[net.columbia] POORLY CODED INFORMATION

cwh@drufl.UUCP (Hoffmeyer) (12/29/83)

To my knowledge the term "UNIX"(TM) does not have a plural.
If it did however, it would be UNIXs.  I would add that the
plural of words which are all caps (e.g. STS - Space Transport
Shuttle) is formed by adding a lower case "s": STSs.
My basis for the above comes from a Bell Laboratories Editorial
Style Guide - and in part from my own professional experience.

No, I will not flame about faulty spelling, punctuation, or usage -
much as it galls me to see members of the technical cadre of our
country displaying their ham-handed verbal skills (learn to use
your text editors).  If we are truly interested in convincing
people of the worth of our space program, or anything else we have
to say, I suggest we start by convincing others of our own respect
for our mother tongue, and for our ability to use it.

English is a symbolic logic code, like Fortran or C.  Many would have
us believe that we can afford to be lax in coding one but not the others.
I assure you that such a pathetic notion is tragically erroneous.

"UNIX" is a trademark of AT&T Bell Laboratories.
Carl W. Hoffmeyer     WB2YHE        	Technical Publications Dept.
Technical Editor     drufl!cwh	        AT&T Information Systems