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Internet petition protests iPhone auto-correction

updated 10:30 pm EDT, Tue September 16, 2008

Auto correction petition

An internet petition has been building to protest Apple's auto-correction feature on the iPhone, entitled Please Let Us Disable Auto Correction Steve. Many users would at least like the option to switch the feature off. The truncated words, commonly used while writing on mobile devices, are particularly problematic. Frühjahr Design has received nearly 3,000 "signatures" on its petition in the few days since its launch.

The body of the note, addressed to CEO Steve Jobs, suggests that the company should "let your developers make a simple switch button to turn autocorrection off..." Signatures will be accepted until September 30 and then sent to Apple.

 
Previous Comments

GAL

09/17, 12:14am reply

Stands for Get a Life

Once you get used to the auto correction it is GREAT. But yes very annoying at first until you trust it and get used to dismissing it when you use certain slang words.

I was under the impression that it Learnt your common words ? ie. that after a few goes of using slang words it started to pickup and ignore them

russellb

Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Sep 2001

-6

Excellent!

09/17, 12:24am reply

I can't stand the auto-correction.. I prefer my UI in english but I type in french, so I often have to wrestle with the auto-correction to write what I want. It's very frustrating!

FireWire

Grizzled Veteran

Joined: Oct 1999

+3

Simple Feature

09/17, 12:40am reply

Its a simple easy feature to add, I dont understand why Apple would have a problem adding it.

Athens

Addicted to MacNN

Joined: Jan 2003

+6

Essential feature

09/17, 01:02am (1 reply) reply

Without auto correction iPhone's keyboard is right next to useless. SO in the eyes of Apple auto correction is the thing that makes text input working. Will they add the switch allow turning it off? Looking at their other apps I can bet they won't.

Sorry folks, but no feature can be convenient for just anyone.

ViktorCode

Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Jan 2006

-1

english UI & french type

09/17, 01:16am reply

FireWire: I had the same problem until I discovered that setting a second keyboard in French (see International Keyboards in Keyboard settings) allows me to switch between English and French auto-correction by selecting the proper keyboard using the little "Earth" key at the left of the Space bar. Could not love my iPhone without auto-correction !!!

Guest

Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Nov 1999

+2

3000?

09/17, 06:31am reply

OK, my math sucks, but assuming 10 million iPhones out there, isn't 3000 names like 0.03%. Then factor in the number of people who sign these things out of principle even when they are completely unaffected and don't own the device in question . . .

Yeah, I see this making big waves at Apple. Big waves. Maybe try petitioning for peace or something useful . . .

jasong

Mac Elite

Joined: Mar 2000

0

Solved then?

09/17, 07:52am reply

I have also been wondering how it would work when you use several languages like i do. With some I communicate in English, some in Norwegian, some in Swedish and a few in Portuguese. On my Macs I have set up the different keyboard designs and mostly I remember where the different characters are on those which are digital only - and if iPhone swaps auto-correction when you swap the keyboard, then the problem is solved for me - when I get an iPhone:)

Will53

Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Jan 2006

+2

Insane

09/17, 09:38am reply

People who don't "get" the auto-correction need to gently, but firmly, have their iPhones taken away from them ... they are not worthy ... give them a Crackberry and send the poor fools on their way.

chas_m

Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Aug 2001

-2

Waste of time

09/17, 10:05am reply

Instead of signing a useless online petition, why don't these 3000 people actually send email to Apple requesting the feature?

hayesk

Professional Poster

Joined: Sep 1999

+4

Re: insane

09/17, 10:37am reply

Yes, the iPhone, like all Mac products, are elite products in which people should have to take an exam to use. If you don't meet the intelligence standards or willing to be indoctrinated into the Apple "way" should not be allowed to purchase their products.

This should be easy to do. Just take out the 'ipod genius' counter, replace it with a testing counter.

testudo

Fresh-Faced Recruit

Joined: Aug 2001

-2

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