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Subject:Re: Period before File Extensions From:Richard Polunsky <rpolunsky -at- ALTRANET -dot- COM> Date:Mon, 24 Feb 1997 15:55:00 -0600
Melinda M. Carr asked:
>
>I write for a software company and frequently I need to refer to a file
>type (for example, DOT or HFT). I think it is clearest when the period
>that separates the file extension from the eight character name is
>included in the sentence (for example, .DOT or .HFT). My question is,
>how do you read this out loud?
>
>For example, if I say "aitch eff tee" then I would say "an aitch eff tee
>file." If I say "dot aitch eff tee" or then I would say "a dot aitch eff
>tee file."
I handle this differently in oral versus written communications. In
discussions, I pronounce the extension, bypassing the issue of
indefinite articles completely. I refer to "dock" or "gif(jif)" or
"h(e)lp" files. In my written material, however, I always include the
dot separator and would read it that way: "a dot dee oh see file".
>
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