Who said it was a brand name? I don't understand why you think that's relevant. Internet is capitalized, and so far, no reputable American dictionary has accepted "internet." The Brits are ahead of us, by your lights. Both Collins and Chambers allow "internet." OED online has an explanation that will probably not mollify you:
Originally (in form internet): a computer network consisting of or connecting a number of smaller networks, such as two or more local area networks connected by a shared communications protocol; spec. such a network (called ARPAnet) operated by the U.S. Defense Department. In later use (usu. the Internet): the global computer network (which evolved out of ARPAnet) providing a variety of information and communication facilities to its users, and consisting of a loose confederation of interconnected networks which use standardized communication protocols; (also) the information available on this network. ---- Shorter version: internet is *a* computer network; Internet is *the* computer network, the one that connects all of us. I know, you're still not happy. But it's not like there's no justification at all. jd On Mon, Nov 16, 2009 at 9:16 PM, Kevin M. <[email protected]> wrote: > > On Mon, Nov 16, 2009 at 5:59 PM, Jon Delfin <[email protected]> wrote: >> >> Microsoft, Firefox, and the most current editions of Webster's New >> World College Dictionary and Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, >> the only ones that are still being updated at present. If they're >> saying Internet, it's Internet. > > Except it isn't a brand name. The internet connects all the proper > nouns together... doing so shouldn't doesn't make it a proper noun. A > smaller, localized network of proper nouns together results in an > intranet, not an Intranet. The double-standard in capitalization makes > no sense. Internet isn't a brand name. There isn't a competing global > public network. Nobody owns it. It's the internet, like it's the > telephone. > > -- > Kevin M. (RPCV) > > > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ TV or Not TV .... The Smartest (TV) People! You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "TV or Not TV" group. To post to this group, send email to [email protected] To unsubscribe from this group, send email to [email protected] For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/tvornottv?hl=en -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
