Re: Style guide feedback (fwd)

[John Fleck <jfleck inkstain net>]

On Mon, Dec 10, 2001 at 07:16:36PM -0500, Trevor Curtis wrote:
> On Mon, Dec 10, 2001 at 02:01:20PM -0700, John Fleck offered:
> > Is it too late to request that we use
> > 
> >     menu bar
> >     tool bar
> >     status bar
> >     file name
> >     scroll bar
> >     task list
> >     title bar
> > 
> > And other standard English phrases instead of
> > 
> >     menubar
> >     toolbar
> >     statusbar
> >     filename
> >     scrollbar
> >     tasklist
> >     titlebar
> 
> Is it bad form to use the latter? I don't believe I've ever seen the 
> form of the former.
> 

The style guide specificies the conjoined forms, which is what
prompted Darin's note.

I believe there are reasonable arguments for both. On one hand,
natural English is better than made-up words. On the other hand, the
conjoined form allows for more specificity in defining a term.[1]

This is a specific example of the more general argument about
jargon. On one hand, using jargon instead of natural English
obfuscates. On the other hand, using jargon allows more precise
definition of terms.

In this case, I think the conjoined forms allow the necessary
specificity without straying far enough from natural English to
confuse our readers. I'm happy to enterain the alternative
argument. This is not something I feel particularly strongly
about. But at the end of the day the more important thing is that we
pick one or the other, accept its benefits and deal with its
shortcomings in the interest of the greater good of consistency.

Cheers,
John

[1]"filename" and "file name" are a special illustrative case, where
the style guide allows both, making clear distinctions between when
each should be used for important reasons.
-- 
John Fleck
jfleck inkstain net (h), http://www.inkstain.net/fleck/
"A M00se once bit my sister..."