# Spell check on SDMB

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spell-check-on-sdmb/46196>\
**Category:** About This Message Board\
**Created:** [December 18, 2000, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spell-check-on-sdmb/46196 "2000-12-18T18:55:38Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Soup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/977dab/32.png) [@Soup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Soup)\
**Post date:** [December 18, 2000, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spell-check-on-sdmb/46196/1 "2000-12-18T18:55:38Z")

</div>

Sorry if this has been asked already: Is there any chance of getting a spell check added to the SDMB? Or is there one that I’m not noticing?  
Just today, I’ve once again previewed a post, submitted it, and THEN saw the spelling error. I hate looking stoopid, y’know?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Poirot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/47e85d/32.png) [@Poirot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poirot)\
**Post date:** [December 18, 2000, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spell-check-on-sdmb/46196/2 "2000-12-18T19:07:10Z")

</div>

**OpalCat** has spell check at \*\*[http://fff.fathom.org/cgi-bin/Ultimate.cgi?action=intro](http://fff.fathom.org/cgi-bin/Ultimate.cgi?action=intro) \*\*. Doesn’t she use the same software?  
Maybe it’s just turned off here.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Poirot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/47e85d/32.png) [@Poirot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Poirot)\
**Post date:** [December 18, 2000, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spell-check-on-sdmb/46196/3 "2000-12-18T19:11:36Z")

</div>

\*\* [http://fff.fathom.org/cgi-bin/Ultimate.cgi?action=intro](http://fff.fathom.org/cgi-bin/Ultimate.cgi?action=intro)

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\
**Post date:** [December 18, 2000, 7:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spell-check-on-sdmb/46196/4 "2000-12-18T19:29:10Z")

</div>

OpalCat uses, as far as I know, UBBS software. We can’t use that, it’s not powerful enough for our needs. We use vBulletin software. I’ll look at the vBulletin boards later, and see if they’re even thinking about adding it. In the meantime, remember, preview is your FRIEND.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\
**Post date:** [December 19, 2000, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spell-check-on-sdmb/46196/5 "2000-12-19T00:55:19Z")

</div>

A spell-check would require one of two things: Either a centralized dictionary, which would need to be hit and use up server resources every time it was used, or a Java applet which downloaded the entire dictionary on its first use. Neither would be very practical. Opal’s board may be able to get away with the first possibility, but then, her servers aren’t as overburdened as ours.

Of course, there’s always the option to type everything up in your favortite word processor, check it, and then C&P into the reply window, if you’re willing to go to the trouble.