On Fri, 9 Oct 1998, Francoise Becker wrote:

> If you go to a restaurant that serves Pepsi and
> you ask for a "coke", your server will ask you "Is Pepsi OK?" -- it
> isn't that they're being picky, it's because they are REQUIRED to

        I don't want to belabor this, but I don't think either Coke or
Pepsi has become generic in the way that Xerox, Kleenex, and Scotch
tape have.  If I ask someone to xerox an article, few people except a
Canon salesperson will reply "I can't, we have a Canon copier."  And
if someone asks for a kleenex, I'm not going to inquire whether
another brand is OK.  Those words have simply entered the English (or
at least American English) language.  Indeed, even my Webster's
College Dictionary indicates that Xerox sometimes appears in lower
case, and when it does it means (as a noun) "a copy made on a
xerographic copying machine" or (as a verb) "to print or reproduce by
xerography."  The companies may not like it, but their wishes
apparently have no effect on the language.

> Of course, the case you're talking about, referring to a *list* as a
> "listserv" is even more inappropriate, because it's not even correct
> when you're referring to a LISTSERV(R) list. A list is a list, a list
> server is not a single list. If you write to tech support and tell us
> your LISTSERV is not working, when it's really your list that's
> having problems, then we're going to waste a lot of time diagnosing
> the wrong problem.

        You make a good point as far as the tech support for systems
running Listserv software goes.  However, I've heard tech support
folks at places where they run Majordomo or Listproc use "listserv" to
mean "list" quite frequently, and everyone seems to understand what
they mean.  And while "listserv" might generate a little confusion
among Listserv tech support people, there's a lot MORE confusion
possible among the general population regarding the word "list," which
has MANY common meanings.  I often find myself having to make a real
effort to avoid such confusion when I talk about what I do.  The wish
to avoid confusion among the largest number of people is what has
prompted me to consider abandoning my previous refusal to use "listserv"
to mean "list."  Whether I'll really do it remains uncertain, but there's
a lot to be said for it.

        Joan

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*    Joan Korenman                [log in to unmask]                         *
*    U. of Md., Baltimore County  http://www.umbc.edu/cwit/                 *
*    Baltimore, MD 21250          http://www.umbc.edu/wmst/                 *
*                                                                           *
*    The only person to have everything done by Friday was Robinson Crusoe  *
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