gSpell 1.2

gSpell is a service for Mac OS X that provides spelling suggestions from Google. For some words and phrases Google's spell checker is much more accurate than a desktop spell checker (since their sites generate insane amounts of statistical data regarding the world's most common spelling mistakes [searches] and their intended spellings [results clicked]). Their spell checker also corrects formal names (can your spell checker fix Rachmananoph, Seve Jobz, or Afex Twen?) and colloquialisms not yet included in desktop spell checkers.

gSpell was developed as a final project for the Search Engines: Technology, Society, and Business seminar taught in Fall 2005 at UC Berkeley. It runs on Mac OS X 10.4 or better.

A screencast:
Spell checking phrases in TextEdit. Direct download to .mov file if above clickiness doesn't work.

To use:
  1. Download and put it anywhere (recommended: your Library/Services/ folder).
  2. Log out and log back in.
  3. Select any questionable text.
  4. Press -Shift-' to get a spelling suggestion from Google.

Questions:

Is there a limit of searches you can make? No.
What happens when my Mac isn't on the Internet? gSpell won't work (it needs tubes).
What about non-English spellchecking? gSpell 1.2 now uses your preferred language.

For the curious, the source code is available. Big up to dre and gu.st for help and influence.