Re: open-source vs. open source

Subject: Re: open-source vs. open source
From: Janice Gelb <Janice -dot- Gelb -at- Sun -dot- COM>
To: techwr-l -at- lists -dot- techwr-l -dot- com
Date: Tue, 28 Oct 2008 07:09:26 +1100

Michael West wrote:
>>> One of the purposes of hyphenating compounds is to avoid ambiguity, as
>>> in "open door policy" or "fast sailing ship". Maybe it's just me, but
>>> I don't see potential ambiguity in the phrases above involving "open
>>> source".
>>>
>> It's not just you :-> Our Editorial Forum discussed
>> this and decided that "open source" did not need to
>> be hyphenated when used as a modifier because its
>> typical usage was not ambiguous.
>
> The idea that there is a committee somewhere that decides what I, or anyone
> else, will or won't find ambiguous is hilarious. That's not editing, that's
> clairvoyance.
>

??? Many style decisions are based on what you
think the audience will or won't find confusing
or helpful. Typographic conventions, page layout,
hyphenation, GUI terminology -- decisions in all
those areas and more are largely informed by
what you think will be helpful to your readers.

-- Janice

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References:
Re: open-source vs. open source: From: Michael West

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