XPost: rec.arts.sf.written, rec.arts.books   
   From: robban@clubtelco.com   
      
   On 24/08/13 9:25 AM, Brian M. Scott wrote:   
   > On Sat, 24 Aug 2013 00:11:58 GMT, Wayne Throop   
   >  wrote in  in   
   > rec.arts.sf.written,rec.arts.sf.movies,rec.arts.books:   
   >   
   > [...]   
   >   
   >> Trying to minimize the utility by referencing historical   
   >> accident and implying that the choice of endian-ness is   
   >> arbitrary is a fairly common ploy (and, to be fair,   
   >> effective in some cases, though in reality no more   
   >> relevant than pointing out the old roman legion meaning   
   >> of "decimate" to prove something about what it means   
   >> today).   
   >   
   > However, using the history to explain *why* something is as   
   > it is is perfectly legitimate and not at all like the   
   > etymological fallacy.   
   >   
   >> But then, that's why they're called the "endian wars".   
   >> Because some misguided people think littleendian is   
   >> sensible for one or more of these kinds of reasons.  Much   
   >> like some misguided people think emacs is sensible.   
   >   
   > You have a tendency to undervalue human reasons, like habit   
   > and custom.  Sometimes it really is sensible to bow to them.   
   >   
   >> But really, the fact that you often say "the fifth" or   
   >> "August fifth" (because the year is obvious from context)   
   >   
   > Don’t forget ‘fifth August’!   
      
   the fifth of August, please. We don't all leave out all the important   
   words as in American "couple people" or "because bacon".   
      
   --   
   Robert Bannister   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)