Re: Syntax question: Windows 95/98 or 95 and 98?

["Brierley, Sean" <Brierley -at- QUODATA -dot- COM>]

Hallo:

"Windows" is trademarked. "NT" is trademarked. "95" and "98" are not
trademarked (not even Microsoft can trademark a year <vbg>). I include the
trademarks in a special acknowledgement section of my docs plus use the
trademark symbols in the first usage of these terms.

My understanding is that trademarks cannot be used as a noun. If a company
with a trademark uses its trademark as a noun, it risks losing the
trademark. Companies are also required to reasonably defend their
trademarks, or risk losing them. Thus, "Windows NT" should be used as an
adjective, as in Windows NT Operating System, whereas in the phrase Windows
95 or Windows 98, the trademark "Windows" is used as an adjective already.
My understanding is that Microsoft prefers that the term 95 and the term 98
be preceded by the word "Windows," such that Microsoft does not support the
following use: Windows 95/98, Win95, Win98, Windows 9x, 98, etc.

However, we do not all work for Microsoft. For my part, I try to adhere to
the wishes of a trademark-owning company, when I can find out what those
wishes are, while trying to write as clearly as possible. I do not find the
phrase "Windows 9x" gains me any clarity over "Windows 95 and Windows 98,"
so I tend to use the latter. Yes, if I were to use the phrase a bijillion
times in a publication, it would quickly become annoyingly repetitive. But I
don't.

All the best,

Sean
sean -at- quodata -dot- com

>>>-----Original Message-----
>>>From: Melissa Kucbel-Saumier [mailto:melissaks -at- EICON -dot- COM]
>>>Sent: Monday, August 02, 1999 10:26 AM
>>>To: TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU
>>>Subject: Re: Syntax question: Windows 95/98 or 95 and 98?
>>>
>>>
>>>In respond to Lindsey:
>>>

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