: Re: Any experience with Serenity Editor software? Has anyone had any experience with Serenity Editor editing software? What's the difference between the Standard version or the Word add-in? What kind

@Frith254

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Ok, I gave it a try.
I was puzzled during setup getting a message that my screen resolution is too high. Because it was a big WTF too me, I ignored the message and continued. Also does the WTF.
After launching the standalone application you see a fixed-size window, not resizable. I do not know if this is some stupid limitation of the evaluation version, but this is just ridiculous. After the app has analyzed your code, three sub windows show up within the main window, one behind the other.
The Draft Output window shows your text with numbers annotated. The Usage Output (error list) shows these numbers and the issue description. Now it would be handy to arrange these two windows side-by-side, but that is impossible, because of the fixed-sized main window. For me as software developer this is one giant WTF!
Luckily you can export the outputs and watch them in the editor of your choice side-by-side.
The findings themselves are interesting and helpful--at least for me as a non-native speaker. The error list is not in ascending order, instead sorted in categories. Looks like the idea is to get through the error list and look up the corresponding number in the text, not the other way around.
To get an impression I show you a section of my current novel and the analysis of the tool:
(Caveat: I believe in Write, don't edit and this is work in progress. So don't expect anything polished.)
Original text:

The wind breathes through my wings. I’m gliding on a cushion of relief. I’ve got outside in time. Here I’m one of many crows flying around. I angle my wings and turn around. I overlook the inner yard of the temple. Witches all over the place. Can they also can fly? It would reduce my chances tremendously.
Which chances anyway? They are so many and I am only one. They are witches and I’m just a bird.
»Don’t let me regret having chosen you.«
The beast.
»Oh, don’t tell me, you forgotten me. That would hurt so much; itching my highly strung heart.«
Aren’t you too sensitive? I doubt, that demons have hearts.
»And I doubt, that ravens have brains. At least the one I know of.«
If you are so smart, beast, then tell me how I, a bird, can kill the archpriest. A witch with magic, charms and stuff.
»Learn to think. Then learn to be more than a lousy bird.«
Wait! You cast me into this body.
»Yes, learn to use it.«

Draft Output:

<344>The wind breathes through my wings. <345>I'm gliding on a cushion
of relief. <346>I've got outside in time. <347>Here I'm one of many crows
flying around. <348>I angle my wings and turn around. <349>I overlook the
inner yard of the temple. <350>Witches all over the place. <351>Can they
also can fly? <352>It would reduce my chances tremendously.
<353>Which chances anyway? <354>They are so many and I am only one.
<355>They are witches and I'm just a bird.
<356>The beast.
<357>Aren't you too sensitive? <358>I doubt, that demons have hearts.
<359>If you are so smart, beast, then tell me how I, a bird, can kill
the archpriest. <360>A witch with magic, charms and stuff.
<361>Wait! <362>You casted me into this body.

Usage Output (some numbers are not listed, reason unknown, I put them in order):

<345> I'm
CONTRACTION [k]
<346> I've
CONTRACTION [k]
<347> I'm
CONTRACTION [k]
<347> around
COMMONLY MISUSED TERM; use "about" before a time [M]
<348> around
COMMONLY MISUSED TERM; use "about" before a time [M]
<350> Witches
POSSIBLE OFFENSIVE TERM? [o]
<350> all over the place
SLANG EXPRESSION [L]
<351> also can
UNIDIOMATIC PHRASE; can also? [N]
<352> tremendously
POSSIBLE EMPTY INTENSIFIER [E]
<354> only
COMMONLY MISUSED TERM: place right before word(s) it modifies [M]
<355> witches
POSSIBLE OFFENSIVE TERM? [o]
<355> I'm
CONTRACTION [k]
<357> Aren't
CONTRACTION [k]
<359> smart
COMMONLY MISUSED TERM; intelligent? [M]
<359> tell . . . how
COMMONLY MISUSED TERM; "that" unless "how" = "in what way" [M]
<360> witch
POSSIBLE OFFENSIVE TERM? [o]
<360> and stuff
INFORMAL OR COLLOQUIAL USAGE unless "stuff" is a verb [I]

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