Cedric Sagne wrote: > IMPACT: A spell checker encourages copy writers to request last minute > changes instead of getting the spellcheck done when it is due. The > impact on good practice is twofold as although word spelling is within > reach of computers, style changes, grammar, vocabulary changes are not. > If copy writers get into the habit of changing their text after it is > handed over to design, they can become iteration champions.
Unfortunately, in my experience it's relatively common to see last minute change requests and plenty of back-and-forth between the layout and editorial people. Technological issues like the lack of a spelling checker do not stop it - all they seem to do is make it less efficient. A good, well organised workflow in the right kind of organisation is unlikely to need the spelling checker. They might use it as an additional safeguard or might not, but won't be massively affected either way. If an organisation's workflow isn't well set up and there is a lot of last minute editing going on, then a built-in spelling checker is likely to make that quicker and more reliable. I don't see the spelling checker as encouraging bad practices in multi-user workflows so much as helping already bad ones stagger along better and maybe adding a little polish to good ones. Users who're doing the writing and layout themselves, though, will probably find it more convenient to be able to edit directly in Scribus - and really, there's nothing wrong with that. For a big body of text you're better off with a word processor, but there are definitely times it's more efficient to just put together some content directly in the DTP app. Additionally, DTP newbies will probably do this no matter what people advise, and aren't going to be stopped by the lack of a spelling checker. -- Craig Ringer
