BRENTB  Steven--thanks for your review. I find it especially valuable given your vocation and how long you've used it. I appreciate it when anyone takes the time to write a thorough review that affects my buying decision. I enjoy writing, and am now saving to purchase a copy of GP.

Full disclosure: I too have absolutely no relationship with GP's developers whatsoever. I'm just someone looking to improve my writing.  
(Version 1.8.4b4)

STEALTH  I've used dozen... and dozens... of spell-check and grammar-check utilities. Grammarian is superior to everything else related.

And, no, before anyone howls, I didn't use Grammarian in writing this review.  
(Version 1.7)

ANDY HEWITT  Just a follow up to my previous comments. It's now at the point where I only need it for using with MacSOUP, as I otherwise use the system-wide spell checker. I agree that as far as overall design of the software goes, it is really good, and I have no issues with the interface at all. However, even now, the background app still crashes at random intervals, and I find I'm typing away in MacSOUP with no spell checking working, and the background app will have crashed, again!

It's a real shame, but I could never rely on using this as a main spell checker when it won't reliably work with just one app. Unfortunately, I have neither the time, or enthusiasm, to try and fix this, although I do occasionally reinstall it as updates arrive to see if it has improved.

BTW, this has been happening on my system across two changes of hardware, and right through upgrades from OS 10.3 to 10.5, including clean installs.  
(Version 1.8.4b4)

DL  This is rather harsh. Pardon me for not seeing this earlier. I've never seen or heard of this happening to ANYONE before. And, I've never received any notification from you about this either. Anyhow, this sounds like a rare Grammarian.component file corruption or file copying issue (permissions?).

Write to Apple about another means for text/writing utilities to grab keystrokes. The input menu is the only means that Apple gave developers to do this. I begged Apple engineers at WWDC back in 2000 for a better OSX solution. This is it because of OS security. Don't blame Grammarian for this design issue. Other input menu developers (Typeit4me, etc.) have the same problems.  
(Version 1.7)

FREDB7  Yes that was harsh. Sorry, but i was really pissed. Same reason I didn't contact you, all I wanted was getting rid of Grammarian. I'm usually very gentle with devs, I provide feedbacks, sometimes beta test or even make translations for free. But things like that should not happend.

I still don't think using the input menu is a good idea, but I don't care about autocorrect, autotype, etc. I just want a good spell/grammar checker. For french, Antidote is a pleasure to use (and I heard that Prolexis was good too), I'm really puzzled by the lack of a similar apps for english.

Sorry again for the harsh review, but please, consider using another way than the input menu hack. I won't recommend Grammarian as it is now.  
(Version 1.7)

DL  What's to consider? Fundamentally, no other direct document integration options exist. It's all we've got to work with. The Text Services Manager (Input Menu) integrates text correction utilities into a host application much as Microsoft Word integrates its spelling and grammar checking. Grammarian's universal design concept is to integrate into ALL applications from the menu bar. Therefore, you have a grammar and spelling checker, dictionary, and AutoCorrect in Mellel or Apple's Pages much as you have in Microsoft Word. If you don't like Apple's ancient TSM Input Menu design, write to them: http://www.apple.com/feedback/mac/tm.html  
(Version 1.7)

ROGERTJACKSON  I had none of the problems with the product the previous poster experienced.

I followed the installation instructions; the developers admit that installing the product could be 'tricky" but I evaluating the application within five minutes.

I wouldn't stay way from Grammarian Pro unless you have similar problems. However, based on the high marks the app has gotten from so many users, you have no problems -- provided you follow instructions.  
(Version 1.7)

FREDB7  @rogertjackson

If you mean that I didn't follow the instructions, you're wrong. I spent 12 hours a day in front of macs for the last decade and I know what I'm doing.

@ DL

You write "I've never seen or heard of this happening to ANYONE before.", but taking a look at the other reviews I see someone who had the exact same problem with v 1.5.1:

"(...) activating its input method instantly kills every running application, including the Finder, which (due to being auto-relaunched) goes into a loop of launching and being killed endlessly. The Finder can't even stay running long enough to deactivate the input method, so even a forced reboot doesn't break the cycle.

Logging in remotely and doing an "rm -rf" on its input method component finally put an end to the chaos."

Two people having this problem, it's not an isolated case anymore. You should fix it.

About TSM: I understand the only way Apple provide is far from perfect, but I just want a grammar checker, no auto-correct, etc. A simple service, or even better an Input Manager would do the trick for me.

Back @rogertjackson

2 users having the same problem on 13 reviews is a bit far from "high marks the app has gotten from so many users".  
(Version 1.7)

PEPPER131  I have had problems with Grammarian Pro 1.7 since the last security update. I get the good old spinning beach ball till I force quit the application. Apon quitting

[forced] the box reads “grammarian not responding”  
(Version 1.7)

ST00P!D M0NK3Y  I'm also getting the spinning beach ball of doom. It loads forever when I have it set to correct text in 'Academic'...it never loads. *sigh*  
(Version 1.7)

AMALGAMATED INC  there is something wrong with your system. i've used it on 3 different macs (intel/non intel) in our office, works perfectly on all of them.  
(Version 1.8.1)

ST00P!D M0NK3Y  No, there is nothing wrong with my system, thanks. All the issues that occurred in version 1.7 have been addressed in version 1.8.  
(Version 1.8.2)

DL  Sorry for not seeing this until now, but I don't get around the review sites looking for people who need tech support. The answer for this was posted on our site. Our serial server was down momentarily because of International Internet Guild changes (com/net/org). Our .org domain timed out until the Guild made their changes. Anyhow, I posted a followup with a simple solution: Momentarily disconnect your internet connection. Again, this issue was resolved long ago when the Internet Guild came back online for .org domains. New versions of Grammarian allow for this type of (future) issue.  
(Version 1.7)

ANONYMOUS  You are wrong. Perhaps, you need to buy a copy of Grammarian. In reply to your statement:

------------

Use commas to separate three or more words, phrases, or clauses written in a series.

For example:

The Constitution establishes the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of government.

------------

Article "A" or "An"

* Use "An" before a vowel sound

* Use "A" before a consonant sound

"Universal" begins with a consonant sound.

Hence, Grammarian's product description is correct.  
(Version 1.6)

DAVIS1  "Universal" begins with a consonant sound?  
(Version 1.6.1)

DAVIS1  Come to think of it, you're right:

"a ubiquitous..."

"a usage..."

"a universal..."

but it's

"an ulcer..."

"an uncle..."

"an ultraviolet..."

So while the letter U is always a vowel, its *sound* in the first three examples is consonant, but in the latter three its *sound* is vowel.

Thanks for the grammar lesson :)  
(Version 1.6.1)