I need a way to turn OFF autocompletion of keywords
Title
I need a way to turn OFF autocompletion of keywords
Short, concise description of the idea
I need to turn off autocompletion of keywords easily from Preferences or from the post entry page.
Full description of the idea
I type fast. I'm not the only one. Each of my entries gets different keywords, not the same ones every time but descriptions of unique artworks I do each day and unique novels in progress. When I try to type in new keywords, autocomplete will fill in the wrong word. I have to STOP typing, break the flow, swipe over the wrong word, type it in AGAIN -- it's like trying to type while someone else is logged into your computer to work on it at the same time. Neither I nor the autocomplete gets in an accurate keyword. I do not need help spelling them or choosing them. Maybe that's a convenience for people who hate typing, but I'm not the only one out here that types fast and easily and hates having the flow broken and backspacing over typos that I would not have made without some idiot machine assuming it knew what I'd type!
That feature has driven me nuts! "actor" becomes "aceo" or "colder weather" becomes "colored pencils" -- and worse, I can't just go back and type over it because it'll jumble again. My keywords become inaccurate and illegible the longer I use them and this wretched feature impedes me every time I post.
I've just been told by the Support Department that there is no way to turn off that feature. I need a way to either permanently turn it off in Preferences or choose to use it or not at the Post Entry page. Because I will never use it again and in great relief turn it off. But someone who can't type or spell easily may appreciate the machine filling in the rest of their usual keywords and phrases -- if they don't stop to think of what to use each single time they post the way I do and want to consistently use the same group of keywords. Which some do!
I need you to do something about this as soon as possible because it is getting almost impossible for me to use keywords at all, it's insane. I haven't asked you to change your software before this, but this one is probably not just affecting me. It'd hit anyone who typed fast and liked using keywords unique to the entry instead of general to the blog.
This feature does the same nasty thing that "autocorrect" does in a word processor -- it can insert the wrong word while I'm typing and if I don't notice that, then I'm stuck with an imposed mistake. I turn off "autocorrect" or do not use the software that has it, because I like more manual control of what I'm doing and the machine can never second guess what I am going to write.
An ordered list of benefits
- Being able to turn off unwanted features is as important as being able to utilize snappy new ones. Anytime a machine acts without the user choosing to, someone is going to get mad -- and look for a service and a community that doesn't have so much pushy software interference. So that's more of a warning than a benefit, but the benefit to the community is that fast-typing journalers who use unique keywords won't be put off -- will just turn off the unwanted feature and type on at 100 words a minute or better doing their own thing.
- Even people who don't want to turn off the feature are going to see an option and feel more in control of their journal. I love being able to change themes, and user pictures and a lot of other things about it. Some users may want to use autocomplete sometimes and not other times. This would be a point in favor of putting the checkbox for whether to use autocomplete right on a line with the keywords, so a tired journaler could just click it and type only the first letters of some favorite keywords, while an intensely creative one could manually input all of them.
- Not everyone types equally. Not everyone loves typing, not everyone hates it. Some people want to efficiently fill things out with just a letter or two if they're doing something repetitive, others find it an impediment. The more LJ can accommodate both types of users, or even moods, the easier everyone will find it to use LJ.
- It would still help to be able to turn it off in Preferences or some other one-time choice, because many of those who don't use the feature would be glad never to see it again. That would be me. But a more flexible choice would be to put a radio button or checkbox right next to the keywords strip so the journaler can choose at the time.
- The only problems I can see with this suggestion are that without good directions to how to turn off the feature, people like me will stumble along swearing at the computer every time they journal until they get so steamed they write an angry note to the Help Desk. If it's buried in Preferences, clear announcements or a FAQ entry would help with that problem. I did look in the FAQ before I wrote the Help Desk.
- If it's right on a line with the keywords entry box, some people may be a little bewildered at first by too many choices on the Post Entry page, though that didn't bother me after I got used to being able to choose which journal to post to and what to put for music, location, etc. I think people will get used to it, many may not even notice or care, but those that have major problems with it are going to heave a big sigh of relief as soon as it's possible to get rid of that interfering feature.
- I am not suggesting you eliminate autocomplete totally. While I might enjoy that, some users would miss it. Just put it under our control instead of leaving it up to the machine to put Martin Sheen for Martin Luther King, Jr.