What do you call your examples?

[Geoff Hart <ghart -at- videotron -dot- ca>]

Sarah Bouchier wondered: <<I have a tutorial all planned out in my  
head, and then sit and stare at a blank page for ten  minutes because  
I don't know what to name the examples.  Example users are easy  
enough (Though JohnSmith1 and JohnSmith2 may be pushing it slightly)  
but with company names I'm always worried in case I use the name of  
a /real/ company.>>

Thanks to the power of the Internet, you can now use Example.com (try  
loading http://example.com/ in your browser) for the company name.  
With a little more creativity, you could up with a catchy acronym:  
"Educational eXAMples Inc." is pretty lame, but you can probably come  
up with something more relevant. "RTFM Industries" would be fun, but  
you run the risk of offending someone. "WTFM Industries" is a fun  
insider joke (Write The Fine Manual), but some people will be  
offended by the more common interpretation of WTF. Could you use your  
own company's name? Your Marketing folks will love you. <g>

But more context would help. Sometimes the real answer is that you  
shouldn't be naming names of people and companies in the first place.  
For example, I'm sure all the John Smiths in the world will be  
cursing your name. <g> If you have to use real names, use only the  
given name, not the family name. And try to be a little  
demographically aware; Revenue Canada (last time I looked) used a  
range of English and "ethnic" names of both sexes.


----------------------------------------------------
-- Geoff Hart
ghart -at- videotron -dot- ca / geoffhart -at- mac -dot- com
www.geoff-hart.com
--------------------------------------------------
***Now available***  _Effective onscreen editing_
(http://www.geoff-hart.com/home/onscreen-book.htm)


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