Douglas said --->

>   The real point is that if you
> allow people to confuse list/listserv, list/listproc, list/majordomo,
> list/lyris, etc.  it makes it twice as hard to get it across to your
> subscribers the difference between the list address and the listserv
> (or listproc, or lyris, or ...) address and what each is for.

**

I have asked this question a couple of times, but no one has answered
it. What is the difference in these terms? Or are they all "claimed" by
someone/something and actually mean the same thing?? As in Kleenex,
Puffs, Softees?

WHY are the terms not capitalized if they refer to specific terms with
patent, copy, trade or other "rights"? As, if you MUST refer to Xerox as
a trademarked machine, it's capitalized (as is Kodak) but if you refer
to the GENERIC xerox to mean, in general useage, the act of copying by
machine, it is not capitalized?

***
Once upon a time, I did a lot of graduate level work in Linguistics.
Languages change all the time and neither the courts nor email
correspondance is going to change how people talk/refer to things.
Especially in AMERICA where FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION has lots of
interesting baggage. New official type dictionaries are brought out
frequently .. check them out!

Carolyn Schaffner in Buffalo, NY