Proper proper noun use

[Mark Levinson <mark -at- SD -dot- CO -dot- IL>]

if it's a hardware product, you'd do better to keep the definite article
(as in, "The new Maxtor just arrived in the mail.")

** Well, you'd say "the new FrameMaker just arrived" too, wouldn't you?
   You wouldn't say "new FrameMaker just arrived," the way you'd say
   "new gravel just arrived."

   The problem is pretty delicate, and it's partly a subjective call
   to be made by your corporate stylemeisters.

To make it all clearer, here's some examples with the *real* name.

"Broadband Network Analyzer can do some amazing stuff."
"The Broadband Network Analyzer can do some amazing stuff."

** Or here's another example, as Michelle Pfeiffer exclaimed on the
   silver screen:  "Batman!  Or is it 'the Batman'?"

   Why is it that Batman has this problem and Superman doesn't?
   Nobody would say "the Superman."  I think it's because "super"
   is a common adjective and "the Superman" sounds like "the super
   man," a descriptive phrase rather than a proper name.

   Similarly, "The Broadband Network Analyzer" sounds like a
   descriptive phrase whereas "Broadband Network Analyzer" sounds
   more like a proper name.

   To progress from solicited opinions to unsolicited, though...
   (a) Broadband Network Analyzer is certainly not a very distinctive
   name and I think anyone would have a tough time claiming it as
   a trademark, and (b) it's a woefully long name; I'd suggest
   using "BNA" extensively in your documentation.  (No, not
   "the BNA"...)

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