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AbiWord beats OpenOffice to a Grammar Checker
msevior writes "The recently released AbiWord-2.4 (downloads for Linux, OSX and Windows here ) is the first Free Word Processor to offer an integrated Grammar Checker. We can can do this because we're a pure GPL'd application and so can easily collaborate with other Freely licensed applications like link-grammar, gtkmathview and itex2mml which provide AbiWord-2.4 with a superb Latex-based Math feature.
Sun's license requirements for OpenOffice.Org make it much more difficult for such collaborations to occur."
[...] integrated Grammar Checker. We can can do this because [...]
:-)
A grammar checker would be a good idea if:
...what the heck you dumb program! It's a freaking header! must all my headers be complete sentences?
- It is well implemented, from what I hear, Wordperfect's Grammatik used to be almost always correct and very useful,as opposed to Word's grammar checker that 's here just so that Microsoft can say "we have a grammar checker"
- It didn't try to 'improve your style'. I hate it whenever Word tries to encourage me not to use passive.Also my pet hate when Word underlines all my headers and says "fragment: consider revising"
- It can be easily turned off, and doesnt fill your page with green lines under every sentence.
it won't be as good as peer review or a professional proofreader, but it may spot that embarrasing mistake before you send that critical report to the customer at 11 pm..
From the Link Grammer link you provided:
http://bobo.link.cs.cmu.edu/link/
As of December 2004, we are releasing the parser under a new license; the license allows unrestricted use in commercial applications, and is also compatible with the GNU GPL (General Public License). You can view the license here. We are also releasing version 4.1b, which is identical to version 4.1 (released in 2000) except that the licensing statements reflect the new license.
Sun's license for OpenOffice is LGPL
http://www.openoffice.org/license.html
Actual uses of grammar check:
- As a partner to spell check, find correctly spelled but misplaced words (eg: there and their).
- Find common brain-farts such as reduplicated words.
- Remind blame-ducking idiots that the passive verb makes their evasions obvious. Mistakes were made, my foot!
- Point out incongruities and neologisms, which some people might not know aren't cultured english, such as excessive verbing of nouns.
These are all tasks that require an ability to parse grammar, and they're actually useful.To call them "grammar checking" would be too strong, but I can't think of a better descriptive name.
Okay then, translate "The window has been broken" into active voice.
"Windows is broken."
The submitter praises GNOME's premier word processor in that it can surpass OpenOffice.org because it is GPL'ed, whereas the inflexible LGPL license of OpenOffice.org cripples development.
No, I think you (and most posters) misunderstand what the licensing issue is. The problem with OpenOffice.org is *not* that it's LGPL'd, but rather that for code to be integrated into OpenOffice.org, Sun requires you turn your copyright over to Sun. Very few existing Open Source projects are willing to do that--because frankly it's evil. This makes it very difficult for OpenOffice.org to integrate anything that isn't home grown.