[ih] 'Internet' vs 'internet'

[Paul Ruizendaal]

I generally concur with the arguments made, but just to voice a contrarian view: maybe ‘Internet' has crowded out ‘internet' in its original meaning, along with ‘network’ changing its meaning over time.

One could argue that both ‘Internet' and ‘internet' now refer to the Internet. What used to be called an internet would now be referred to as a 'network’. What used to be called a network would now be referred to as a network segment, or some such. So we used to speak of an internet of networks, but now we would talk of a network of network segments (in both cases stitched together by switches, bridges and routers). Networks consisting of a single segment, i.e. networks that are not internets are probably few and far between these days.

It is not all that uncommon for words to change their meaning over time:
https://ideas.ted.com/20-words-that-once-meant-something-very-different/

Paul


> On 1 Oct 2018, at 16:31, Joe Touch <touch at strayalpha.com> wrote:
> 
> Hi, Noel,
> 
> Agreed. Note some other issues I’ve seen:
> 
> "The Internet Protocol” (not Internet protocol or internet protocol), but “the Internet’s protocols”
> 
> “IPsec”, not “IPSec”, “IPSEC”, or “ipsec”
> 
> Agreed on the adjective issue as well - including titles (Internet evangelist, e.g.)
> 
> Joe
> 
>> On Oct 1, 2018, at 7:25 AM, Noel Chiappa <jnc at mercury.lcs.mit.edu> wrote:
>> 
>>> From: Joe Touch <touch at strayalpha.com>
>> 
>>> The AP and New York Times need educating on this issue too.
>> 
>> I know some people at the NYW, let me ask them how to proceed.
>> 
>>> At least one key issue, IMO, is that both variants have distinct meaning.
>> 
>> This is a very significant point, one I hadn't clearly recognized. Let's see
>> if it helps.
>> 
>> BTW, reading up on this topic, apparently some places capitalize the thing,
>> but not its use in adjectival form. I don't believe this is correct. One
>> doesn't say 'white house hallway', it would (properly) be 'White House
>> hallway'. And 'Internet hosts' has a different meaning (again) from 'internet
>> hosts'.
>> 
>> 	Noel
> 
> 
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