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Subject:Re: Firmware or Firmwares? From:Richard Hamilton <dick -at- rlhamilton -dot- net> To:Robert Courtney <bobsc1 -at- earthlink -dot- net> Date:Wed, 22 Jun 2016 18:27:51 -0700
Hi Robert,
I actually came out of the world of engineers, but somehow ended up in tech comm (go figure). I have run into everything from engineers who thought they were brilliant writers (and weren't) to ones who thought they were brilliant writers (and could, at least, write competently) to ones who cared (and left you alone) to ones who didn't care. Most seemed to fall in between the last two categories, depending on how tight the schedule was, though even the best would occasionally show signs of IAEWWBTY syndrome (I'm an engineer who writes better than you:-).
Richard
-------
XML Press
XML for Technical Communicators http://xmlpress.net
hamilton -at- xmlpress -dot- net
On Jun 22, 2016, at 17:29, Robert Courtney <bobsc1 -at- earthlink -dot- net> wrote:
> Richard,
>
> Yeah well, welcome to the world of engineers and how they think they know how to write. I agree with you on your position. I would use firmware and software for plural in almost any circumstance. I can't think of may ways I'd add an "s" to the end unless it sounded correct to do so. You gotta love engineers who know how to write. If management really wants that fine. You can't teach someone how to write even though you know their full of shxt. The correct way from my point is "firmware files" not firmwares. But then again, maybe someone can add other insights.
>
> Robert
>
>
> On 6/22/2016 5:12 PM, Richard Hamilton wrote:
>> If the engineer really wants a plural form, I'd use firmware files. I've never heard (or used) firmwares or softwares.
>>
>> But, a big caveat, I'm an old fart who still refuses to use emails (if mail isn't a countable noun, then email isn't either, dammit:-).
>>
>> Richard Hamilton
>> -------
>> XML Press
>> XML for Technical Communicators
>> http://xmlpress.net
>> hamilton -at- xmlpress -dot- net
>>
>>
>>
>> On Jun 22, 2016, at 16:31, Jim <jameswitkin -at- gmail -dot- com> wrote:
>>
>>> Time to settle another debate I'm having with one of the engineers. I've
>>> always used "firmware" to refer to one firmware file or a group of files,
>>> the same way you would use "software." I never say "softwares." Has anyone
>>> ever used the term "firmwares" to refer to multiple firmware files or a
>>> group of files?
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