[Python-Dev] FileSystemError or FilesystemError?

[Nick Coghlan]

On Wed, Aug 24, 2011 at 5:19 AM, Steven D'Aprano <steve at pearwood.info> wrote:
> Antoine Pitrou wrote:
>>
>> Hello,
>>
>> When reviewing the PEP 3151 implementation (*), Ezio commented that
>> "FileSystemError" looks a bit strange and that "FilesystemError" would
>> be a better spelling. What is your opinion?
>
> It's a file system (two words), not filesystem (not in any dictionary or
> spell checker I've ever used).

I rarely find spell checkers to be useful sources of data on correct
spelling of technical jargon (and the computing usage of the term
'filesystem' definitely qualifies as jargon).

> (Nor do we write filingsystem, governmentsystem, politicalsystem or
> schoolsystem. This is English, not German.)

Personally, I think 'filesystem' is a portmanteau in the process of
coming into existence (as evidenced by usage like 'FHS' standing for
'Filesystem Hierarchy Standard'). However, the two word form is still
useful at times, particularly for disambiguation of acronyms (as
evidenced by usage like 'NFS' and 'GFS' for 'Network File System' and
'Google File System'). The Wikipedia article on the topic mixes and
matches the two forms, but overall does favour the two word form.

Since I tend to use the one word 'filesystem' form myself (ditto for
'filename'), I'm +1 for FilesystemError, but I'm only -0 for
FileSystemError (so I expect that will be the option chosen, given
other responses).

Regards,
Nick.

-- 
Nick Coghlan   |   ncoghlan at gmail.com   |   Brisbane, Australia