Unix Dictionaries

[devine at vianet.UUCP]

> In article <2828 at brl-adm.ARPA> dndobrin at athena.MIT.EDU writes:
> >Does anyone out there know where the 4.x or System V dictionaries come from?

In article <1987Jan22.110150.29415 at sq.uucp>, dave at sq.UUCP writes:
> It makes me wonder too, when words like the following pass spell!
> [list of misspelled words deleted]

  Back around 1980 I wrote a spell check program for VAX/VMS.  To create
the dictionary I first gathered 100's of files to get the words.  Later
I copied the UNIX spelling list from a Version 7 machine.  That dictionary
was *loaded* with many misspelled words!  I spent hours editing it to
cull the obviously bad words (no fun staring at a screen).  There are 
probably still some words I missed.

  Moral: if it isn't your dictionary beware of who may have added words.

Bob Devine
[ I still have my 95,000 word dictionary if someone wants a copy.]