The Future of Spell Check

In an attempt to rid the internet of abrasive typos, Melon Media has decided to launch a revolutionary online tool: spellr.us. We’re not convinced the internet will go gently into this good idea, though.

Basically, spellr.us is a web-based spell check mechanism that appears to operate similarly to those you can surely find in your home versions of Microsoft Word or any other word processor you might use. Where spellr.us differs from the more traditional approach to spell checking is that it can be programmed to scan a site at regular intervals and keep the webmaster posted on any errors that have been added since the last scan. Given the dynamic nature of the blogosphere, it’s a marvel someone hasn’t marketed this kind of product already.

TechCrunch managed to get their hands on a beta copy of the program and praised it for being extremely navigable and easy to use. The one downside they cited was a lack of control regarding what the program scanned. As a result, user-generated content (forum posts/article comments) were checked for errors and the number of errors found was astronomical. Spellr.us is aware of this concern and claims that there will be filters in place when it launches.

It will be interesting to see how spellr.us is received given that many of today’s bloggers and forum contributors have little regard for proper spelling or syntax. Worse yet are typical AIM users and text-message aficionados who have actually began pronouncing “teh” and using the word “ninja” as a verb. Perhaps Melon Media’s user-centered approach to spelling and grammar correction is just what our error-ridden internet needs. Though certain media will no doubt hang on to intentional typos as a means of expediting conversations, blog posts and regularly updated news sites could certainly use a safety net to help keep their editors from pulling their hair out.

While we’re not certain if this product will reach the internet mainstream, there were 150 invites offered to a closed beta and all have been snatched up. Between that and TechCrunch’s positive review, it sounds like this could be the greatest internet innovation since GameRail … too soon?

Regular updates on the spellr.us project are available at http://blog.spellr.us/.