What you see is what you don't get

[K8MHZ]

I have always hated the way we have to edit our postings.

I proofread every post I make as it's posted. For some reason when I proofread in the entry screen, I miss things and catch them in final posting.

I think it's due to the way we read words.

Quickly read what is in the triangles below.
paris-in-the-the-spring$$$$$$.jpg

Now, read them again, this time numbering each word in your head as you read them, word at a time. There are five words in each triangle, not four as you should find out.

So, it's easy to see why we may miss things, due to sentence layout, in the entry screen that may become very evident in the final posting screen.

Now, the fun part. The phenomena above, works both ways and when you have to look at a screen with a sentence layout different than the one you found the error in, it's a real PITA.

What would be so hard about having an edit screen that exactly mimicked the final posting screen? That would make finding your error in order to correct it so much easier.


Since I don't get into computer programming, perhaps I am overlooking something.

[WB2WIK]

Beets me I nevur mak anny mitaiks.

[WF7A]

Nah, Mark--I do the same thing: I create a post in the composing windoid, think I did a good job proofing, post, then that's when I start the real editing of my missive.

I wonder why that is?


On edit:

True, Bill. That's what I get for being a poofreader.

[K7JBQ]

One thing I learned long ago in the editing business:

A writer is his own worst proofreader.

That's because we know when we meant to say. and tend to "read" that, instead of what's really there.

73,
Bill

[K8MHZ]

One thing I learned long ago in the editing business:

A writer is his own worst proofreader.

That's because we know when we meant to say. and tend to "read" that, instead of what's really there.

73,
Bill

Didn't you mean 'That's because we know what we meant to say', not when?

[K8MHZ]

Nah, Mark--I do the same thing: I create a post in the composing windoid, think I did a good job proofing, post, then that's when I start the real editing of my missive.

I wonder why that is?


On edit:

True, Bill. That's what I get for being a poofreader.

Don't you wish that when you hit the 'edit' button, the screen would stay just as it was when you found the error? You know, so you don't have to go digging around looking for it in a differently spaced screen from a different point in the post in a different font?

Oh, and is being a 'poofreader' the act of looking for missing words?

[K0RGR]

I have carpal tunnel in my left hand. It only affects my pinkie finger on that hand. The pinkie is slower than the rest of the fingers. This ruined a promising amateur music career, but most seriously affects my typing. When I have to use the shift key on the left side, about half the time, I end up capitalizing the first two letters of a word. Sometimes, I get tired of editing the goofups out.

[K8ERV]

I counted 5 words right off, don't see how anyone could count 4. I use Tiny Spell to check most of my messages. Works well, and it is free.

TOM K8ERV Montrose Colo

[W5WPL]

Beets me I nevur mak anny mitaiks.

daddie?? i finelly foulnd u weres u bean. Mama saids super own tha tabull

[K8MHZ]

I counted 5 words right off, don't see how anyone could count 4. I use Tiny Spell to check most of my messages. Works well, and it is free.

TOM K8ERV Montrose Colo

Most, and I mean like 90 percent, miss the word 'the' being written twice in 'Paris in the the spring'. The other one was just part of the gif and I had never seen it before.

Maybe the 'illusion' only works when one triangle is the only focus of attention.

A fun magic trick is to draw the 'Paris' triangle out on a piece of paper and pass it around the table for each person to read aloud. I have done this before, and no one yet caught the duplication the first trip around the table. When the paper gets to the last person, don't touch it, but have them place it face down on the table. Then, instruct the people at the table to chant 'Paris in the the spring' over and over a few times. After that, have one of the people at the table turn the paper back over and point out that the second 'the' has now appeared magically because of the power of positive thinking or some nonsense like that.

It's a great trick because everyone at the table could see that the 'magician' never touched the paper after it was sent around the table. Also, because people are going to think a switch was pulled, no evidence of a second, different piece of paper can be found since one never existed in the first place.