# So either Facebook or Firefox are still spell-checking Barack Obama **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 24, 2008, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-either-facebook-or-firefox-are-still-spell-checking-barack-obama/474212 "2008-11-24T05:21:47Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2008, 5:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-either-facebook-or-firefox-are-still-spell-checking-barack-obama/474212/1 "2008-11-24T05:21:47Z")
I was just typing a message to a friend on Facebook, and I’m not sure if it is a browser widget that is spell-checking for me, or if the site itself has a spell check. Either way, I find that very interesting. George Bush Ronald Regan Dan Quayle Bill Clinton Hillary Clinton Al Gore… These all pass with no little red underline. Al Sharpton passes on the Al but is dinged on the Sharpton. I’m not necessarily pitting anything. I just think this is an indicator of the extra challenges that I hope do not bog down Obama’s administration. ---
**Author:** ![ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2008, 5:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-either-facebook-or-firefox-are-still-spell-checking-barack-obama/474212/2 "2008-11-24T05:23:54Z")
FOR FUCK SAKE!!! Way to fat-finger my own title… Mod? Please? With cookies on top? ---
**Author:** ![Rubystreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Rubystreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rubystreak)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2008, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-either-facebook-or-firefox-are-still-spell-checking-barack-obama/474212/3 "2008-11-24T05:24:21Z")
You did spell Barack wrong in the thread title, though my Firefox is also redlining the correct spelling. I just added it to my dictionary. Problem solved. ---
**Author:** ![ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2008, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-either-facebook-or-firefox-are-still-spell-checking-barack-obama/474212/4 "2008-11-24T05:25:31Z")
Yes, but I did not have to add any of the others to my dictionary manually. ---
**Author:** ![Rubystreak](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Rubystreak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rubystreak)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2008, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-either-facebook-or-firefox-are-still-spell-checking-barack-obama/474212/5 "2008-11-24T05:31:28Z")
> [@ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](#): > > Yes, but I did not have to add any of the others to my dictionary manually. They’re all pretty common names. Barack Obama isn’t, and I don’t know anyone else with either that given or last name. So you add it manually. I’m not sure what the issue is or why it’s in the Pit. My own name, which is far more common than Obama’s, also got redlined until I added it. So what? ---
**Author:** ![ultrafilter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/3d9bf3/32.png) [@ultrafilter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ultrafilter)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2008, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-either-facebook-or-firefox-are-still-spell-checking-barack-obama/474212/6 "2008-11-24T05:31:36Z")
It’s Firefox. My guess is that they get their dictionary from someone else, and will pick this up as soon as their provider updates. If you want to see it expedited, [file a bug report](https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/enter_bug.cgi?format=guided). ---
**Author:** ![ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2008, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-either-facebook-or-firefox-are-still-spell-checking-barack-obama/474212/7 "2008-11-24T05:37:33Z")
Palin gets dinged too. I suppose I’m pitting Firefox then. These sort of errors are egg on their faces as far as I’m concerned. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2008, 7:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-either-facebook-or-firefox-are-still-spell-checking-barack-obama/474212/8 "2008-11-24T07:03:37Z")
> [@ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](#): > > Palin gets dinged too. > > I suppose I’m pitting Firefox then. These sort of errors are egg on their faces as far as I’m concerned. You should ask them for your money back, then. Seriously, this is the sort of shit that gets you worked up? ---
**Author:** ![Hypnagogic\_Jerk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hypnagogic_jerk/32/4252_2.png) [@Hypnagogic\_Jerk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypnagogic_Jerk)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2008, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-either-facebook-or-firefox-are-still-spell-checking-barack-obama/474212/9 "2008-11-24T07:09:31Z")
You also misspelled Ronald Reagan, by the way. ---
**Author:** ![ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2008, 7:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-either-facebook-or-firefox-are-still-spell-checking-barack-obama/474212/10 "2008-11-24T07:27:59Z")
So I didn’t put “(mild)” in my title. And yeah my typing is not always perfect (indicating that perhaps I actually use the service in question?), and no I’m not worked up. I think it is strange. I think it is a glaring oversight, in this day and age, on the part of whoever maintains the code. ---
**Author:** ![Dead\_Badger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/848f3c/32.png) [@Dead\_Badger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Badger)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2008, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-either-facebook-or-firefox-are-still-spell-checking-barack-obama/474212/11 "2008-11-24T11:29:06Z")
It doesn’t have “Microsoft”, “Google”, “Facebook” or indeed even “Firefox” in it, either. Spell checkers tend not to have any but the most common proper nouns, and not always those. This isn’t even eyebrow-raising, let alone a “glaring oversight.” I’m more surprised that they do have Quayle than I am that they don’t have Obama. ---
**Author:** ![Martha\_Medea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/43a26b/32.png) [@Martha\_Medea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martha_Medea)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2008, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-either-facebook-or-firefox-are-still-spell-checking-barack-obama/474212/12 "2008-11-24T11:55:55Z")
‘Hillary’ still looks wrong to me: all the Hilarys I know spell it with one L. Word still doesn’t accept ‘internet’ with a lower case i, and didn’t like ‘website’ until relatively recently. ---
**Author:** ![Buckler\_of\_Swashing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Buckler\_of\_Swashing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buckler_of_Swashing)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2008, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-either-facebook-or-firefox-are-still-spell-checking-barack-obama/474212/13 "2008-11-24T12:11:38Z")
Indeed. If I have to type ‘Hotmail’ into an email I’m composing _in_ Hotmail - I get squiggled. It’s not like many software manufacturers release little dictionary updates for everyone to download every time some person or concept represented by proper nouns reaches a certain level of noteworthiness. If this sort of thing is updated, it’ll probably be so en masse in a major version release. ---
**Author:** ![Jamaika\_a\_jamaikaiake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7993a0/32.png) [@Jamaika\_a\_jamaikaiake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jamaika_a_jamaikaiake)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2008, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-either-facebook-or-firefox-are-still-spell-checking-barack-obama/474212/14 "2008-11-24T15:33:18Z")
It doesn’t have ‘advisor.’ ---
**Author:** ![ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2008, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-either-facebook-or-firefox-are-still-spell-checking-barack-obama/474212/15 "2008-11-24T22:33:22Z")
Ok, I am guilty of a momentary lapse of perspective. But it would be nice if such services were, say, tied to the same degree of accuracy/suggestions as search results. Ya know? ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2008, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-either-facebook-or-firefox-are-still-spell-checking-barack-obama/474212/16 "2008-11-24T23:05:31Z")
> [@Martha\_Medea](#): > > ‘Hillary’ still looks wrong to me: all the Hilarys I know spell it with one L. > Word still doesn’t accept ‘internet’ with a lower case i, and didn’t like ‘website’ until relatively recently. How many Hilarys do you know? [Apparently](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillary) the one-l spelling is much more common as a man’s name, and isn’t common nowadays at all. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [November 24, 2008, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-either-facebook-or-firefox-are-still-spell-checking-barack-obama/474212/17 "2008-11-24T23:22:55Z")
> [@ComeToTheDarkSideWeHaveCookies](#): > > Ok, I am guilty of a momentary lapse of perspective. But it would be nice if such services were, say, tied to the same degree of accuracy/suggestions as search results. Ya know? If the accuracy of the spelling database was tied to money in some way, it would be. Is there any revenue associated with the spelling dictionaries like there is to search results? ---
**Author:** ![Dead\_Badger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/848f3c/32.png) [@Dead\_Badger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Badger)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2008, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-either-facebook-or-firefox-are-still-spell-checking-barack-obama/474212/18 "2008-11-25T00:09:13Z")
> [@Jamaika\_a\_jamaikaiake](#): > > It doesn’t have ‘advisor.’ That’s because it’s spelt with an ‘e’. (Or have I been whooshed?) Edit: okay, almost always with an ‘e’. I have no wish to get into the usual prescriptivism thing here. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Martha\_Medea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/43a26b/32.png) [@Martha\_Medea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martha_Medea)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2008, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-either-facebook-or-firefox-are-still-spell-checking-barack-obama/474212/19 "2008-11-25T01:24:56Z")
> [@Captain\_Carrot](#): > > How many Hilarys do you know? [Apparently](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hillary) the one-l spelling is much more common as a man’s name, and isn’t common nowadays at all. Not that many - the name went out of fashion in the UK, but the ones I did know (female) spelled it with one L. The double L appears to be more common in the US. The only male Hilarys I know of are this chap:[Hilary Hook - Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hilary_hook) - I met him while working on UK local radio in the 1980s - and British environment minister Hilary Benn. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2008, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-either-facebook-or-firefox-are-still-spell-checking-barack-obama/474212/20 "2008-11-25T01:28:22Z")
I don’t even know if Spellcheck Dictionaries get regularly updated. I suppose they will, but I haven’t noticed it in any update I’ve ever had. I use the Australian English dictionary anyway. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-either-facebook-or-firefox-are-still-spell-checking-barack-obama/474212.md?page=2)