather quirky niche market in terms of software applications. The first notable thing about this market is the lack of free demonstration versions available to properly evaluate the application before purchase, from experience this is never a good sign. Some have a 30 day money back guarantee but that’s not quite the same thing. In the end, I managed to borrow a copy of StyleWriter and the good folks at Serenity Software offered a 10 day evaluation copy of Editor so some testing was possible.

Below are five of the main contenders and some pertinent points which I considered during my evaluation.

StyleWriter http://www.stylewriter.com.au

Supports US, UK and Australian writing styles and is the only application to use the Macquarie Dictionary as its base reference.
Compatible with all versions of Microsoft Word.
It also can analyse text in your clipboard which means it will work with any program.
Encourages a clear writing style by removing excessive wording, cliché phrases etc.
The user interface is reasonably intuitive and takes a minimal amount of time to understand how to use the application.
Claims to be able to find more than 35,000 common writing mistakes.
A summary of the issues identified is provided, which helps the user understand their current deficiencies in their writing technique.
Single user license US$160.

WhiteSmoke http://www.whitesmoke.com

Compatible with all versions of Microsoft Word.
Transmits portions of the document to the vendor’s server for analysis, for this reason it should not be considered as an option.
Examples shown of the product led to an increased word count by inserting adjectives which are not required.
You can’t get a price unless you register your details, not a good sign
There are numerous reports on forums about unethical business dealings by the vendor.
Web of Trust gives it a pretty low rating http://www.mywot.com/en/scorecard/buy.whitesmoke.com
The VeriSign logo at the bottom of the page is not linked back to VeriSign, another bad sign
Finally here are some of their aliases

Editor – Serenity Software http://www.serenity-software.com/

Supports US, UK and Australian writing styles.
Compatible with all versions of Microsoft Word plus WordPerfect, RTF and HTML files.
Compatible with windows 7.
The Word plug-in has a dependency on Dot Net v2.0, which is an older framework, this might be acceptable for home use but not something I would accept in an Enterprise environment.
Claims to be able to find more than 100,000 common writing mistakes.
The user interface is less intuitive than StyleWriter but is still usable.
The network version has a simple install.
The lack of summary or score is an advantage. Instead of focusing on a style score the user focuses on improving the quality of the document.
Single user license US$50

Writers Workbench http://www.writersworkbench.com

Compatible with windows 7 and Office 2007 and has a Word Plug-in available.
Appears to have an overly complicated assessment interface and places more of an emphasis on scoring the text rather than correcting it.
Single user license US$100.

RightWriter http://www.right-writer.com

Compatible with Windows XP/Vista/Windows 7
It is a standalone application requiring the user to copy text into the application.
Claims to be able to find over 25,000 common writing mistakes.
The vendor website lacks product information suggesting there may be weaknesses in the product.
Single user license US$30

The reverse tradeshow

grumpybug — Sat, 29 May 2010 12:07:07 +0000

Having just come from CeBIT it made me groan looking at all the solutions on offer just looking for a problem to fill. Then thinking about the ensuing arguments in the office because COO has just be sold a solution to a problem which didn’t actually exist and worse the IT manager is now scratching their head trying to figure out how the hell they are going to implement the solution in their current environment.

The problem is, we see this scenario playing out in large enterprises all the time, where the people with money are making decisions without understanding the big picture of the organisation. As an former Enterprise Architect I was always dealing with internal clients who had no idea of their actual requirements but instead were focused on a solution which appeared as a new shiny toy at a trade show.

So that got me thinking, wouldn’t it be nice to have a reverse trade show like CeBIT where companies could set up a stall to advertise their requirements and then have vendors prowling the floor engaging with companies a putting forward a solution only once a requirement has been identified. Or other companies could engage with your company to identify common issues to ensure that solutions vendors aren’t selling you a dud.

It’s a nice idea but I don’t think there would be any money in that.

The Social Media Expert

grumpybug — Thu, 27 May 2010 12:03:24 +0000

So what does it take to become a social media expert?

Well from what I can tell it appears to be an internet connection and an ego. The bigger the ego, the better the expert and for the truly egotistical of you out there you can become a social media guru.

Also required is one or more accounts with either Twitter, Facebook.YouTube or MySpace. Don’t worry, you don’t have to know how these technologies work, as a social media expert that’s not your problem.

Ah but surely you need a degree in psychology or anthropology? Well yes, well that is only if you actually have an interest in how other people use this technology. But as a social media expert is more important to make sure that your opinion is heard, so how other people might use these technologies is irrelevant to you.

So what does it take to be a social media expert?