Re: use of definite articles before names of standards

On Thu, 2006-06-22 at 11:55 -0700, Susan Lesch wrote:
> Sandro Hawke wrote:
> > Some people in my working group seem to want to call our product "the
> > RIF" instead of just "RIF".   
> 

> > Is there a simple and clear reference I can point to for this?
> 
> I think the Chicago Manual of Style Q&A [1] says use "the" but I am not sure.

[snip]

> Maybe Ian can find a better reference:

I don't know of one offhand (and I live in Chicago!).

In practice I almost never hear anyone say: "Our product supports the
XML" or "The RDF Sucks!" Lots of people seem to agree that "the RDF/XML
Syntax Sucks" but they are using RDF as an adjective. :)

I do hear from time to time "The W3C supports free love" but I
personally tend just to say "W3C."

Does this affect a particular decision? 

 _ Ian


-- 
Ian Jacobs (ij@w3.org)   http://www.w3.org/People/Jacobs
Tel:                     +1 718 260-9447