Source: https://front-end.social/@fox/110846484782705013
Text in the screenshot from Grammarly says:
We develop data sets to train our algorithms so that we can improve the services we provide to customers like you. We have devoted significant time and resources to developing methods to ensure that these data sets are anonymized and de-identified.
To develop these data sets, we sample snippets of text at random, disassociate them from a user’s account, and then use a variety of different methods to strip the text of identifying information (such as identifiers, contact details, addresses, etc.). Only then do we use the snippets to train our algorithms-and the original text is deleted. In other words, we don’t store any text in a manner that can be associated with your account or used to identify you or anyone else.
We currently offer a feature that permits customers to opt out of this use for Grammarly Business teams of 500 users or more. Please let me know if you might be interested in a license of this size, and I’II forward your request to the corresponding team.
https://languagetool.org/
The free version can even be self-hosted.
They are just as shady as grammarly.
Years ago they have decommissioned their open source browser extension, made a new shiny one that is closed source, and when people asked why isn’t the new one open source, they just closed the issue without any explanation.
Their selfhosted offering also doesn’t worth much: the “magic sauce” is not included. But more importantly, now that I tried to look this up again, the only mention I have found about the selfhosted version on their website is a “contact us for the on-premise version” button on the “For Businesses” page, where you can write an email and they will probably respond with a price offering.
For selfhosting it, you may be better off with this fork as it enables premium features, but do note that this is not developed actively. Look at the “commits behind” counter and compare it to the “commits” counter below it.
As I said in another comment, the server and source are both available from their website on https://languagetool.org/dev (linked via “Open-Source Development”), maybe the “mail us” is for the pro version? I’m perfectly happy with the free version which is absolutely good enough for me.
> They are just as shady as grammarly.
Last I compared the privacy policy, that was not even close to true. Also “just as shady” for one company that releases at least part of their work as open source and one that is completely closed and “The only way to avoid Grammarly using your data for AI is to pay for 500 accounts”, is some kind of “HN-ers complaining about Mozilla and using Chrome to spite them” bullshit.
I’ve used language tool for a while and honestly it’s not very good and lacking integration in many tools.
No idea about integrations, but regarding quality it was the opposite for me. The language recognition alone was leaps beyond Grammarly (though I can’t say if Grammarly has improved since then, as I switched years ago for privacy reasons), but also other fields.
We used it company wide and did a pretty extensive evaluation vs Grammarly and while I was on the side of Languagetool the match up was completely one sided :|
Company-wide, I guess it’s about pro? As I only use it to make fewer mistakes in internet comments, I’m a free user ;)
I’d forgotten about LT. it’s as good as any of the other grammar checkers and better than a lot of them (looking at you, Microsoft).
You have to request the self hosted version?
Huh? Sources and binary download are all linked here: https://languagetool.org/dev
Oh cool, their website says you need to email them 🤷♂️
Weird, I landed there via their website :D
Thank you for this! I’ve been reluctantly using Grammarly because I thought there were no alternatives.