[2011] Do you proof your TUG posts before you submit?

ace2000 · Jul 6, 2011

I've got a question for everyone that is a big concern for me... how do you proof your posts before you submit? Do you preview or read through them first? Do you proof at all?

For me, I teach a couple of college night classes (Computer classes, not English classes

), and I am always extra careful about any emails that I send to the class. However, any other emails (or forum posts such as this), it seems like I'm always in too much of a hurry to just get it done. I think most of my problems occur when I edit the message after typing.

Any tricks out there?

ace2000 · Jul 6, 2011

One more thought... I was kind of thinking that it might be a factor of getting older. Which means that I need to be extra cautious now. I started wearing bifocals three years ago, and thought that may be part of the cause. I don't remember having these types of problems when I was younger. Of course, perhaps I just didn't notice.

AwayWeGo · Jul 6, 2011

Revise & Rewrite.

ace2000 said:
Any tricks out there?

Click here for Strunk & White.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.

ace2000 · Jul 6, 2011

AwayWeGo said:
Click here for Strunk & White.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.

Can't read that site in detail this morning... but from what I've skimmed, it looks great! Thanks Alan.

AwayWeGo · Jul 6, 2011

Wilson Follett.

ace2000 said:
Can't read that site in detail this morning... but from what I've skimmed, it looks great!

It is great.

And when you've digested that & find yourself hungry for more, try Modern American Usage by Wilson Follett.

I specially like the older edition edited by Jacques Barzun. But the newer versions are OK too.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.

ace2000 · Jul 6, 2011

AwayWeGo said:
It is great.

I specially like the older edition edited by Jacques Barzun. .

Did you mean especially? :hi:

AwayWeGo · Jul 6, 2011

Good Catch.

ace2000 said:
Did you mean especially?

I quit typing especially a long time ago -- switched to specially instead.

Not only that, the more I think about it, the better I like specially in place of especially. Sounds less formal & more conversational.

I doubtless have habits of speech & typing that kick in automatically via some virtually thought-free process.

Mostly, however, stuff that I type is fully premeditated (including the way that I type it).

That specially goes for stuff on TUG-BBS.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.

Passepartout · Jul 6, 2011

Readers who are paying attention will notice that many of my posts have been edited. More often than not I find a typo or that I forgot to include something after I hit the 'send' button and have to edit it after it's posted. Thank goodness for the 'edit' button.

Jim

ace2000 · Jul 6, 2011

AwayWeGo said:
I quit typing especially a long time ago -- switched to specially instead.

Not only that, the more I think about it, the better I like specially in place of especially. Sounds less formal & more conversational.

I doubtless have habits of speech & typing that kick in automatically via some virtually thought-free process.

Mostly, however, stuff that I type is fully premeditated (including the way that I type it).

That specially goes for stuff on TUG-BBS.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.

Alan,

First, this is probably a good time to mention that you are probably my favorite TUG poster to read... so, take any of my comments in that light.

Thanks for everything you add to the great TUG experience!

ace2000 · Jul 6, 2011

Passepartout said:
Thank goodness for the 'edit' button.

Jim

I wish that edit option (without the correction message) was available a little longer after 'submitting'... I notice most of my mistakes then. I'm thinking that five or ten minutes would be ideal. However, I still catch some much later. Does anyone know how long you can edit without the correction notice appearing below your message?

AwayWeGo · Jul 6, 2011

Thank You.

ace2000 said:
First, this is probably a good time to mention that you are probably my favorite TUG poster to read.

Nice of you to say -- much appreciated.

I truly enjoy participating in the TUG-BBS give & take -- not just in timeshare-related matters, but just about all of it.

I an specially grateful for the forbearance of the TUG Grand Pro for letting me get away with sending in so much outlandish stuff that's far afield from anything to do with timeshares & timesharing.

Much of what I send in is more in the nature of a personal blog than anything else. Any time people say they enjoy reading it, that salves my conscience somewhat.

Thanks again for your kind words.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.

BevL · Jul 6, 2011

Mine show up as edited too. I do read them but sometimes on reading it again, it's just not as clear as I think it should be so I'll scoot in and shuffle stuff around to make more coherent - or at least I hope that's accomplished.

My kids tease me when I text as I don't use the popular abbreviated style for texting and I use punctuation. And I capitalize. Old habits die hard.

ronparise · Jul 6, 2011

Passepartout said:
Readers who are paying attention will notice that many of my posts have been edited. More often than not I find a typo or that I forgot to include something after I hit the 'send' button and have to edit it after it's posted. Thank goodness for the 'edit' button.

Jim

Thats what I do...hit the submit button and then edit to correct the mistakes (most of them)

Fern Modena · Jul 6, 2011

Alan and Ace,
I switched from probably to prolly more than ten years ago. I also often use kewl instead of cool.

Nowadays my typing is often off kilter because my baby finger and index finger on my left hand often go rogue on me. The pinkie hits CAPS LOCK or a letter I don't want, so I tend to look at the screen (not the keyboard) as I type, which slows me down quite a bit. I'm still a touch typist on my other fingers...

Getting old isn't for sissies.

Fern

AwayWeGo said:
I quit typing especially a long time ago -- switched to specially instead.

Not only that, the more I think about it, the better I like specially in place of especially. Sounds less formal & more conversational.

I doubtless have habits of speech & typing that kick in automatically via some virtually thought-free process.

Mostly, however, stuff that I type is fully premeditated (including the way that I type it).

That specially goes for stuff on TUG-BBS.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.

MichaelColey · Jul 6, 2011

I'll usually scroll back through before I submit a post to make sure things came out the way I meant. My brain usually works a little faster than my fingers and sometimes I'll end up going in two disjointed directions in a single sentence.

If I've used any words where I'm not positive on the spelling, I'll sometimes click the spell check button (

) in the upper right to make sure. Most of the time, I don't bother.

rickandcindy23 · Jul 6, 2011

I make spelling and grammatical errors often on TUG. I realize it sometimes and edit; other times, I ignore it; some other times it is too late to edit. Meaning the option is gone to edit.

Oh, well! I am especially bad at the grammatical error of saying, "It's the same for Rick and me" I know it's not correct, but I do it anyway. It's a goof I would like to fix, but I say it wrong too.

I also say, "Can I have another refill...." Instead of "May I have..." I am really bad, and I know better. I would rather be oblivious (ignorant?).

I just saw a post a while back, too late to edit, where I wrote it's instead of its possessive. I type very fast, and sometimes I type the wrong word, usually a sound alike word, like there for their, or something stupid like that. I always hope to edit before someone sees.

So I edit after. I guess that is my answer.

AwayWeGo · Jul 6, 2011

What's Incorrect About That ?

rickandcindy23 said:
I am especially bad at the grammatical error of saying, "It's the same for Rick and me" I know it's not correct, but I do it anyway. It's a goof I would like to fix, but I say it wrong too.

It absolutely is correct just the way you typed it.

What would be wrong-wrong-wrong (i.e., incorrect -- it's not a moral issue) would be saying "It's the same for Rick and I".

BTW -- It's not too late for Strunk & White. (Just saying.)

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.

Elli · Jul 6, 2011

MichaelColey said:
I'll usually scroll back through before I submit a post to make sure things came out the way I meant. My brain usually works a little faster than my fingers and sometimes I'll end up going in two disjointed directions in a single sentence.

If I've used any words where I'm not positive on the spelling, I'll sometimes click the spell check button (

) in the upper right to make sure. Most of the time, I don't bother.

Michael, I use the spell check (ABC) in Hotmail, but I don't see it in the upper right when I am on TUG.

Passepartout · Jul 6, 2011

Elli said:
Michael, I use the spell check (ABC) in Hotmail, but I don't see it in the upper right when I am on TUG.

I don't have it either. In Firefox spellcheck was either an add-on or automatic. I just get the red squiggly line under my all-too-common mis-spellings. Right click on them and select the correct one.

Jim

ace2000 · Jul 6, 2011

Passepartout said:
I don't have it either. In Firefox spellcheck was either an add-on or automatic. I just get the red squiggly line under my all-too-common mis-spellings. Right click on them and select the correct one.

Jim

I get that squiggy line in Chrome. Only problem is that I rarely use Chrome.

pjrose · Jul 6, 2011

Passepartout said:
Readers who are paying attention will notice that many of my posts have been edited. More often than not I find a typo or that I forgot to include something after I hit the 'send' button and have to edit it after it's posted. Thank goodness for the 'edit' button.

Jim

ronparise said:
Thats what I do...hit the submit button and then edit to correct the mistakes (most of them)

Same with me.

ace2000 · Jul 6, 2011

I think I'm less concerned with a TUG post then I am when sending an email at work. That's the one that gets me the most. I'm ready to move on to another a task, and just don't take the time to proof. Was kind of hoping somebody had a method or a trick to accomplish that consistently...

AwayWeGo · Jul 6, 2011

Discipline Means Doing What You Don't Want To Do When You Don't Want To Do It.

ace2000 said:
I'm ready to move on to another a task, and just don't take the time to proof.

There's the weenie right there -- not taking the time.

Plus, it's not just proofreading. It's self-editing -- the job of making sure you're typing what you mean, which takes rereading & revising & rewriting.

The idea is writing not just so that it's possible for people to understand what you're trying to get across, but writing instead so that it's impossible to misunderstand what you're trying to say.

That's easier said than done, & no doubt it's a standard rarely lived up to.

Even so, that should remain the goal, whether writing serious stuff like legal briefs & contracts or typing something semi-frivolous for TUG-BBS.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.

rickandcindy23 · Jul 6, 2011

AwayWeGo said:
It absolutely is correct just the way you typed it.

What would be wrong-wrong-wrong (i.e., incorrect -- it's not a moral issue) would be saying "It's the same for Rick and I".

Strike that and reverse it. Okay, I said that wrong, as I often do, with my fast, fast typing, not to mention my ability to type before engaging my brain. :rofl:

ace2000 · Jul 6, 2011

AwayWeGo said:
There's the weenie right there -- not taking the time.

Plus, it's not just proofreading. It's self-editing -- the job of making sure you're typing what you mean, which takes rereading & revising & rewriting.

The idea is writing not just so that it's possible for people to understand what you're trying to get across, but writing instead so that it's impossible to misunderstand what you're trying to say.

That's easier said than done, & no doubt it's a standard rarely lived up to.

Even so, that should remain the goal, whether writing serious stuff like legal briefs & contracts or typing something semi-frivolous for TUG-BBS.

-- Alan Cole, McLean (Fairfax County), Virginia, USA.

Alan,

I think you're right about the time it takes... I tend to think that I'm so good, that I shouldn't have to proof.

Guess nobody's buying into my original theory that I'm just getting old and blind at the same time... :rofl:

[2011] Do you proof your TUG posts before you submit?

ace2000

ace2000

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