Daily English dictionary type updates

[snowwake8]

Is everyone on a Surface getting these daily updates rolling in? I don't have automatic updates set as I like to read and see what is being updated but every single day I get English dictionary updates. Anyone getting these and what exactly are they?

 

[1jaxstate1]

I'm getting them also. I have no idea what they are.

 

[RajeevT]

Windows 8/Internet Explorer have spell-check built in, so must be for that.

 

[stephen_az]

Be thankful for those daily updates. Since they started rolling out all the time, the frequency of idiotic autocorrect mistakes has dropped dramatically. With my original Surface RT, I either had to turn off autocorrect or regularly let it insert something wrong, add a space, and then go back and fix the word. Became less of a problem with Surface Pro 2 after the update frequency increased and now with Surface Pro 3 the errors are the exception rather than the rule.

 

[Michael Alan Goff]

Whenever you use the on-screen keyboard so much, you get an update. I think it's so many letters a day, or something like that.

 

[RajeevT]

Whenever you use the on-screen keyboard so much, you get an update. I think it's so many letters a day, or something like that.

That seems to make no sense at all, unless you were joking. Why would dictionary updates differ from person to person, and moreover be based on their typing history? You think MS is serving up personalized dictionary updates based on your previous word history? (Which BTW would also imply that everyone's word history is being sent home to HQ for analysis.)

 

[Michael Alan Goff]

That seems to make no sense at all, unless you were joking. Why would dictionary updates differ from person to person, and moreover be based on their typing history? You think MS is serving up personalized dictionary updates based on your previous word history? (Which BTW would also imply that everyone's word history is being sent home to HQ for analysis.)

If your dictionary updates are the ones I think they are, the ones I'm getting, then yes. The update I'm talking about is even called "Update for English Input Personalization Dictionary". And yes, it implies that our word history is being sent for some automated analysis. I;ll actually type up the wording for the update that I got.

This article introduces an update for the English Input Personalization Dictionary for Windows 8.1. This update is a daily update of trending terms for the English Input Personalization Dictionary. This update provides up-to-date and relevant text suggestions and auto-corrections.

Notes

• This update is applied only to devices that have the English language pack installed as an input language and that have the touch keyboard enabled.
• This update is delivered only if you use the touch keyboard to type at least 50 words per day.
• This update is provided as an important update for Windows update.
• If you select the Install updates automatically (recommended) Windows Update setting, the dictionaries are automatically updated.
• If you select other Windows Update settings, tap or click Check for updates to obtain the update

 

[1jaxstate1]

Well oh my, that's just dumb and kind of intrusive.

 

[Michael Alan Goff]

Well oh my, that's just dumb and kind of intrusive.

I wouldn't say it's all that dumb. After all, we need to make sure our own autocorrect uses words we'd use.

 

[RajeevT]

If your dictionary updates are the ones I think they are, the ones I'm getting, then yes. The update I'm talking about is even called "Update for English Input Personalization Dictionary". And yes, it implies that our word history is being sent for some automated analysis. I;ll actually type up the wording for the update that I got.

Wow, thanks for letting me know about this and looks like MS' dumb policies made me look silly here. So if you type >=50 wpd you "qualify" for them to spy on your word lists? What sort of rubbish is this? I'm with 1jaxstate1 here, I think this is intrusive. They should make this phoning home strictly opt-in and even then the updates should be marked as Optional instead of Important.

 

[Michael Alan Goff]

Wow, thanks for letting me know about this and looks like MS' dumb policies made me look silly here. So if you type >=50 wpd you "qualify" for them to spy on your word lists? What sort of rubbish is this? I'm with 1jaxstate1 here, I think this is intrusive. They should make this phoning home strictly opt-in and even then the updates should be marked as Optional instead of Important.

That last part we can agree with, or at the very least make it an opt-out sort of thing.