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> Is there a style manual (preferably Canadian) that deals
> specifically with, or at least covers many of, the terms associated
> with computers? For example, should it be hyper text, hypertext,
> HyperText, re-booting, rebooting etc.
Because the technology changes so fast and there's such a proliferation of
related documentation, no editorial consensus has formed around the
orthography of many computing terms, variants of which are still duking it
out across myriad media.
However, a couple of computing dictionaries on the web can at least be
relied upon to be relatively current (if not altogether comprehensive):
Of the two, the first comes closest to what I think you're looking for. The
second offers some useful insights into computing jargon and can help decode
some of the more obscure terms bandied about on the Net.
BTW, FOLDOC gives hypertext (not HyperText or hyper text) as the preferred
orthography. It does not however treat reboot (it does have boot). When you
can't find consistent editorial treatment of a term across a range of
established journals and you've had no luck finding a manual specific to the
technology, it's reasonable to let yourself be guided by the practices
recommended in an established manual like the GPO Style Manual, which has
exerted a strong influence across a wide spectrum of technical
documentation. In the case of rebooting, you'll find that GPO generally
closes up "re" to the word it combines with. So even if GPO doesn't include
reboot in its hyphenation list, you can infer a guideline (and often find
one stated explicitly) that you can apply to re-boot vs. reboot. Where there
is no consensus--and often there isn't--you ultimately choose what makes
sense to you.
Though you asked for manual recommendations, I cited dictionaries because
your particular examples were concerned with orthographic considerations a
dictionary can handle. However if you want guidance on abbreviations,
numerals, units of measure, citations, punctuation, and the rest of it, then
you do need a style manual. Though the GPO, AP, Times, and Chicago style
manuals are useful, they're limited in dealing with technology-specific
questions of style. And I join you in querying the list for titles of style
manuals that are attempting to standardize current computing terminology and
address matters of style unique to the technology.
--
steve wax stevewx -at- eskimo -dot- com
-------------------------------------------------------------
After the final no there comes a yes
and on that yes the future world depends. --Wallace Stevens
