atw: Re: Mouses??

Ana said:
> However, the Microsoft one agrees with Janice - the
> plural of mouse (in computer terms) is mouse devices.

But Janice said they would avoid using even that
("we try to rewrite so as to use the singular").
I'm just asking why. Why is it so important not to have
a plural form for this word, to the extent that you would
invent a special term that no-one uses in real life
("Click on the mouse device... click on the... oh
never mind, give the mouse device to me..."),
and then avoid using it anyway?

I'm not really bothered by either mouses or mice.
I'd be happy to follow whatever the local style guide said.
You might think I'm a louse for saying that, and you might
even think Howard is a louse for posing the question.
What would that make us--two louses? A couple of lice?
A lousy couple? Two louse personalities?
---
Stuart Burnfield
Information Developer
IBM Australia Development Laboratory (ADL), Perth

**************************************************
To post a message to austechwriter, send the message to 
austechwriter@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

To subscribe to austechwriter, send a message to 
austechwriter-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with "subscribe" in the Subject field.

To unsubscribe, send a message to austechwriter-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx with 
"unsubscribe" in the Subject field.

To search the austechwriter archives, go to 
www.freelists.org/archives/austechwriter

To contact the list administrator, send a message to 
austechwriter-admins@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
**************************************************

Other related posts: