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From:Sheridan-Smith John <john -dot- sheridan-smith -at- BMWFIN -dot- COM> Date:Wed, 3 Mar 1999 13:59:13 -0000
>My rule of thumb sounds like the one you propose.
>An NRA member. (National Rifle Association)
>A HUD official. (Housing and Urban Development)
>An EMT. (Emergency Medical Technician)
Using these examples I would adopt the practise of treating the acronym like
a real-world word where it can be safely assumed that the user would also
treat it thus. However, if in doubt as to whether the user/reader would
refer a HUD as if it were a real word or as H-U-D, I would assume the
latter.
This approach offers one answer to the main problem, but you will never
solve the problem whether you book a room in a Hotel in an 'otel.
