Re: Plural of "mouse"

Subject: Re: Plural of "mouse"
From: Tracy Boyington <tboyi -at- OKVOTECH -dot- ORG>
Date: Tue, 15 Apr 1997 09:24:40 +0000

> >> I have heard of "pointing devices" used as a plural form of computer
> rodentia. And why not? It's the "P" in the WIMP computers we're talking
> about. <<
>
> That's an elegant solution, IMO, but -- what if we're dealing with a really
> dumb user who won't realize that "pointing device" refers to their
> mouse?

I think it's a little unfair to consider users "dumb" if they don't
realize "pointing device" is supposed to be a more elegant way of
saying "mouse." If I read this in a user manual, my first reaction
would be that they must be referring to something other than a
mouse -- if not, why didn't they just say "mouse?"

Maybe we should start calling it a rodent, or a Mickey.

Tracy

==========================================================
Tracy Boyington
tracy_boyington -at- okvotech -dot- org
Oklahoma Department of Vocational & Technical Education
Stillwater, Oklahoma, USA
http://www.okvotech.org/cimc/home.htm
==========================================================

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