[Android Software/Hacking General [Developers Only]] AquaeAtrae:
BACKGROUND

Had it not been for Swype, I would have had a very hard time replacing my old xT9 smartphone, even with the novelty of the touchscreen. I'd become very proficient and only with Swype's speed and accuracy, could I possibly type as much. Plus, the company was tangible improvements with each release.

Thanks to the hardworking folks here at XDA, my new phone only got better when I finally flashed my first custom ROM. Everything that is, except Swype (or so it seemed).

It baffled me how such a professionally dev'd app would now be so inaccurate, often suggesting obscure, foreign names like "knorr" over the common verb "know". I figured it had to be a language bug perhaps, but even after months of new releases and flashing different ROMs, it was still there, coming up with different random words at times but still wonky.

DISCOVERY

It finally dawned on me today... The kind folks who customized my nifty ROMs were

not clearing their Android user dictionary before packaging

it up and sending it to me. I was seeing names pulled from their personal contact list. (Clearly they've been sexting some exotic foreign hotties, so far outta my league I can barely pronounce their names. *sigh*)

Although I use Titanium Backup to carry my own dictionary customizin's over each time I flash, apparently it merged at least one other's dictionary somewhere along the way.

RESOLUTION

The easiest way to fix this is to simply reset the user dictionary. You'll have to retype your custom terms in again, but that's better than correcting for someone else's phone book, quirks, or stubbornly poor spelling. ;)

In the Android Settings, tap into Applications, Manage Applications. Then under the Running tab, find and tap com.android.providers.userdictionary. By pressing the Clear Data button, all your text methods should reset to the basic, uncustomized predictions. For me, it helped Swype perform just as it was designed.

SECURITY CONCERNS

ROM Chefs: Beyond having the names of your contacts revealed randomly note and then, the bigger risk I might imagine is if a password were ever typed into and non-password field, be it by mistake or poor app design. I've seen at least two myself, and typed into the wrong box before. [Why on-screen landscape keyboards competely obscure one's context, I'll never know.]

Were such a mis-remembered password get sent off, and perchance align closely with someone's traced word, they may very well recognize the oddity as a password. And with how open most devs are with their email addies, it wouldn't be hard to wreak some real havoc with accounts using that password.

But I'm sure everyone who flashes your ROM is very respectful and too appreciative of your hard work to take advantage of you, right? [What's the BBCODE for sarcasm again?!]

Anyhow, all this proven a valuable discovery for me. Perhaps it'll help restore a few other's faith in Swype, etc or even their sanity (no promises).

Searching the forum, I couldn't find mention of it; perhaps it's a rare oversight. Regardless, happy texting, y'all!

[this post was written entirely on a (now working) Swype virtual keyboard :p ]