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[jagdriver]

I finally installed the *84 build this morning (yeah, I know I'm one version behind). In so doing I chose the Custom Install route and noticed in one of the wizard screens that it reads something like, "associate with CD's."

As a techwriter, this is one of my pet peeves, especially since it's showing up all too frequently in all sorts of contexts. More important, it's a minor error that makes MC, and by extension J River, appear less professional than I know you and your products to be.

So please remove the apostrophe, for it's CDs, not CD's—just as its TVs, not TV's, RVs, not RV's, and CPAs, not CPA's. Consider FAQs, DVDs, PCs and anywhere else the plural (rather than the possessive) form of an acronym is used.

Thanks for a great product!

[JimH]

It's a grammatical conundrum, but not incorrect.  Please check the Chicago Manual of Style.  Section 6.17 in my copy.

[KingSparta]

It is kind of interesting how people have there own ticks (I know I have my share). My biggest one is I hate for people to ask me questions. If they do I normally answer them with a question.

My next one is when someone tells me "They", "Them", "Those Guys" etc.. And that is just begging for a question of "Who Is They" Or Is It "Who Are They".

Spellcheck Live Long And Prosper.

[Matt]

Don't they say you should be wary of people who don't like questions?

[John Gateley]

It is kind of interesting how people have there own ticks

Was that intentional (tick is another word for the apostrophe)?
If so, shame on you King

j

[KingSparta]

Was that intentional (tick is another word for the apostrophe)?
If so, shame on you King

j

hehehe

Yes, but I had to look it up so I cheated

[Mr ChriZ]

It is kind of interesting how people have there own ticks (I know I have my share). My biggest one is I hate for people to ask me questions. If they do I normally answer them with a question.

Your not one of the LOST script writers by an chance are you?

[IlPadrino]

It's a grammatical conundrum, but not incorrect.  Please check the Chicago Manual of Style.  Section 6.17 in my copy.

The CMS is only *the* authoritative answer if the writer is mandated to follow its  prescriptions.  Maybe JimH has declared:  "Follow the CMS in MC".

Still...  Jag is probably on the path many follow:  use logic when writing.

I confess to not owning the CMS (I've got better things to do with $50!), so I can't check 6.17 (what version?)  Still, what use can the apostrophe perform when pluralizing abbreviations?  If there's confusion without an apostrophe (e.g. As being either "as" capitalized or more than one "A") then by all means, add the apostrophe.  So then...  the apostrophe is mostly used for possession and contraction.  In the list of initialisms provided by Jag, there certainly isn't contraction, so the apostrophe can confuse possession.  "The CD's jewel case" and "The collection of CDs" are diffent constructs. 

Bottom line:  The apostrophe in initialisms isn't logical.  While some organizations might prescribe it, the common writer looks ignorant when using it (few can recall the CMS Section 6.17, even if it does justify the use).

Me... I say do away with things that add no value.  And yet...  I still put two spaces after the period at the end of a sentence.  Some habits die hard!

[JimH]

The apostrophe in initialisms isn't logical.

Bold statement.

Try spelling the plural of PS or... say... RSS.

So how about those Twins?

[IlPadrino]

Bold statement.

Try spelling the plural of PS or... say... RSS.

So how about those Twins?

May be bold...  but I've never read an explanation that explains otherwise.

The plural of PS is PSes (though I can't think of any sentence that couldn't do without the singular).  Same for RSSes.  Spelling ought to be linked to pronunciation - which is why I love Italian (which, by the way, doesn't have a real word for "spelling"...  most commonly translated as "how do you write it").  The apostophe might only serve to avoid confusion (is the "s" part of the initialism "CDs"?); but this isn't the case here.

Twins?  Around here (Ventura County, CA) Minnesota fans are few and far between!  Oakland is split with them for now but let's wait and see what happens today...  I'm not sure Radke will do much good.

[lOth]

I'm sure no one wants to get into detailed philological explanations here, but I *think* the apostrophe always replaces something that has been left out. Example : "JRiver is Jim's company" (Modern English) has come to stand for "JRiver is Jimis company" (Middle English). So unless MC can play CDis, I think we have to go with jagdriver and IlPadrino on that one.

The only other way you could have an apostrophe here is if the abbreviation of Compact Disc was C.D. and not CD. The abbreviation of Compact Discs would then be C.D.'s (like Ph.D.'s) and not CD's.

But hey, as long as no one said MC had to follow the rules of the CSM and, more importantly, as long as MC can play them, CD's is (are?) fine with me.