Dictionary.com 'Devastated' Paid Users By Abruptly Deleting Saved Word Lists (arstechnica.com) 61
Dictionary.com abruptly deleted all user accounts and saved word lists from its premium apps without notice or refunds, leaving long-time logophiles "devastated." "The company deleted all accounts, as well as the only ways to use Dictionary.com without seeing ads -- even if you previously paid for an ad-free experience," reports Ars Technica. From the report: Dictionary.com offers a free dictionary through its website and free Android and iOS apps. It used to offer paid-for mobile apps, called Dictionary.com Pro, that let users set up accounts, use the app without ads, and enabled other features (like grammar tips and science and rhyming dictionaries) that are gone now. Dictionary.com's premium apps also let people download an offline dictionary (its free apps used to let you buy a downloadable dictionary as a one-time purchase), but offline the dictionaries aren't available anymore.
About a year ago, claims of Dictionary.com's apps being buggy surfaced online. We also found at least one person claiming that they were unable to buy an ad-free upgrade at that time. Reports of Dictionary.com accounts being deleted and the apps not working as expected, and with much of its content removed, started appearing online about two months ago. Users reported being unable to log in and access premium features, like saved words. Soon after, Dictionary.com's premium apps were removed from Google Play and Apple's App Store. The premium version was available for download for $6 as recently as March 23, per the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine.
About a year ago, claims of Dictionary.com's apps being buggy surfaced online. We also found at least one person claiming that they were unable to buy an ad-free upgrade at that time. Reports of Dictionary.com accounts being deleted and the apps not working as expected, and with much of its content removed, started appearing online about two months ago. Users reported being unable to log in and access premium features, like saved words. Soon after, Dictionary.com's premium apps were removed from Google Play and Apple's App Store. The premium version was available for download for $6 as recently as March 23, per the Internet Archive's Wayback Machine.
Surprised! (Score:2)
I have to say, I never would have imagined, ever, that anyone would pay for the things described in the summary.
Learn something new every day.
There truly is something for everyone in this world.
Sorry to hear those dictionary lovers all got fucked over....also can't say I'm surprised.
Maybe I missed it, but I didn't see anything in the summary as to WHY this happened.
Re:Surprised! (Score:5, Funny)
Maybe I missed it, but I didn't see anything in the summary as to WHY this happened.
The developers ran out of story points.
Re: (Score:1)
Hahahhahahah!
Nice (;
Re:Surprised! (Score:5, Insightful)
Maybe I missed it,
You missed it:
After careful consideration, user accounts within the Dictionary.com app have been discontinued.
Not informative, but it's there.
As a result, users are no longer able to sign in to their accounts, and any saved word lists are no longer available.
Oh. Seems like they didn't want to spend money to fix their API framework. My observations on this point in a bit.
Unfortunately, since the coding technology that was used in the previous app version is different from what is used in the new app, it is not possible to recover word lists.
Bull. Ducking. Spit. And you can believe as much of that Bull Spit as you'd like. I could speculate but it does seem like a cash grab or that someone didn't get the source code and/or access to the backend data. I've worked for places were their vital, must work app - they forgot to put in the contract they own the source. And another place that outsourced their SANs and walked in one fine Monday to find all of them had been removed over the weekend for non-payment. Along with the backup tapes. (it's still in court).
Code changes? I'm not going to rant and rave about doing data transfers using output from a 20ma current loop teletype to RS-232 then to 8" floppy because it'll make yer eyes bleed. Or the fun and games using CPIO and DD to take data from 9 track tape to a SCSI DC150 tape - and mind the endian on that data stream. Data are fungible. They can always, ALWAYS be rearranged.
While we understand that this changes how you use Dictionary.com, we are hopeful that you will find the overall improvements provide faster search, additional content, and a better design.
Translation: We spit all over everything and hope you like the change in the taste, and if not... Oh well. Stinks to be you.
Metanote on API frameworks:
As things evolve or devolve, changes to the API are necessary. Leave wiggle room for you to meet those challenges going forward. No, I'm not going to get specific - that it the context for several books. I could write a few books on that but others already have, and likely more eloquently and patiently than I can. I will say that a api call with a version is pretty simple to do.
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None of that is in the summary.
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I love* it when upper management explains that they didn't know who to ask about how to actually do that work, and don't have the skills to determine which consultants are engaging with the technology and which are just trying to upsell them.
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Yes but. If you want to give them the benefit of the doubt, the explanation is compatible with the old data being stored in an Oracle database and they decided to stop paying a company which has the reputation for using its income to disrupt its clients by auditing and suing them. If you don't migrate your data before you stop paying Larry, it wouldn't surprise me that you're locked out of it until you decide to fork up another year's subscription.
Re: Surprised! (Score:2)
Re: (Score:2)
No doubt the place started getting funny, manager's acting funny, director said something funny, say there's something funny about the new hire. Then it got funnier and funnier, funny things with the 401k, funny things about working salary, funny things about going to your dentist appointment.
Then after enough people left willingly they did layoffs of their most expensive employees.
After all we can hire some consultants and buy the fancy $200/mo LLMs, dictionary.com is already built we just need to keep it
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thieves and liars, behaving incompetently. no surprise there, that's capitalism
y'all like marking these comments as trolling but they are not, the truth really is this plain and this ugly. capitalism is fucking retarded and the longer you keep pretending otherwise the worse things are going to get.
They've just enshittified DICTIONARY.COM ffs. Products come out nowadays pre-enshittified - broken down into stupid marketing itemizations for billing purposes, can't just buy a thing anymore instead you gotta
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Some of them might have been legacy purchases. I have the Oxford English/Spanish Dictionary app on my phone: it's a portable offline version of a tool which I also have in physical form (and the book is technically portable but might not fit in all of my backpacks). You might think that there must be good online English/Spanish dictionaries, but when I bought the app for my first Android I had 50MB of 3G data pe
Re:Always keep at least two backups (Score:5, Interesting)
Definitely "if you can't make a backup, don't rely on it". For things that are trivial enough, I may not bother to backup, but if I *can't* backup, then just forget it. It's not worth ANY investment of time or effort.
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Consider how many people just use webmail, and don't use a client such as Thunderbird to keep a local (as in on your own computer) copy of all their emails...
Response from dictionary.com (Score:3)
Per TFA, someone reached out to dictionary.com support and received this response:
After careful consideration, user accounts within the Dictionary.com app have been discontinued. As a result, users are no longer able to sign in to their accounts, and any saved word lists are no longer available.
Unfortunately, since the coding technology that was used in the previous app version is different from what is used in the new app, it is not possible to recover word lists.
This change was part of our recent app update to improve the design, speed, and functionality of the Dictionary.com app. While we understand that this changes how you use Dictionary.com, we are hopeful that you will find the overall improvements provide faster search, additional content, and a better design.
Sounds like a code rewrite. That's a great way to get an upgrade with fewer features than the original.
that is of course complete BS (Score:5, Insightful)
Oh it's most definitely possible, but they have no convenient place to put them since users can't login anymore, and so they're just going to label it as "impossible" to get people off their back. (data conversion is relatively easy to do, I do it occasionally)
And if they honestly are saying they think it's "impossible", some PHB is being lied to or there's some severe incompetence afoot.
We might see a class-action for this. It's always risky just "deleting" a "lifetime" service without at least re-branding.
Re: (Score:2)
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Yep. They "added some language" (god I feel like theres something resembling a pun in here, but I'm not sure what. maybe theres a dictionary that can help me), that lets them delete features without refunding.
THAT however might not survive long in front of a judge. Particularly with Euro, UK or Australian customers. Hell even a US judge might find that obnoxious behavior and strike it.
If a judge decides that nobody in their right mind would agree to a contract that says "We can just kind of decide not to gi
Re: (Score:2)
That they're trying to assert the coding language they were/are using
Maybe they meant the AI they're using now can't figure out how to do it. "Coding technology" is a pretty vague term
Fail (Score:2)
recent app update to improve the ... functionality
Fail.
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"since the coding technology that was used in the previous app version is different from what is used in the new app, it is not possible to recover word lists"
hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
I wonder what percentage of users will believe this absolute bullshit.
AI needed more space. whoops gone. (Score:1)
Is "devastated" really the term to describe them? (Score:5, Funny)
Perhaps it was more they felt lost, ravaged, or demolished.. their psyches shattered or broken, with their site experience now ruined... or wrecked.
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Have you seen Karen freak out videos?
People become devastated over the most ridiculous shit.
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Have you seen Karen freak out videos?
People become devastated over the most ridiculous shit.
And how! SO is addicted to that stuff. Karens, women getting pulled over for DUI, "Snapped" on the Oxygen channel. That's women who kill their boyfriends, husbands, parents, and children. I can only stand a few of them at a time.
I keep asking her if she's getting ideas from them. She just giggles.
Re: (Score:1)
I use them to teach my 9 year old about the importance of controlling his emotions and having the ability to talk calmly about them, the importance of following rules and doing what he is told to do, especially when the police are involved, and making good decisions while avoiding making a bad situation much, much worse. We discuss the contents of the video in this context, bringing it back to how me and his mother try to teach him to be a good person.
We also discuss what may have happened to these people
Re: (Score:2)
The 30 year old (at the time) woman, Jaclyn Marie Flury, killed herself last September (age 33). She really was as unstable as she appears in the video.
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Well, there you go.
I guess that's what happens when you don't get the free upgrade to 1st class that you feel entitled to.
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I use them to teach my 9 year old about the importance of controlling his emotions and having the ability to talk calmly about them, the importance of following rules and doing what he is told to do, especially when the police are involved, and making good decisions while avoiding making a bad situation much, much worse.
A good idea! I did see she committed suicide in 2024. That's sad. I certainly feel sorry for her family and her.
But trying to figure it out, what was her issue? I guess lack of impulse control, coupled with a propensity to freak out and become irrational. Did she perhaps find in her childhood that a temper tantrum allowed her to get her own way all the time? Because her not listening to the police when they were trying to just get her to book a flight on another airline, and avoid any punishment for he
Re: (Score:1)
But trying to figure it out, what was her issue?
No doubt a number of factors.
But, and I know this won't be a popular opinion here in the liberal land of Slashdot, but I think a liberal (in the new sense of the word) education played a big part. She used the ultra-left's language ("that's my privilege"). I'm sure that included plenty of material about how cops are evil and bad and whatever else, and she treated them accordingly. And of course, her complete entitlement mentality, the foundation of leftist politics.
Beyond that, probably parents that didn't
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Oh, I forgot "inability to shut the fuck up" too.
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Oh, I forgot "inability to shut the fuck up" too.
Have you ever seen the "What thing can men do that is impossible for women" stunts on youtube? A guy says "I know something men can do but women can't" then he just stands there and says nothing while she keeps talking, asking him "what is it" for a couple minutes. 8^)
Re: (Score:1)
I have not.
But that's pretty funny (;
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But trying to figure it out, what was her issue?
No doubt a number of factors.
But, and I know this won't be a popular opinion here in the liberal land of Slashdot, but I think a liberal (in the new sense of the word) education played a big part. She used the ultra-left's language ("that's my privilege"). I'm sure that included plenty of material about how cops are evil and bad and whatever else, and she treated them accordingly. And of course, her complete entitlement mentality, the foundation of leftist politics.
Is it not amazing, when the officers gave her so many more chances, to just walk away and re-book with another airline. That's the part that really interests me. What causes that complete lack of control? Back in the day we would have called it her brain doing a core dump. She was not responding to the offers to just walk off without any repercussions. Damn, I'd thank the officers, shake their hands and apologize for causing anyone trouble.
My father taught me early on to
Beyond that, probably parents that didn't beat her ass and/or tell her no enough, if at all.
Nobody calling her out on her bullshit, as and before it escalated.
And let's not forget, like most women, just won't fucking listen. And I'm no incel. My wife has the same fucking problem. Doesn't understand why I get upset when tell her I want Klondike ice cream sandwiches and she brings home Klondike ice cream bars. No sweetie, they're not the same fucking thing!
My favorite "refuse to listen" stor
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This is a dictionary, not a thesaurus.
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Many printed dictionaries listed a few synonyms for entries, too. Not as extensive a list (or any antonyms) like full thesaurus, though.
Personally, I am ... (Score:5, Funny)
Re: (Score:2)
LOL, where are my mod points when I need them?
Goldendict (Score:1)
I recommend http://www.goldendict.org/ [goldendict.org]
Word lookups both local and online dictionaries and thesauruses.
It's an indispensable aid for writing.
"Pay for" != "Own" (Score:3)
Everybody here already knows this, but it bears repeating because it needs to be pointed out - over and over and over again - to non-techies. If the data is not on storage media in your physical possession, then YOU DON'T OWN IT, no matter how much you paid.
I simultaneously sympathize with the people who lost stuff that's important to them, and shake my head in wonder at their foolishness. Keeping irreplaceable data only in the cloud, on someone else's hardware, is a recipe for all kinds of hurt. I think people know this, but somehow believe that loss of data or loss of access will only ever happen to somebody else.
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Unfortunately its becoming increasingly harder to find good software that isnt some sort of bullshit cloud service. Hell even half the open source packages out there are being munted into some sort of lovecraftian monstrosity thats half "open source linux package" and half shitful "cloud ai blockchain buzzword service".
Re: (Score:2)
Everybody here already knows this, but it bears repeating because it needs to be pointed out - over and over and over again - to non-techies. If the data is not on storage media in your physical possession, then YOU DON'T OWN IT, no matter how much you paid.
I simultaneously sympathize with the people who lost stuff that's important to them, and shake my head in wonder at their foolishness. Keeping irreplaceable data only in the cloud, on someone else's hardware, is a recipe for all kinds of hurt. I think people know this, but somehow believe that loss of data or loss of access will only ever happen to somebody else.
What amazes me is that local storage is so damn cheap now. Cheap enough that I have two good size drives doing two separate but identical Time Machine backups.
One of my favorite conversations with some of the cloud cult providers was when I pointed out the multiple instances of people not being able to access their data, he told me that people should make local copies too.
Wut?
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One of my favorite conversations with some of the cloud cult providers was when I pointed out the multiple instances of people not being able to access their data, he told me that people should make local copies too.
Wut?
I'm not sure if you intended to be humorous, but I'm still chuckling.
I see the advantages of keeping some data in the cloud. But the encryption has to be strong and reliable where that's appropriate, and I insist on having it available for offline access as well.
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One of my favorite conversations with some of the cloud cult providers was when I pointed out the multiple instances of people not being able to access their data, he told me that people should make local copies too.
Wut?
I'm not sure if you intended to be humorous, but I'm still chuckling.
I see the advantages of keeping some data in the cloud. But the encryption has to be strong and reliable where that's appropriate, and I insist on having it available for offline access as well.
I laughed at the guy who told me that too. I asked "If I have to keep a local copy of everything, why do I need your service?" And I've seen where some dolt couldn't retrieve his PowerPoint from the cloud. All it takes is an outdated certificate. I mean crikey, I have my presentation on my computer, as well as on a couple thumb drives when I'm presenting. Ima belt and suspenders kind of guy. 8^)
Now this isn't against things like dropbox, where you might want to share a large file with people. That's a
If you do not have your own, offline backups (Score:4, Insightful)
You may as well assume that data will vanish some day. Seems like people need to learn that again and again and again.
It could happen (Score:3)
Maybe their thesaurus has gone rogue.
Re: (Score:2)
Maybe their thesaurus has gone rogue.
Can you say that another way?
Why? (Score:2)
Why does one need an online account? Most of my dictionary access are simple greps in text files. I bet there are enough apps that do the same and can be used completely offline ... and may also have a favorite word list.
Use AI (Score:1)
Or you know, write your list down if you are daunted by technology.
As an aside it's shitty that dictionary.com did this. Clearly they hate people that pay them. Use their site with U-block origin, NoScript and privacy ferret as much as possible since they hate money so much...
Replace word list with jawn. (Score:2)
the internet existed before ISPs just fyi (Score:1)
"But I can't make any money selling oxygen if it's just free. Imagine the tax dollars you're saying no to!"
meet
"But it's so expensive to run a website (for no actual reason except greedy so-called "Internet Service Provider" gatekeepers) that if I don't serve you ads, we will literally die"
something is rotten in the state of Internetmark.
Cloud (Score:2)
Confucius say "Man who is wowed by the cloud soon finds parade rained on."
Beware of any upcharge services (Score:2)
Restaurants want to sell you loyalty programs.
Stores want to sell you extended warranties.
Apps want to sell you extra features.
In all such cases, beware. The "extras" tend to be fleeting and disappointing.
Restaurants sell meals. Those loyalty programs are likely to change the terms or cancel them altogether.
Stores sell products. If you buy that warranty, you are likely to be disappointed when your product breaks and the warranty company gives you the runaround.
Dictionary.com is fine for...looking up words.
I forgot my words. (Score:2)
Nothing of value was lost. Likewise, for the purchase or subscription price, nothing of value was obtained.