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Computer Program or Computer Programme – The Definitive Debate

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 djh
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Again do you know of any actual usage?


   
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Majordennisbloodnok
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Posted by: @djh

Again do you know of any actual usage?

Yes. I have worked in IT for several decades and so both used and encountered both spellings. I didn’t intend to mention that since “I’m an expert, trust me” is not my style. However since I have supplied evidence to demonstrate everything I’ve said and it’s still not good enough for you I’ve come to the conclusion you’re not discussing and listening and so I will give you just one independent instance https://phys.org/news/2016-08-programme-replicates.html before referring you in future to the fact my professional credentials allow me to state rather than just claim. There are instances of both spellings in use at the moment and claims one is wrong are spurious.

 

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 djh
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I'm sorry but I did ask: "If anybody knows of a dictionary or other reference, or any computing-related academic paper, that use the hypothetical 'programme' spelling in a context where I would use 'program' that has been published say this century or maybe even back to 1973, I would love to hear of it."

The paper does not use the word program in either spelling. Only the news report, by an anonymous author, does. So that doesn't meet my criteria, I'm afraid.


   
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Majordennisbloodnok
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Posted by: @djh

I'm sorry but I did ask: "If anybody knows of a dictionary or other reference, or any computing-related academic paper, that use the hypothetical 'programme' spelling in a context where I would use 'program' that has been published say this century or maybe even back to 1973, I would love to hear of it."

The paper does not use the word program in either spelling. Only the news report, by an anonymous author, does. So that doesn't meet my criteria, I'm afraid.

Your criteria are irrelevant. As has been pointed out to you numerous times, right/wrong in the English language is a matter of whether or not a word, phrase or spelling is actually used. The link I gave you was to a technical web site's article - an online equivalent to the New Scientist, if you will - that can claim to have a good understanding of the subject matter. The article uses the spelling you claim to be "wrong", but that demonstrates that alternative spelling is being used in the computing context. This is just one of many instances one can see if only one does an online search. It's being used therefore it's an acceptable alternative. And it's not just my extrapolating from one instance; I also earlier gave you a link to Wiktionary that explicitly stated the -mme form is rare but legitimately used in the computing context in British English. All I've done is show evidence to back up the Wiktionary assertion. I have found other dictionaries and grammar reference sites that say the same thing but I'm not going to waste my time doing your homework for you.

Everything I have said I have backed up with evidence. All I needed to do to show your original correction was unjustified was to demonstrate the -mme form is acceptable - even if rare - and I have done so. The instances easily visible online are numerous enough to justify the inclusion in the OED (which also agrees with the assertion, even if behind a paywall) and several others here have given different slants on the same thing. Your continued refusal to accept you were wrong demonstrates this is no longer a discussion but a futile argument in which you are demonstrably and provably incorrect.

Now I suggest you put in some effort and use the Google n-gram viewer and use it to search for the phrase "computer programme" in books from, for example, 1968-76. You will find hits.

 

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Mars
 Mars
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@djh I have loads of academic ebooks on my iPad (which I can't share due to copyright) but there are loads of examples, most of which have been published by Oxford University Press and Cambridge University Press.

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Majordennisbloodnok
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@djh, on reflection I realised I pointed you towards Google's n-gram viewer and you may not be familiar with that particular computer programme. As a result, I will bypass that application and let you have the Google search it came up with to show a list of published books (academic and otherwise) with the phrase "computer programme" (with that spelling) contained within.

https://www.google.com/search?q=%22computer+programme%22&dpr=1&lr=lang_en&biw=1912&bih=964&tbs=lr:lang_1en&tbm=bks&tbas=0

As you can see, there are only 306,000 hits.

I also noticed on rereading your last post that you were only inclined to accept "any computing-related academic paper", which I disagree with entirely; validity within the English language does not rely on just academic publications. Nonetheless, given the very first hit on the search results was a publication by the University of Toronto (Centre for Urban and Community Studies), it seems even your artificially restricted criteria are patently obviously fulfilled.

Being the eternal optimist, I still have hope you will concede to @editor that you were in error to correct him - especially in public.

105 m2 bungalow in South East England
Mitsubishi Ecodan 8.5 kW air source heat pump
18 x 360W solar panels
1 x 6 kW GroWatt battery and SPH5000 inverter
1 x Myenergi Zappi
1 x VW ID3
Raised beds for home-grown veg and chickens for eggs

"Semper in excretia; suus solum profundum variat"


   
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