C Bites (Rellay Jim's multiple x's)

Richard Welty weltyrp at rpics.UUCP
Sat Oct 26 08:53:14 AEST 1985


> Karl Tombre @ CRIN (Centre de Recherche en Informatique de Nancy) writes:
>
> Concerning Jim's style:
> 
>      OK  perhaps  we shouldn't  bother  with the  way  people  are using the
> english language in technical groups, but  please keep in mind that the  net
> is international,   and that we poor guys from  a foreign country, who  have
> learnt english at school  and who may have trouble finding the right way for
> writing an english word,  are  rather confused when an  american  spells *SO
> MANY WORDS* in a different way. Seeing some of Jim's entries, I really asked
> myself: "Is this really the right way of writing this word? I always thought
> it was that other  way..." And then you americans are  giving us bad habits.
> Shame on you!!!
> 
For those who do not speak english as a first language, might I recommend
trying to get a copy of Strunk & White, "The Elements of Style".  This
excellent little book should be read by all who attempt to write English
(including Jim).  They even have a small section about people who write the
way that Jim writes.

To relate this back to the fact that this is in a technical discussion, I
will point out that Kernighan and Plauger's "The Elements of Programming
Style" was deliberately patterned after Strunk and White.  This, of course,
is another book that all should read.
-- 
				Rich Welty

	"P. D. Q.'s early infancy ended with a striking decision;
	at the age of three, P. D. Q. Bach decided to give up music"
			- Prof. Peter Schickele,
			from "The Definitive Biography of P. D. Q. Bach"

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