Re: online or on-line

[Beverly Parks <bparks -at- HUACHUCA-EMH2 -dot- ARMY -dot- MIL>]

Dennis Hays wrote-->
> As I've been told recently in my government contract, words such as barcode,
> online, and offsite are really only oneword---to the government. Since the
> government has been using them that way for years, that's the way they want
> them in their manuals. Wrong becomes right and right becomes wrong. Without
> getting technical, I was told and taught bar code and bar-code number, on
> line and on-line application, off site and off-site dose. However, oneword
> is just oneword.

================
Dennis, if it's any comfort to you, all government workers are not so
narrow-minded when it comes to writing style. Just most of them.  8-)

Yes, I admit, that many of them have the mindset that "because
that's the way we've always done it, that's the way you should
do it." Few have the courage to stray from the status quo, even
if that status quo is wrong.

You must be frustrated being forced to write in a way that goes
against your education and common sense. Believe me, I've been
there. But eventually, the government does come around. After
decades of spelling "enclosure" with an "i" (inclosure), they
finally, several years ago, recognized the error of their ways.
Now, not only do they spell it correctly, but writers have the
option of calling attachments to letters and memos either
attachments *or* enclosures. Amazing.

   =*= Beverly Parks -- bparks -at- huachuca-emh2 -dot- army -dot- mil =*=
   =*=   Certified _Government_Employee_of_20_Years_  =*=
   =*=      "I am not speaking for my employer."      =*=