Date: Tue, 15 Apr 2003 15:57:28 -0400 From: Jeff Walters <jeff@walters.name> To: Colin Percival <colin.percival@wadham.ox.ac.uk>, freebsd-chat@freebsd.org Cc: Bill Moran <wmoran@potentialtech.com> Subject: Re: FreeBSD logo... Message-ID: <200304151557.28415.jeff@walters.name> In-Reply-To: <5.0.2.1.1.20030415203820.01dd56a8@popserver.sfu.ca> References: <3E9C2965.5080504@potentialtech.com> <5.0.2.1.1.20030415203820.01dd56a8@popserver.sfu.ca>
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On Tuesday 15 April 2003 03:44 pm, Colin Percival wrote: > At 15:36 15/04/2003 -0400, Jeff Walters wrote: > >I know people in the BSD world are picky about the spelling of "daemon", > >but I > >can't figure out why. According to Merriam-Webster daemon is "variant of > >demon." The spelling doesn't matter to the meaning in common language, > > and it's not a trademark, so it must be a type of cult to be picky about > > it when people write "demon", or to intentionally avoid the more common > > spelling for the sake of distinctiveness and tradition. > > I think it's a case of American illiteracy. My copy of the Oxford > English Dictionary clearly lists: > > daemon n. (in ancient Greek belief) a divinity or supernatural being of a > nature between gods and humans. > an inner or attendant spirit or inspiring force. > > demon n. an evil spirit or devil. > > Colin Percival Yeah, but you guys (assuming you're from Britain) spell it colour and not color. What gives? :)
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