TechWhirl (TECHWR-L) is a resource for technical writing and technical communications professionals of all experience levels and in all industries to share their experiences and acquire information.
For two decades, technical communicators have turned to TechWhirl to ask and answer questions about the always-changing world of technical communications, such as tools, skills, career paths, methodologies, and emerging industries. The TechWhirl Archives and magazine, created for, by and about technical writers, offer a wealth of knowledge to everyone with an interest in any aspect of technical communications.
Subject:Re: ZIP Code:acronymous capitalization From:Mike Pope <mikep -at- ASYMETRIX -dot- COM> Date:Fri, 13 May 1994 11:28:00 PDT
>> Does anyone else out there capitalize ZIP Code?
>I generally capitalize it because it's actually an acronym ("zone
>improvement plan," if my memory's working today :-).
I remember reading a rule of thumb in Editor's Eye once that said if
you pronounce the acronym as a word, capitalize it as a word; if you
sound out the letters, captialize them. This definitely does not work
in some instances (GUI, BASIC, COBOL come to my mind, about
which I'm sure we could argue), but does in other
instances: laser, bit, other older terms. It's an idea, anyway.
