Autocorrection

In word processing, this feature is known as AutoCorrect. In the beginning, autotext definitions for common typos or well-known acronyms were created by other providers; today's office packages usually already contain the function.

System-wide autotext function through additional programs — see below

On the Mac, starting with Mac OS X Snow Leopard 10.6, this functionality is also provided by the operating system.

One of the first autocorrect programs was Ways for Windows by Hannes Keller.{{cn|date=June 2024}} JavaScript can be used on websites to provide the user with autotext.

Autocorrect is pre-installed on many instant messaging programs and virtual keyboards on cell phones, smartphones and tablet computers to enable faster and error-free typing.

{{Main|Cupertino effect|Scunthorpe problem}}

Some writers and organizations choose to consistently replace some words with others as part of their editorial policy, with occasionally unforeseen results. For example, the American Family Association chose to replace all instances of the word "gay" on its website with the word "homosexual". This caused an article about US Olympic sprinter Tyson Gay to be littered with confusing sentences such as "In Saturday's opening heat, Homosexual pulled way up, way too soon, and nearly was caught by the field, before accelerating again and lunging in for fourth place".{{Cite web|url=http://voices.washingtonpost.com/sleuth/2008/07/christian_sites_ban_on_g_word.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120808095355/http://voices.washingtonpost.com/sleuth/2008/07/christian_sites_ban_on_g_word.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=August 8, 2012|title=Christian Site's Ban on 'G' Word Sends Homosexual to Olympics|author=Mary Ann Akers|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=July 1, 2008|access-date=January 19, 2019}}

Autocorrect also disproportionately perceives names of African and Asian origin as errors.{{cite web |last1=Hughes |first1=Abby |title=Their names are frequently autocorrected. This campaign wants tech companies to change that |url=https://www.cbc.ca/radio/asithappens/autocorrected-names-tech-companies-1.7213177 |website=CBC Radio |access-date=28 May 2024}}

Misuse of text replacement software is a staple practical joke in many schools and offices. Typically, the prankster will set the victim's word processing software to replace an extremely common word with a humorous absurdity, or an incorrectly spelled version of the original word. (example: Replacing "groceries" with "geography" to get a sentence such as "I'm going to the store to buy some geography. I mean geography. Geography. Why can't I type geography?"){{cite web|url=http://www.instructables.com/id/Microsoft-AutoCorrect-Prank/?ALLSTEPS|title=Microsoft AutoCorrect Prank|publisher=Instructables|access-date=January 19, 2019}}{{unreliable source?|date=March 2022}} The growing use of autocorrection on smartphones has also led to the creation of at least one website, Damn You Auto Correct, where people post and share humorous or embarrassing cases of improper autocorrections.{{cite web|url=https://www.npr.org/2011/03/22/134736893/accidentally-autocorrect-makes-good-texts-go-bad|title=Accidentally, 'Autocorrect' Makes Good Texts Go Bad|publisher=NPR|author=Inskeep, Steve|author-link=Inskeep, Steve|date=March 22, 2011|access-date=January 19, 2019}}{{cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2010/11/04/duck-apple/|title=iPhone Fail Becomes iPhone Win At 'Damn You Auto Correct!'|first=Alexia|last=Tsotsis|date=4 November 2010 |publisher=Tech Crunch|access-date=January 19, 2019}}{{unreliable source?|date=March 2022}}{{cite web|url=https://techcrunch.com/2011/07/20/damn-you-auto-cucumber/|title=And The Most Popular 'Damn You Auto Correct' Text Of All Time Is …|first=Alexia|last=Tsotsis|date=21 July 2011 |publisher=Tech Crunch|access-date=January 19, 2019}}{{unreliable source?|date=March 2022}}{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/10589748/A-killing-blooper-courtesy-of-AutoCorrect.html|title=A killing blooper, courtesy of AutoCorrect|first=Christopher|last=Howse|date=11 March 2018|newspaper=The Daily Telegraph|access-date=January 19, 2019}} Damn You Auto Correct was started in 2010 by Jillian Madison. It is also the name of a book Madison wrote that was published in 2011 by Hyperion Books.{{cite web | url=https://www.npr.org/2011/03/22/134736893/accidentally-autocorrect-makes-good-texts-go-bad | title=Accidentally, 'Autocorrect' Makes Good Texts Go Bad | work=NPR | date=22 March 2011 | access-date=11 May 2015}} The website and the book both compile texts sent on iPhones and Androids that were altered by the phone's autocorrection feature to produce what are often unintentionally funny messages.{{cite web | url=http://www.cnn.com/2010/TECH/web/11/08/iphone.autocorrect.site/ | title=Laughing at the sins of iPhone 'Auto Correct' | work=CNN | date=8 November 2010 | access-date=11 May 2015 | author=Brown, Damon}} Within a week of its launch, the website had collected hundreds of submissions and had attracted about one million page views.{{cite web | url=https://abcnews.go.com/Technology/damnyouautocorrect-texting-turns/story?id=12089603#.T6LPHLKDooE | title=DamnYouAutoCorrect: When Texting Turns Against You | work=ABC News | date=8 November 2010 | access-date=11 May 2015 | author=Heussner, Ki Mae}} However, some time since the pandemic started{{clarification needed|date=April 2024}}, the site was taken over and now is a site for a Thai game called "PG Slot". It no longer has any relation to the original site other than the name.

• Approximate string matching
• Predictive text
• LanguageTool
• Autocomplete
• Code completion

{{Reflist}}

• [http://support.microsoft.com/kb/291473/en-us How to disable text replacement features] (AutoFormat and AutoCorrect) in Microsoft Word 2007
• [http://www.linuxjournal.com/article/8688 OOo Off the Wall: Domesticating Autocorrect]
• [http://groups.google.co.uk/group/comp.compilers/browse_frm/thread/7c91da84a0c23468 A brief discussion on the history of code completion]
• [https://www.wired.com/story/opinion-i-invented-autocorrect/ I Invented the iPhone's Autocorrect. Sorry About That, and You're Welcome]

Category:Word processors