On Sun, May 16, 2004 at 01:28:49PM -0400, Perry E. Metzger wrote:
> 
> Thomas Klausner <wiz@netbsd.org> writes:
> > Log Message:
> > "panicking" needs a k.
> 
> That might technically be correct for the verb "to panic", but in fact
> I think this is a different word. It is not indicating that the
> computer is going crazy running in circles and pumping its adrenaline
> -- it is indicating that the machine is about to call a function
> called "panic". Given that, I'm not sure the rule that has descended
> from Middle English should apply, any more than one would look to
> English spelling rules for determining how to set up a comment in a
> shell script about calling "mkfs"...


I would agree with this sentiment were one to use () to denote that
it _is_ a function being called here (i.e., "panic()ing"), but given
that the function name was derived from the English word, when 
fitting it into the form of an English word, it should follow the
same rules as the English word it's derived from.

That said, I do tend to use the word "mouses" to refer to multiple
computer pointing devices.  ;-)
-- 
Jeff Rizzo                                         http://boogers.sf.ca.us/~riz