I just ran the opening of my story through Word's speellung and gramer checker. Of course it picked up the usual stuff, but then it double-underlined the word "maid". Checking on its comment, it flagged the word for "inclusivity". "This word may not cover all genders." It suggested "housekeeper" instad. Wait, whut now? When did Word start checking for stuff like this? I was writing about a female character, for one. For two, who thought it was a good idea to put this kind of judgement - I don't know what to call it - into a word processor, trying to push me down a particular way of writing?! Given how often I see questions like this from new writers, they could be influenced into thinking that they *have* to write like this. I'm not trying to be anti-"woke" (god, I hate that word, let's not go there). Absolutely write like this if you feel you should and you want to. There's an audience who will appreciate it and be grateful that you do write that way. Make that decision yourself, don't base it on what Microsoft, of all people, think! I sure hope other writing aids don't work this way. It's probably going to moan about me using the word "manhandle" next. Or it'll tell me that I shouldn't use "toilet cleaner", and to use "hygiene engineer" instead. I sound like a grumpy old man now, don't I?
I haven't noticed that on my version of Word, yet. Maybe you checked the "woke" button under the grammar settings?
I dunno, I think that is a good feature. many writers would appreciate it. But you can turn it off, if you like: Click on File > Options > Proofing > Settings > scroll to Inclusiveness > Gender Neutral (and turn it on or off)
Ah, I didn't know there was specifically an option for it. Thanks, that helps. I don't have any objection to it as such, it's just because I don't think a tech company should be the guardians of how an author should write, but if it's optional then I guess that's ok. I get that many writers, particularly in certain genres and markets will find it handy. It's probably less useful for the style of fantasy that I'm writing.
I don't like a lot of Word's word choice suggestions anyway. It keeps wanting me to use less complicated words.
Grrrrr... how dumb do you have to be to need a computer program to tell you when your language is inclusive/exclusive? I was busting balls talking about a "woke" button on the grammar-check settings. Turns out it was true all along. It's just... how fucking stupid have we become as a society to need... nevermind... showing myself the door.
I double underline this sentence. I think you mean, "an older adult experiencing a negative emotional response." And I don't think using the word "sound" is very respectful of the deaf and hard of hearing community.
My version of MS Word is so old that the monopoly guy raps on the screen with his cane and says "you wrote 'she went to vote' - you mean 'he'!"
There's a reason why i write with Libre office, its not just because it's free. mind you we use word at work and its 'clarity' suggestions drive me up the wall... i don't mind the general principle, but they often try and change the meaning of what you've written like wanting to change "was not trained to" to "couldn't" which isn't the same thing at all in an H&S report where lack of training is the reason behind an accident The same thing on point Housekeeper is not a synonym for Maid, they are different roles.
How dare you suggest to appropriate the feelings of an entire community? Also, thinking is quite frowned upon these days. You should be more careful stating such brazen things. There are so many thought crimes in this thread that I can not singlehandedly report them all on my own.
To think that in a hundred years we went from a writer sitting down with pen, ink, paper, the OED and a Roget's, to a writer sitting down at a 4GHz 8GiB RAM computer with instant access to an almost infinite amount of knowledge... ... And the powers that be use that amazing potential to tell us to change 'maid' to the non-synonymous 'housekeeper'. The main issue with these kinds of technologies is that the people behind them won't admit that the software is done. That's it, it doesn't need anything other than security patches from now until the end of time, plus maybe the occasional theming to aesthetically match the equally unnecessary OS upgrades. Word Processors: completed. Stop adding crap. Fire yourselves and go do something else, like build a sparkly new app for someone who cares. Or dry stone walling.
30 odd years ago, I wrote a simple word processor on a 2Mhz machine with 28k of available RAM, and used that to start my first novel.
The first version of Microsoft Word in 1983 took up less hard-disc than a blank DOCX does in 2024. I suppose it would be too much to ask if you still have the source code you fancied sharing on, say, Github..?
Lol no. The last time I saw that code, it was on 5.25" floppies. Well, one 5.25" floppy, along with a lot of other stuff.
Suggest checking under your furniture. No doubt many a long lost masterpiece is on a floppy disc propping up one side of a cabinet, they were very useful for that sort of thing.
How much data did a 3.5" hold? I seem to remember for first novel of 180K words barely fit on one in 1998, but I could be wrong. All publishers then required manuscripts to be hard printed and mailed. Email couldn't handle it.
