[Chapter-delegates] [Isoc-ph-members] The Future Internet

[Bill Graham]

Here's my perspective on this issue:

The ITU started using lower case for the Internet in the middle of the  
WSIS process, about 1994.  Tim Kelly, who then headed the Strategic  
Policy Unit @ ITU, said it was purely for stylistic reasons, and based  
his argument on The Economist style guide <see: http://www.economist.com/research/styleGuide/index.cfm?page=805682 
 >.  At about the same time, Wired magazine (or should that be wired  
magazine?) announced that they had abandoned the upper case I because  
the Internet had become ubiquitous, like an aspirin <see http://www.wired.com/culture/lifestyle/news/2004/08/64596 
 >.

Many objected to Kelly's decision, including ISOC, the Canadian  
government and the US government.  Our argument is quite succinctly  
put here <http://www.teleread.org/2008/03/27/internet-vs-internet-and-web-vs-web-wisdom-from-bob-wyman-based-on-ietf-usage/ 
 >.  The ITU has steadfastly refused to change their tune.

Bill

On 19-May-09, at 8:49 PM, Franck Martin wrote:

> My understanding is you capitalize when you speak of "The Internet",  
> but you can keep it lower case when you talk about internet  
> technologies, or an internet application, ...
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Fred Baker" <fred at cisco.com>
> To: "Charity Gamboa" <charityg at diplomacy.edu>
> Cc: chapter-delegates at elists.isoc.org, "ISOC-PH Members" <isoc-ph-members at isoc.ph 
> >
> Sent: Wednesday, 20 May, 2009 12:38:16 PM GMT +12:00 New Zealand
> Subject: Re: [Chapter-delegates] [Isoc-ph-members]  The Future  
> Internet
>
> Since "Internet" is a proper name, I capitalize it.
>
> On May 19, 2009, at 7:55 PM, Charity Gamboa wrote:
>
> Wyn: P.S.  trivium: the ITU insists on spelling "internet" with a  
> small "i",
> as if to indicate that it's just one of its (assumed) functions like
> "post", "telegraph" and "telephone".  Which is why i always make it a
> point to spell Internet with a capital "I". :)
>
> I have to admit ignorance in this case with regards to the use of  
> the big "I" and small "i" in the word "I-N-T-E-R-N-E-T."  Although I  
> am aware that it is the IETF who is directly responsible for  
> Internet standards, should the IETF insist more on this than ITU?
>
> If I confuse spelling the Internet with a small "i" and a big "I,"  
> does it make a whole lot of difference of my understanding of the  
> INTERNET? I have seen and read in the past how some people write the  
> word with either a small "I" or a big "I."  I thought it was just  
> some typo.  If people confuse themselves in the use of  the big and  
> small "I," maybe it's the same way people use "Xerox" to pertain to  
> a photocopying ("Let's xerox the notes."); or "Kleenex" to pertain  
> to "tissue;" or "Coke" to a cola or "band-aid" pertaining to  
> bandage. Perhaps we may be also "genericizing" the words "Internet"  
> and "internet."
>
>
>
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