Re: UNIX or Unix?

Subject: Re: UNIX or Unix?
From: "Chris W. Rea [UL]" <cwrea -at- CREDIT -dot- ERIN -dot- UTORONTO -dot- CA>
Date: Mon, 30 Oct 1995 17:10:18 -0500

Betsy:

To UNIX or to Unix... my answer: UNIX. Reason? Every online manual page I've
ever read on any UNIX system that makes reference to UNIX always does it as
"UNIX" and not "Unix".

Besides, the origin of the name was a play on the operating system MULTICS,
which was an acronym. To be true to that play on the name MULTICS, it is only
natural that UNIX should be capitalized in the same way.

It just looks right. Kind of like when you talk about the C language. Anybody
who writes a C book and refers to C as "C" or 'C' is asking for trouble.
Some can't get over the fact that it is a single letter, and then try to pump
it up with quotes. It's a proper noun, albeit a short one.

To me, it demonstrates a certain esoteric ineptness when they can talk about
the language, but can't mention it properly. So I can understand your wanting
to "get it right." It'll appease the nit-pickers out there. (Like me.)


[ CHRIS W. REA [UL] | The slightest confusion becomes a lethal wound ]
| U. of T. CompSci. | You know how to lie you know how to take a hint |
| email: cwrea -at- credi | Resorting to proper measures to stop the trend |
[ t.erin.utoronto.ca | Previously unyielding but now compelled to bend ]

PS: Then there's those who'll complain because I didn't put two spaces after
every period. :-)


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