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Re: filesystem or file system?

Subject: Re: filesystem or file system?
From: Bruce Byfield <bbyfield -at- axionet -dot- com>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Date: Sun, 15 Aug 2004 16:54:37 +0000


written_by -at- juno -dot- com wrote:

I would never use "filesystem" because I think it is incorrect. It just
looks wrong, and I think this is because it is wrong, generally speaking.

I suggest that it looks wrong simply because you are not used to seeing it. If you were working in a field where it is commonly used, then you'd probably accept it quickly enough. Otherwise, what would you do? Insist that your way was right?

What about "Operating system" vs. "Operatingsystem?" If there is a rule
that covers how File system is spelled, wouldn't those same rules apply
to Operatingsystem?

It's not a case of rules. It's a case of usage. Nobody uses "operatingsystem," so it will look odd to virtually anyone. By contrast, "filesystem" is widely used. In some contexts, "file system" will look wrong to your readers.

I also Googled file system and filesystem. I had 14,000,000 for file
system and 3,740,000 for filesystem. So apparently, File system is the
winner.

Aside: Interesting. A quick experiment suggests that you searched without quotation marks around the term, while I didn't. But I wouldn't have thought that would make such a difference. Does anyone know why?

But, OK, so "file system" is more common; my apologies to the poster whom I corrected.

Still, that doesn't change the fact that, in some contexts, it will look odd. What is appropriate is contextual.

I often search for "harleydavidson" and many pages are returned. You will
often find the company name spelled that way on the site pages. This does
not mean that harleydavidson is acceptable.

I don't know why "harleydavidson" is used, so I can't really comment. However, one reason that "filesystem" may be to make clear that it is a technical term. "File system" might also be used to refer to how your files are organized.

More likely, it's an arbitrary use, just like "workstation."

At any rate, it doesn't really matter what you think is "wrong" or "unacceptable." People will continue to use both terms.

That leaves a choice of using what your readers expect, or engaging in a rather pointless crusade to spread your standards. Personally, I've got better things to do. I'll use "filesystem" where that's the norm, and "file system" where that's the norm - whichever is clearest to the audience.

--
Bruce Byfield
http://members.axion.net/~bbyfield

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Re: filesystem or file system?: From: written_by

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