Best free spell checkers
A security trap you may have never thought about
Subscriber Ian Luck writes: "Gizmo, I just wanted to make a comment about tinySpell that you recommend as the Best Free Spell-Checker. In order to function correctly, tinySpell necessarily works as a simple keylogger - you do not have to be typing in an application window for it to be checking spelling. As such, it easily picks up encrypted fields, such as passwords in forms, and uses these as part of its spell-checking and spelling suggestions. It certainly comes as a shock to be typing away and see your password pop up in front of you!
This suggests that the product needs to be used with caution, especially if used on communal computers.
I realize that the program's settings allow for limiting which applications to spell-check, and when words can be added to the dictionary, but unless users are aware of this security trap they may never get around to configuring those settings."
That's an interesting observation, Ian, yet another trap to add to a long list involving programs that remember things. The classic example is the auto form-fill feature that is the default setting in most browsers.
Reservations aside, TinySpell is a great freebie that has my full endorsement. Just make sure you configure it to fit your personal security needs.
http://tinyspell.m6.net/