Hi Rui, I hope you are fine,
> Chrome lately, that's the good news. By the way, the spelling check? As I > have been told, the Google Toolbar for Firefox have the same feature, have > you used it? However, it's weird that this toolbar is not compatible with I've tried but I uninstalled it. I just keep visible my own toolbar ;) and keep hidden other two or three ones I use not so often. When I need them, I just make them visible and hide them again when are not needed. Space is valuable especially for small displays, isn't it? Once I tried Chrome with my (closed) blog and surprisingly it didn't work. Well, I think Google improvements will be very fast and the gap with Firefox can be made smaller and smaller over time. > It seems that Google try to make cloud computing widespread! I can see that > in the future every computing will be done online! What we will need is a > single brower(I am not sure we can call it brower when that age coming, > maybe we should call it client or even OS) :) We'll see! Have a good time! Pablo > > Beautiful Day! > > Rui > > 2009/12/14 Pablo <[email protected]> > > > Hi Rui and all, > > > On Dec 13, 1:11 am, Rui Wang <[email protected]> wrote: > > > Hi Pablo, Thank you for your reply! > > > > I would like to say there are two points we need to draw attention to: > > > > Point.1: An add-on or a standalone. > > > > Those add-ons depend on what version and what kind of browers you use, so > > > once you get your favorite brower upgraded or get an alternative, > > probably > > > the add-ons would not work smoothly or even not work at all. I prefer a > > > independent assistant tool, in this case, it could be helpful the whole > > time > > > no matter what you use to surf the net. > > > You are right. It's necessary to have standalone options as well. And > > often extensions are updated and some of them sometimes get broken > > because doesn't work anymore with new versions of Firefox, but perhaps > > just the minority and often you just get alternatives. Well, I think > > it depends on the computer skills of learners, but it's not so hard. > > Once you get to know how a extension is installed and get updated, > > it's the same for rest of them. And for me there are two or three > > points that I found important in the dictionaries or English software: > > (1) response time, I mean the immediateness of the response (2) the > > quality and completeness (3) the usability: the presentation (colors, > > density of texts, etc) and easinesses for the user. > > > About standalone options. I've posted here some months ago about > > software such as WordWeb and The Sage, both based on the WordNet > > lexical database. Recently I installed the last version of WordWeb (v. > > 6), and each time is getting better (and not bloated). Now there is > > the option 'search as you type' and includes UK and US > > pronunciations. WordWeb has both a mechanical voice for any word, and > > human voices (from volunteers) for most of the words (not for every > > one). To look up a word, you simply press [Ctrl+Alt+W] and you get a > > pop-up window with definitions, synonyms, pronunciations, and more. > > > Well, as I'm typing, I'm using the spelling add-ons of Firefox. > > Overal, for the time being, I found Firefox and its add-ons let me > > have a pleasant 'user experience'. It's not perfect, well, any browser > > is 'perfect' ;) sometimes we are forced to use IExplorer or others ;) > > > It's clear we need both standalone and online tools too. I've just > > been talking about no cost, free options. > > > > Point.2: Working online or offline. > > > > It is obvious that the age we live in is all about network, almost > > > everything we installed on our computer or mobile device need the network > > > connection. Just because of this, we will screw if we are not so lucky to > > > have a nice network state. On the other side, if we get something that > > > combined the two solutions, half online half offline, I mean, to store > > the > > > databases of some basic dictionaries on our local disk, so we could find > > the > > > basic explaination instantly without any net connection, at the same time > > we > > > still have the access to more details by getting online. > > > > I try to make myself clear! > > > Point out any mistakes(spelling/grammar) if you like. > > > Any comments are welcome! > > > Well, I keep expecting for good news from Google, I mean, for software > > that works on-line and off-line ;) Seriously, I think every time we > > have more software and options available, especially on-line. > > > > Have a good day Pablo and All! > > > Thank you, the same for you and all! > > > Pablo > > > > 2009/12/13 Pablo < [email protected]> > > > > > Hi Rui, thanks for the reply, > > > > > > one! Since I began to use Google Wave, I have already changed my > > brower > > > > from > > > > > Firefox to Chrome, so to say, what I need now is a musthave tool for > > > > Chrome, > > > > > I know both Chrome and IExplorer support also extensions, but perhaps > > > > we need to await for a long time until we have a big variety of them, > > > > similar to Firefox, which is currently leading in this field, and as > > > > far as I know, for a wide margin. > > > > > > but I have not find a proper one yet. The way I translate English > > word of > > > > > web page is to go to English dictionary online like > > > > dictionary.reference.com, > > > > > That's a good point in favor of Dictionary.com and good for us :) > > > > > > which have the feature of pronouncing too, also, have the ability to > > > > > pronounce 'slept'. :))) However, it's just not as convenient as a > > > > brower's > > > > > add-on. > > > > > About pronunciation of texts on web pages, I've been trying these add- > > > > ons: foxlite, foxvox, foxvox2 an myvocal. The first three are from > > > > the same author. I think I will stick to foxvox because it works off- > > > > line, although the quality of the voice is not the best. > > > > > Thank you, > > > > > Pablo > > > > > > 2009/12/12 Pablo <[email protected]> > > > > > > > Pronounce an English word, according to the author, using services > > > > > > from Merriam-Webster. > > > > > > >https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/1689 > > > > > > > Just install the add-on, restart Firefox, and hear the > > pronunciation > > > > > > of each wanted word (on a web page), highlighting or double > > clicking > > > > > > it, and selecting the option 'Pronounce' from the contextual menu. > > > > > > >http://myenglishtoolbar.wikispaces.com/Pronounce+add-on > > > > > > > The add-on is not perfect, it doesn't pronounce words from text > > boxes > > > > > > (as I realize), neither from irregular verbal inflections, e.g. it > > > > > > doesn't pronounce 'slept', only 'sleep'. Anyway, I think is a > > must- > > > > > > have tool for English learners. > > > > > > > Enjoy! > > > > > > > Pablo > > > > > > > -- > > > > > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google > > > > Groups > > > > > > "ESL Podcast". > > > > > > To post to this group, send email to: [email protected] > > > > just > > > > > > reply this message > > > > > > For invite your friends, visit: > > > > > >http://groups.google.com/group/eslpodcast/members_invite > > > > > > Know how help us, visit this FAQ at: > > > > >http://groups.google.com/group/eslpodcast/web/ > > frequently-asked-questions > > > > > -- > > > > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google > > Groups > > > > "ESL Podcast". > > > > To post to this group, send email to: [email protected] or > > just > > ... > > read more » -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "ESL Podcast". To post to this group, send email to: [email protected] or just reply this message For invite your friends, visit: http://groups.google.com/group/eslpodcast/members_invite Know how help us, visit this FAQ at: http://groups.google.com/group/eslpodcast/web/frequently-asked-questions
