Zeros or Zeroes?

[Mabden]

For some reason I seem to prefer "zeroes" with an e when it stands
alone, but "zeros" when it's a compound word like "all-zeros".

Is there a C standard for this? Is it a Left-pond / Right-pond issue?

These are the issues we need to hammer out!! ;-)

 

[Rich Gibbs]

Mabden said the following, on 10/24/05 09:09:

For some reason I seem to prefer "zeroes" with an e when it stands
alone, but "zeros" when it's a compound word like "all-zeros".

Is there a C standard for this? Is it a Left-pond / Right-pond issue?

My American Heritage Dictionary gives both forms as acceptable plurals.

 

[Gordon Burditt]

For some reason I seem to prefer "zeroes" with an e when it stands

alone, but "zeros" when it's a compound word like "all-zeros".

A zeroe is what you get when you subtract two identical colours.
A zero is what you get when you subtract two identical colors.

Is there a C standard for this? Is it a Left-pond / Right-pond issue?

The difference between a color and a colour is a genetic one (which
tends to be divided by geography but isn't always). Some people
see in color, some people see in colour. Cheap printer inks are
notorious for not having the same color as colour.

It's possible to make a T-shirt that appears to most British people
to say "God **** the Queen" and to most Americans to say "God Save
the Queen", ensuring that you will be beaten up by both.

Gordon L. Burditt

 

[Mark B]

Mabden said the following, on 10/24/05 09:09:

My American Heritage Dictionary gives both forms as acceptable plurals.

.... but my standard only refers to it one way: zeros

 

[Anonymous 7843]

p.s. Can Zero ever be Off Topic in c.l.c?

If you're talking about a ~65 year-old airplane that
dragged the US into WWII, then yes.

 

[osmium]

For some reason I seem to prefer "zeroes" with an e when it stands
alone, but "zeros" when it's a compound word like "all-zeros".

Is there a C standard for this? Is it a Left-pond / Right-pond issue?

I think there is general disagreement, even in the US as to how to spell
those. These are keywords in Cobol and they permit spelling either way.

I used to work with a guy who insisted on spelling develop as develope.
Drove me crazy, but it *is* permitted, at least by the dictionary I used at
that time..

 

[John Bode]

For some reason I seem to prefer "zeroes" with an e when it stands
alone, but "zeros" when it's a compound word like "all-zeros".

Is there a C standard for this? Is it a Left-pond / Right-pond issue?

I don't think there's a C standard, but IIRC they're both reserved
words in COBOL ~~~

 

[Michael Coyne]

I used to work with a guy who insisted on spelling develop as develope.
Drove me crazy, but it *is* permitted, at least by the dictionary I used
at that time..

And I thought dev-elope was when your two best programmers ran away to
Vegas to get married.

 

[Dave Thompson]

I think there is general disagreement, even in the US as to how to spell
those. These are keywords in Cobol and they permit spelling either way.

And COBOL doesn't require agreement in (linguistic) number either:
MOVE ZERO[E]S TO single-char.
MOVE ZERO TO big-honking-numeric.

- David.Thompson1 at worldnet.att.net

 

[Joe Wright]

I don't think there's a C standard, but IIRC they're both reserved
words in COBOL ~~~

And then there's tomato, tomatoe, potato and potatoe? Where will this
ever end? We can't expect Brits and Yanks to agree on these things,
let's ask the Dutch.

(Parenthetically, I find most Yanks and most Brits take their common
language too much for granted and don't use it well. I have found that
many Dutch who take English seriously, do exceeding well at it.)

 

[Richard Bos]

And then there's tomato, tomatoe, potato and potatoe? Where will this
ever end? We can't expect Brits and Yanks to agree on these things,
let's ask the Dutch.

It's tomaat and aardappel, as any fule noe.

Richard

 

[Kenneth Brody]

And then there's tomato, tomatoe, potato and potatoe? Where will this
ever end? We can't expect Brits and Yanks to agree on these things,
let's ask the Dutch.

Where's Dan Quayle when you need him?

[...]

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+-------------------------+--------------------+-----------------------------+
| Kenneth J. Brody | www.hvcomputer.com | |
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Don't e-mail me at: <mailto:[email protected]>

 

[Kenneth Brody]

It's tomaat and aardappel, as any fule noe.

Pale Franse pa mè m' pè.

Bourik rete bourik, menm lè l' gen sèl sou do l'.

--
+-------------------------+--------------------+-----------------------------+
| Kenneth J. Brody | www.hvcomputer.com | |
| kenbrody/at\spamcop.net | www.fptech.com | #include <std_disclaimer.h> |
+-------------------------+--------------------+-----------------------------+
Don't e-mail me at: <mailto:[email protected]>

 

[Gordon Burditt]

Where's Dan Quayle when you need him?

That's Dan Quayl.

Gordon L. Burditt