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Posted: Mon Sep 19, 2005 3:32 pm
by MystikShadows
I don't have a scanner...but I bet I could draw that horse ;-)

Posted: Mon Sep 19, 2005 5:50 pm
by moneo
Nathan1993 wrote:Pete... this seems to be very error full, .....
No, there were lots more typographical errors in previous editions. Now that Pete has someone doing proof-reading, it seems that these errors now stand out more as an exception, and people are noticing them.
*****

Posted: Mon Sep 19, 2005 6:47 pm
by Pete
Peter Lenz only proofread the articles that I got over a week and a half ago (there were six or seven of them). The rest are presented exactly as they were submitted, with just a few quick fixes that I did.

I don't thoroughly proofread, but if I notice a grammatical or spelling error while I'm formatting it in HTML, I'll correct it.

I just wish people would learn basic grammer rules: it's/its; they're/their/there; proper use of apostrophes; proper use of the possessive; capitalizing "I," proper nouns and the first letter of a sentence; etc. It seems so simple to me...

Posted: Mon Sep 19, 2005 7:09 pm
by urger
I just wish people would learn basic grammer rules: it's/its; they're/their/there; proper use of apostrophes; proper use of the possessive; capitalizing "I," proper nouns and the first letter of a sentence; etc. It seems so simple to me...
I've already finished an article on simple English writing skills for the next QBX :D
If someone wants thier article proofread you need to get to Pete some time prior to the deadline so he can send them to me, I can proof, and get them back.
-Peter Lenz

Posted: Mon Sep 19, 2005 8:41 pm
by moneo
Peter,

Pete says that basic grammer rules are easy. True, if like Pete, you've had a good education and do a lot of reading and writing.

In English, we have all been taught the following rule:
"I" before "E"
except after "C"
or when sounded like "A" as in neighbor and weigh.

However, I have found the following exceptions to this famous rule:
their
foreign
weird
... I'm sure there are others.

In order to write good English, you need to make an effort to do so, until it becomes part of your style. You also need to have reference material on hand, like a good dictionary (in print or online), a thesaurus, and a good, college-level grammer book that covers the basics that Pete mentions.

If you never use these references, you'll be like the person who said "I never use deodorants"; to which his friend then replied "I know."
*****

Posted: Mon Sep 19, 2005 9:47 pm
by Rattrapmax6
One word: Typo... <- 90% percent of all my errors, and I'm really to lazy to go back thru some times... Tho if I catch it while debugging the artical (or in the case of a forum, re-reading my post), I'll fix it....

:P Ps: Dont count any errors in this post... :lol:

:wink:

Posted: Mon Sep 19, 2005 10:04 pm
by Pete
moneo wrote: and a good, college-level grammer book that covers the basics that Pete mentions.
Not really. You don't need anythng near college-level. A typical elementary school grammar book teaches you just about everything you need to know to about English grammar.

Posted: Tue Sep 20, 2005 4:58 am
by m2j@school
Most gramatical errors (on my part), are typos... I know when to use it's and its, but when I'm typing my fingers tend to put the apost..fy (can't spell it) in regardless, and I don't notice they have until I read back over. Likewise with the their/there (I rarely confuse it with they're for some reason), I almost always type 'their' for both meanings...

It's one thing to know/understand the rules of grammer, it's quite another to imbed them in your subconcious...

matt

Posted: Tue Sep 20, 2005 5:08 am
by Z!re
I can't say I really care about the errors/typos.. As long as it's readable and not completely fork up I'm fine with it..

Posted: Tue Sep 20, 2005 6:45 am
by urger
In order to write good English, you need to make an effort to do so, until it becomes part of your style. You also need to have reference material on hand, like a good dictionary (in print or online), a thesaurus, and a good, college-level grammer book that covers the basics that Pete mentions.
If I ever have a conundrum involving the English language I consult these sites:
http://andromeda.rutgers.edu/~jlynch/Writing/index.html
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/
http://www.oed.com/
I've never had a problem that was not covered by one of the first two above.
The Oxford English Dictionary is the Holy Grail of Dictionaries, in effect it defines what is and what is not "proper" English. You also have to have very deep pockets to use it, or gain accsess via your job. (if they have an account) Most colleges and many high schools also have accounts at the OED website or have a copy of the full OED (All 13 or so very thick volumes). But in truth any dictionary will do.
Pete says that basic grammer rules are easy. True, if like Pete, you've had a good education and do a lot of reading and writing.
That is true, but from my view, that is what programmers should be doing. We should be spending our time writing (documentation) and reading (other programs documentation) not to mention all the myriad of things you would be reading and writing outside your life behind the keyboard. The article I've written is just and overview of some various minor errors I see occuring numerous times in QBX and which are relativly easy to fix.
All I really want out of all this is for someone to read my article and, when next they have to write something, perhaps remember one idea from it, and use it to improve thier own writings.
[/rant]

Posted: Tue Sep 20, 2005 7:54 am
by {Nathan}
How about using open office AND SPELL CHECK IT??? really, open office does spelling and grammer checking.

Posted: Tue Sep 20, 2005 9:18 am
by urger
How about using open office AND SPELL CHECK IT??? really, open office does spelling and grammer checking.
OO's grammer checker is rather poor actually, I used it when I was Proofing those articles that I recieved for QBX and it missed virtually all the errors. When it comes to editing, you need a human to sit down, figure out what the meaning of the sentence (or paragraph) in question, and then write a new replacement from scratch that emulates the feel of the original writers work.

Posted: Tue Sep 20, 2005 9:59 am
by {Nathan}
Then us... argh... MS word...

Posted: Tue Sep 20, 2005 10:41 am
by Rattrapmax6
AOL's spell-checker is annoying in that way... It finds alot of errors I write when I have it turned on... (Pre-Check before letting it go thru)... It's a nightmare to post code in it and send, as Basic isn't in its vocabulary,... :lol:
AOL Spell Checker wrote:SCREENRES <- Error

CLS <- Error

...ect...
:roll:

Posted: Tue Sep 20, 2005 1:05 pm
by {Nathan}
Pete: we don't really care about grammer and spelling though... as long as we can read it.

Express

Posted: Tue Sep 20, 2005 3:23 pm
by QBGV
Yeah I liked that C++ tutorial it's the first section of my C++ for Dummies book condensed. Dev-C++ yeah baby!

:wink:

Re: Express

Posted: Tue Sep 20, 2005 4:30 pm
by The Awakened
QBGV wrote:Yeah I liked that C++ tutorial it's the first section of my C++ for Dummies book condensed. Dev-C++ yeah baby!

:wink:
Pretty much. Like I say, it's pretty easy to understand once you have a grasp on programming in general.

Posted: Tue Sep 20, 2005 5:17 pm
by Rattrapmax6
:lol: Heh... Yep, once you get the general core of coding (I darsay its amatter of learning any language even english).. Different words and order have different meanings....

PRINT <- Basic
COUT <- C++

DOG <- English
CANIS <- Latin

In programing you have different orders to get the job done..

In (human) language you have different orders to get the point across..

:roll: Your like learning how to talk to a computer effectively,.. and I find learning Basic makes C++ just that easier,. If I took the time, I could code C++ just as well as I do Basic... :wink: ... Just connect the dots... (Sorta like my tut in there "Drawing is the same as writing letters" <- and went on the use letters as examples in some parts... )

:wink: Summery: Stand back and see what ur looking at... connect the dots,.. find how one is near the same as the other,.. and never think you can't do it... You should do just fine...

Posted: Tue Sep 20, 2005 5:23 pm
by {Nathan}
Rattrapmax6 wrote::lol: Heh... Yep, once you get the general core of coding (I darsay its amatter of learning any language even english).. Different words and order have different meanings....

PRINT <- Basic
COUT <- C++

DOG <- English
CANIS <- Latin

In programing you have different orders to get the job done..

In (human) language you have different orders to get the point across..

:roll: Your like learning how to talk to a computer effectively,.. and I find learning Basic makes C++ just that easier,. If I took the time, I could code C++ just as well as I do Basic... :wink: ... Just connect the dots... (Sorta like my tut in there "Drawing is the same as writing letters" <- and went on the use letters as examples in some parts... )

:wink: Summery: Stand back and see what ur looking at... connect the dots,.. find how one is near the same as the other,.. and never think you can't do it... You should do just fine...
After reading that (which was totally awsome) I think that you should be on of those motavational speaker guys.

Posted: Tue Sep 20, 2005 5:45 pm
by Pete
Nathan1993 wrote:Pete: we don't really care about grammer and spelling though... as long as we can read it.
You might not care about spelling / grammar, but a lot of readers do...myself included.