Source: https://front-end.social/@fox/110846484782705013

Text in the screenshot from Grammarly says:

We develop data sets to train our algorithms so that we can improve the services we provide to customers like you. We have devoted significant time and resources to developing methods to ensure that these data sets are anonymized and de-identified.

To develop these data sets, we sample snippets of text at random, disassociate them from a user’s account, and then use a variety of different methods to strip the text of identifying information (such as identifiers, contact details, addresses, etc.). Only then do we use the snippets to train our algorithms-and the original text is deleted. In other words, we don’t store any text in a manner that can be associated with your account or used to identify you or anyone else.

We currently offer a feature that permits customers to opt out of this use for Grammarly Business teams of 500 users or more. Please let me know if you might be interested in a license of this size, and I’II forward your request to the corresponding team.

10 points

if only there was a software that can rewrite the last phrase “selling back your data back to you” 😋

selling your data back to you?

selling back your data to you?

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-15 points

If only there was a software to smell your own farts.

Smell your own farts?

Smell farts your own?

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1 point

Indeed

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7 points

It still isn’t clear why anyone uses a product developed by non-native speakers to check their writing. For anyone who knows grammar, Grammarly sometimes makes… interesting… suggestions.

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24 points
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As a non-native speaker I’m surprised to the amount of grammar mistakes native speakers make. Being a native speaker is not a testament to how much of the language you know. And even that being true, it’s not like a real human corrects your text, so the creators being native or not is pretty much irrelevant.

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15 points

at the amount of grammar mistakes

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9 points

should’ve used grammarly

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3 points

Native speakers don’t usually make major grammar mistakes. They may not follow prescriptive rules, but they’re generally understandable by other native speakers because grammar is so deeply embedded in their subconscious that they can’t help handling the language correctly. You do the same in your native language. Everyone does.

The problem with non-natives, and I include myself as a non-native speaker of a few languages, is that we don’t usually have the same instincts. It would be pretty arrogant to tell a native that they don’t know how to use their own language when we, almost by definition, cannot possibly understand it in the same way that they do.

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0 points

all of which is irrelevant to how grammarly works

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3 points

well said/written

it’s not only that “we don’t usually have the same instincts”, we have a burden of confusing loans, imports, translations, false friends &c.

When you start dealing with gendered languages, it’s even worse. There’s no logic to it. A hand is a she in one language, a he in another and neutral in third.

also, this pronoun question of culture wars is ridiculous for someone who can speak non-gendered languages 🤷

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[This comment has been deleted by an automated system]

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2 points

Certain uni composition students had better learn to write flawless English if they expect to earn their desired grade in my courses.

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[This comment has been deleted by an automated system]

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4 points

*nitpicker (but I prefer pedant in polite circles, and grammar nazi on the Internet, or at least I did until actual nazis started showing up again)

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[This comment has been deleted by an automated system]

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5 points

Email spam usually has heavily flawed English.

I’ve heard that this is intentional. It would be a waste of the spammer’s time to be contacted by people who are smart enough to not be fooled. Those smart people won’t bother contacting the spammer and wasting the spammer’s time if they see grammatical errors in a message that purports to be from a reputable organization, so the spammer throws in some errors to make the smart people filter themselves out. Or so the theory goes.

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[This comment has been deleted by an automated system]

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2 points

I’ve seen this filtering hypothesis, and it seems plausible. OTOH, it also gives James Veitch some fantastic material for his comedy routine.

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51 points
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Deleted by creator
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5 points

I’ve used language tool for a while and honestly it’s not very good and lacking integration in many tools.

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5 points
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Deleted by creator
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3 points

We used it company wide and did a pretty extensive evaluation vs Grammarly and while I was on the side of Languagetool the match up was completely one sided :|

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3 points

I’d forgotten about LT. it’s as good as any of the other grammar checkers and better than a lot of them (looking at you, Microsoft).

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1 point

Thank you for this! I’ve been reluctantly using Grammarly because I thought there were no alternatives.

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2 points

You have to request the self hosted version?

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6 points
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Deleted by creator
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3 points

Oh cool, their website says you need to email them 🤷‍♂️

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8 points

They are just as shady as grammarly.

Years ago they have decommissioned their open source browser extension, made a new shiny one that is closed source, and when people asked why isn’t the new one open source, they just closed the issue without any explanation.
Their selfhosted offering also doesn’t worth much: the “magic sauce” is not included. But more importantly, now that I tried to look this up again, the only mention I have found about the selfhosted version on their website is a “contact us for the on-premise version” button on the “For Businesses” page, where you can write an email and they will probably respond with a price offering.

For selfhosting it, you may be better off with this fork as it enables premium features, but do note that this is not developed actively. Look at the “commits behind” counter and compare it to the “commits” counter below it.

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5 points
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Deleted by creator
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3 points

It feels like common sense to don’t use Spyware on anything private. I only use Grammarly on my public posts and it’s good at that. If you let someone spy on your private emails etc. Then that’s on you tbh.

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48 points

Not using grammarly also works.

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7 points
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Deleted by creator
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3 points

Yup, and even if you make mistakes, most people can understand you.

So do you best, and if it’s public facing and linked to your, get a peer to review it. No need for a service like this, there are plenty of people willing to correct your grammar for free on sites like Reddit (and probably Lemmy, but I’ve seen a lot less unsolicited advice here).

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