Autocorrection Software
Autocorrection software corrects misspellings and grammar as you type. Autocorrect, also referred to as text replacement, is a standard feature on most smartphones and tablets because it is included in operating systems like iOS and Android. It is also commonly integrated into text editors and word processors. The algorithm for each autocorrection software varies. In some cases, the algorithm may try to match the closest word to a misspelled word. Alternatively, the algorithm may suggest correctly spelled words based keys nearby on the keyboard to the word you have spelled incorrectly [1].
One benefit of autocorrect is its automatic nature. The software is able to classify misspelled words quickly so that writers can correct mistakes as they type. This feature can be helpful for people with dyslexia. Rather than having to manually spell-check, autocorrection software can save people time by checking text as you type. Furthermore, autocorrect can help people by catching misspelled words that they might not have caught on their own [2].
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History
The idea of autocorrect software stems from an ideology of "Do What I Mean" (DWIM) technology. DWIM technologies attempt to guess users' intentions rather than following users' input that may be incorrectly formatted [3]. DWIM technologies and the idea of software correcting text as it is typed date back to the 1960s. It was during this time that a computer scientist coined the idea of DWIM computer systems and invented the "undo" command [4].
In more recent history, the invention of autocorrect as we know it today is attributed to Dean Hachamovitch. Hachamovitch is a former vice president at Microsoft and first began working at the company in the 1990s. He was placed on the Word team. At the time, Word already had a feature in which users could add shortcuts to their glossary. For example, someone could choose words like "insert logo" to be associated with their company's logo. Then, a user could conveniently type "inset logo" and press the F3 button to replace the text "insert logo" with an image of said logo.
