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

[Alejandro Pisanty]

Bill, all,

thanks for this very valuable perspective. Using capital letters for 
Internet has long history (thus too the debate.)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Internet_capitalization_conventions provides 
a good summary and mentions the relevant RFCs, which is the first place we 
- ISOCers - are obliged to look when in doubt.

Yours,

Alejandro Pisanty


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      Dr. Alejandro Pisanty
UNAM, Av. Universidad 3000, 04510 Mexico DF Mexico

Tels. +52-(1)-55-5105-6044, +52-(1)-55-5418-3732

*Mi blog/My blog: http://pisanty.blogspot.com
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*Unete al grupo UNAM en LinkedIn, http://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/22285/4A106C0C8614

---->> Unete a ISOC Mexico, http://www.isoc.org
  Participa en ICANN, http://www.icann.org
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On Wed, 20 May 2009, Bill Graham wrote:

> Date: Wed, 20 May 2009 13:23:29 -0400
> From: Bill Graham <graham at isoc.org>
> To: Franck Martin <franck at avonsys.com>
> Cc: chapter-delegates at elists.isoc.org,
>     ISOC-PH Members <isoc-ph-members at isoc.ph>,
>     Charity Gamboa <charityg at diplomacy.edu>
> Subject: Re: [Chapter-delegates] [Isoc-ph-members]  The Future Internet
> 
> 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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>
>