{"id":784,"date":"2010-01-31T13:19:22","date_gmt":"2010-01-31T20:19:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dubinko.info\/blog\/?p=784"},"modified":"2010-01-31T13:19:22","modified_gmt":"2010-01-31T20:19:22","slug":"avoid-whitesmoke","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dubinko.info\/blog\/2010\/01\/avoid-whitesmoke\/","title":{"rendered":"Writing tools to avoid: WhiteSmoke"},"content":{"rendered":"

I was<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> lured<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> in by a slick<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> promotion<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>, and<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> decided<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> to give<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> a new<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> writing<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> tool<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> a try<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>. WhiteSmoke<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a> seems<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> like<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> it’s primarily<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> aimed<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> at folks<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> for<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> whom<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> English<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> is not<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> a first<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> language<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>, but<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> quotes<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> like<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> “Innovative<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> technology<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> for<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> native<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> and<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> non<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>–native<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> English<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> speakers<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>” make<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> it seem<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> like<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> it could<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> help<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>. When<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> I wrote<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> an article<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> for<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> xml<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a>.com<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> that<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> summarized<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> recent<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> mailing<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> list<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> activity<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>, I liked<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> to compile<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> readability<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> statistics<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> on the<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> messages<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>. Maybe<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> this<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> would<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> be similar<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>.<\/p>\n

I<\/span> had<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> some<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> question<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> of whether<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> this<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> would<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> work<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> on a Mac<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> or not<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>, but<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> the<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> FAQ<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> assures<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> one<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> that<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> “Mac<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> users<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> are<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> able<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> to use<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> WhiteSmoke’s online<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> interface<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> (also<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> known<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> as the<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> Online<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> Editor<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>), which<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> contains<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> all<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> grammar<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>, enrichment<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> and<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> spelling<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> features<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>” and<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> (in curiously<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> clumsy<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> language<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>) “Should<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> you<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> be running<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> Safari<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> MacOS<\/span> x10.3 and<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> encounter<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> any<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> problems<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>, please<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> use<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> FireFox<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>.”<\/p>\n

Sounds<\/span><\/span> good<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>.<\/p>\n

The<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> spell<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> checker<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> is decent<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>, probably<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> about<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> as good<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> as the<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> one<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> in WordPress<\/span>.<\/p>\n

The<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> thesaurus<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> is pretty<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> good<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>. Clicking<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> on almost<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> any<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> word<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> will<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> prompt<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> a drop<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>–down<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> list<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> of synonyms<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>. This<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> sometimes<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> makes<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> selecting<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> text<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> troublesome<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>. The<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> list<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> itself<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> is often<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> too<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> small<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>, and<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> entries<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> toward<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> the<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> bottom<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> are<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> obscured<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>.<\/p>\n

The<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> grammar<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> checker<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> is OK, but<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> I couldn’t point<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> to anything<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> it does<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> that<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> Word<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> couldn’t have<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> handled<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> (though<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> it has<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> been<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> a long<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> time<\/span> since<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> I have<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> run<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> Word<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>).<\/p>\n

The<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> user<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> interface<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> is terrible<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>. Any<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> errors<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> are<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> shown<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> in slightly<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> bolder<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> text<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> either<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> red<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> or green<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> with<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> nothing<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> distinguishing<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> in the<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> background<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>. I’m not<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> too<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> good<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> with<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> colors<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>, so it’s hard<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> for<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> me to say<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>. The<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> text<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> is very<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> difficult<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> to scan<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>. It has<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> an AutoCorrect<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> mode<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>, which<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> can<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> fix<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> some<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> mistakes<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> without<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> interaction<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>, but<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> just<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> as often<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> breaks<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> your<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> text<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>. For<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> example<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>, it changed<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> the<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> previous<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> paragraph<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> from<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> “Sounds<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> good<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>.” to<\/span> “remark<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>: Incomplete<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> Sentence<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> good<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>.” The<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> changed<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> text<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> is bold<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>, but<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> only<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> until<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> the<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> next<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> scan<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>, when<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> it becomes<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> indistinguishable<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> from<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> actual<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> text<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>.<\/p>\n

At the XML level, it produces horrible output, with stacks upon stacks of nested spans, with duplicate IDs. Some of this may be from the necessary back-and-forth between the web interface and whatever your actual editor is. View source on this posting to see what I mean.<\/p>\n

It gets<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> worse<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>. The<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> online<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> interface<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> is limited<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> to 10,000 characters<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>-at-a-time<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>—not<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> words<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>—characters<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>. To compare<\/span>, this<\/span> short<\/span> posting<\/span> contains slightly more than<\/span> 3,000 characters<\/span>. I did<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> some<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> experimentation<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> and<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> found<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> the<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> actual<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> limit<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> is somewhat<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> less<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> than<\/span> the<\/span> stated<\/span> 10K; somewhere north of 7K characters, it will show a spinner forever and never finish checking. Clicking the browser “back” button from the forever-spinner screen takes you back to a blank page–all your text is gone. For<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> someone<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> working<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> on, say<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>, a 60,000 word<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> (360,000+ character<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>)<\/span> project<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>, it would<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> have<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> to be diced<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> up into<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> maybe<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> 50 small<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> pieces<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>, each<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> individually<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> checked<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>, each<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> introducing<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> the<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> prospect<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> of adding<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> rather<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> than<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> fixing<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> problems<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>. Making<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> even<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> a single<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> pass<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> through<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> all<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> the<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> text<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> would<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> require<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> a senseless<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> amount<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> of tedious<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> cut<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>–and<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>–paste<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> work<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>. It’s essentially<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> unusable<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>.<\/p>\n

To make<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> sure<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> I know<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> what<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> I’m talking<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span> about<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span>, I composed<\/span><\/span><\/span> this<\/span><\/span><\/span> posting<\/span><\/span><\/span> in WhiteSmoke<\/span><\/span><\/span>, which<\/span><\/span><\/span> very<\/span><\/span><\/span> well<\/span><\/span><\/span> may<\/span><\/span><\/span> be the<\/span><\/span><\/span> last<\/span><\/span><\/span> time<\/span><\/span><\/span> I use<\/span><\/span><\/span> it. -m<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

I was lured in by a slick promotion, and decided to give a new writing tool a try. WhiteSmoke seems like it’s primarily aimed at folks for whom English is not a first language, but quotes like “Innovative technology for native and non–native English speakers” make it seem like it could help. When I wrote…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[33,30],"tags":[210,701,940,638,939,1167],"class_list":["post-784","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-annoyance","category-writing","tag-avoid","tag-grammar","tag-spelling","tag-tools","tag-whitesmoke","tag-writing"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t