atw: Re: Oh no, not 'mouses' again! [SEC=UNCLASSIFIED]

Bruce Ashley wrote:
I DID try and resist ... truly ... but I was sucked in by the dark side of the force … :D
As for common usage, no, the term ‘mouses’ is not “more common now in Australia for the computer devices”, it has ALWAYS been more common because it is the only accurate word for these devices. The only reason there has EVER been any doubt is the vast unwashed masses who didn’t know how to use it correctly. :P 



Whenever I see phrases like "the only accurate word" in
discussion like this, I cringe. Phrasing like "most common
in the industry," "cited in most dictionaries," "found in
X, Y, and Z sources" work for me. Claiming that one particular
usage, even if found in a few sources, is the One True Phrase
doesn't really work in an industry as volatile as ours.

Several people noted that the Microsoft Manual of Style
prefers "mouse devices" and I indicated that Read Me First
and also Sun internal style use this phrase as well. Hadn't
realized until now that those publications were serving the
"vast unwashed masses."

-- Janice

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Janice Gelb          | The only connection Sun has with
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