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#32956 closed Cleanup/optimization (fixed)

Modernise spellings of Web, Email et al

Reported by:	David Smith	Owned by:	David Smith
Component:	Documentation	Version:	3.2
Severity:	Normal	Keywords:
Cc:		Triage Stage:	Ready for checkin
Has patch:	yes	Needs documentation:	no
Needs tests:	no	Patch needs improvement:	no
Easy pickings:	no	UI/UX:	no

Description

Historically it was 'The Web' but as language has evolved it is now the 'web' with a lower case w.

Popular style guides of the NYT, AP and the Guardian newspaper in the UK all use the lower case version. This lower case preference is also true of other tech words such as email, and we should audit for those as well as part of this ticket.

https://web.archive.org/web/20150714234606/https://www.thewire.com/national/2013/10/tweet-and-email-are-now-fit-print/70864/

https://twitter.com/APStylebook/status/716279539052191746?s=19

https://www.theguardian.com/guardian-observer-style-guide-w

Change History (20)

comment:1 by Mariusz Felisiak, 3 years ago

Component:	Uncategorized → Documentation
Owner:	changed from nobody to David Smith
Status:	new → assigned
Triage Stage:	Unreviewed → Accepted
Type:	Uncategorized → Cleanup/optimization

Thanks, I assigned it to you :)

I'm pretty sure that we've discussed this in some PR but I cannot find it, if you remember where it was please add a link.

comment:2 by David Smith, 3 years ago

Thanks Mariusz,

For the link on previous discussion it was a Twitter thread. I've provided a couple of links, unfortunately
Tim Berners-Lee didn't respond 🙂

https://twitter.com/carltongibson/status/1367106089892913155?s=19

https://twitter.com/carltongibson/status/1367197635174621190?s=19

comment:3 by Tim Graham, 3 years ago

Please update Commonly used terms as appropriate.

comment:4 by Carlton Gibson, 3 years ago

I think we discussed in on https://github.com/django/django/pull/13981— which matches the tweet date. (Mariusz' review comment but maybe the follow-up was IRC?)

We stuck with Web for not having a clearer answer, but in the subsequent discussion Simon Willison made the (nice I think) suggestion that the AP Styleguide should be treated as the Black for writing. Given the en-us locale I think that's a good policy, so +1 (If only it were automated... :)

Last edited 3 years ago by Carlton Gibson (previous) (diff)

comment:5 by David Smith, 3 years ago

What do you all think about the phrase 'Django Web Framework'. That sounds like a name / title to me and should all be capitalised. There are places in the docs with the project being called the Django Web Framework.

Having said that I thought the project is styled just 'Django' and so the words web framework are describing what it is and should be lower cased? Feels like there may have been a re-brand at some time? 🤔

comment:6 by Jacob Walls, 3 years ago

Sure, if inconsistent, that could be cleaned up, also.

I think "Django web framework" would do it. If we're modernizing "web", "web framework" is just as valid as a noun as "learning management system." I don't think it needs to be capitalized and brought into the "brand" ... [clears throat:] "Django Web Framework: The web framework for perfectionists..." etc. No good.

comment:7 by David Smith, 3 years ago

AP Styleguide should be treated as the Black for writing

I've purchased a copy of the stylebook and I've already spotted a few words where the recomended approach is not followed. e.g. It is Afterward not afterwards (the latter seems to be "British"), also it's Adviser not Advisor.

I wonder if the scope of this ticket could be widened to capture adherence to the AP Stylebook rather than than just a few words?

We should still assess each change on it's own merrits.

comment:8 by Carlton Gibson, 3 years ago

Hey David. Good work! :)

I think best to keep the scope narrow, otherwise it gets unwieldy — it becomes impossible to say when the ticket is addressed. (We can always add Refs commits, or small ones under the typos don't need a ticket rule.) But, yes, if we can make the style more consistent, presumably that's for the win.