Subject: Re: [malcolm.parsons@virgin.net: bsdgames: number claims English output, but outputs in American]
To: Thor Lancelot Simon <tls@rek.tjls.com>
From: Alistair Crooks <agc@wasabisystems.com>
List: tech-userlevel
Date: 11/17/2003 15:24:44
On Mon, Nov 17, 2003 at 09:12:12AM -0500, Thor Lancelot Simon wrote:
> On Mon, Nov 17, 2003 at 12:50:29PM +0100, Alistair Crooks wrote:
> > On Sun, Nov 16, 2003 at 04:49:24PM -0800, Bill Studenmund wrote:
> > 
> > To summarise - there is or was no dictat from The NetBSD Foundation
> > that the project must use American spelling in all its documentation,
> > nor do I believe that there should be one.  My own preference is to be
> > inclusive on this - I would much prefer to see any documentation
> > whatsoever, even if it has a different spelling to the one with which
> > I'm familiar.
> 
> I disagree.  Like Bill, I have a distinct recollection that we agreed
> long ago to standardize on American English in our code and documentation
> in NetBSD.  I believe the discussion might have predated your involvement
> with the project.

That's a pity - I'd have loved to have been part of that discussion. 
But, since I officially joined the project in March 1997, and Bill in
October 1997, I'm not sure that was the case.
 
> It sounds like you think a witch-hunt for Anglicisms is underway.  I see
> no evidence that that is or will be the case, and do think that it is
> both useful and necessary to pick a default dialect as a general guideline.

I do not believe that a witch-hunt for Anglicisms is underway, in the same
way that I do not believe there is one true spelling - I believe that there
is room within the project for different spelling bases.

Regards,
Alistair