Re: [PATCH] kernel source spellchecker

Steven Cole
2003-03-02T18:37:28Z

On Sun, 2003-03-02 at 11:56, Jared Daniel J. Smith wrote:
> Regarding these two cautious comments:
>
> ==========================================================================
> I wouldn't go that far. Better give a list of speling mistakes (file/line)
> and fix them by hand. It won't need to be done more than occasionally, so
> the overhead is not too bad. --Dr. Horst H. von Brand
>
> It might also be worth adding a list of 'suspect' spellings -- which
> require human intervention. Such items might include 'indices=indexes'
> and 'erratum=errata' although you can't do it automatically because
> sometimes the right-hand side is actually correct. --David Woodhouse
> ==========================================================================
>
> I fully agree.
>
> I have tried to automatically spell-check long, complex texts for years,
> with numerous algorithms; all of them fail for one reason or another,
> and I find that the only proper way to do it is the tedious work by hand.
>
> Even a single lost pun because of overenthusiastic spellchecking is
> not worth the cleanup. I would prefer to see typos than lose a single
> intentional 'misspelling'. It would be best if you posted all changes
> somewhere so that they could be verified manually.

More agreement. In this case it's better to commit a sin of omission
than one of commission. In my recent cleanups, here are three cases
which were left alone:

./arch/sparc/kernel/head.S: * Sun people can't spell worth damn. "compatability" indeed.
./drivers/net/myri_sbus.h: u32 shakedown; /* DarkkkkStarrr Crashesss... */
./drivers/scsi/FlashPoint.c: return(0); /*We WON! Yeeessss! */

>
> Consider the following:
>
[snip]
>
> Converted=Coverted
> is it a pun on something 'hidden' or is it something transformed?
>
./drivers/media/radio/radio-aimslab.c: * Coverted to new API by Alan Cox <Alan.Cox@linux.org>
./drivers/media/radio/radio-gemtek.c: * Coverted to new API by Alan Cox <Alan.Cox@linux.org>
./drivers/media/radio/radio-rtrack2.c: * Coverted to new API by Alan Cox <Alan.Cox@linux.org>

Alan's humor can be subtle. Better to ask him. AC added to cc list.
I just hope he doesn't start to pun "yn Cymraeg"

Steven