Style rules for this blog

This shows my style rules for this blog. If you disagree or find a violation, post a comment.

(Note: If you want me to use a target page you have set up, click here for information.)

Generally, I follow the Associated Press Stylebook. But I don't know AP style well, so I may inadvertently violate it from time to time.

Allowed words: crap, damn, piss.

Words not used or allowed: s***, bulls***, f***, g**damn, motherf*****, n*****, very. Any ethnically derogatory word is not used or allowed.

Lede is a journalistic term that refers to the beginning of a story, typically the first paragraph. I don't claim to be as good at writing as my journalistic friends but I'm trying.

I omit the year when using a date in the same year as the post.

IBM i link: http://www-03.ibm.com/systems/i/index.html

Links are coded in dark blue except for the ending punctuation. Small updates are in lime. Bigger updates are in dark orange but only the date part for readability.

Quotations are usually put in bold so that they stand out.

Web is no longer capitalized ("web site"). Internet is still capitalized as it is a specific network. Wi-fi is hyphenated and normally written in lower case.

I properly capitalize trade and service marks and use a ™, ℠, or ® on first reference when it's not clear that the reference is a trade or service mark.

Spelling: Canceled (not cancelled), television (not TV), phone (not telephone).

There are several words/word pairs which I format differently when they are used as nouns or adjectives instead of verbs. I have a couple of examples:

• I log on to my computer using the logon screen.
• I back up my computer using a backup program.

This blog is suitable for all ages but conservatives may want to keep their children away.

Any page view counts that you see generally do not include my own views. (As I am vain, I constantly read my own blog entries!)  Google allows me to set a cookie in my browsers so that my views are not counted. Google is supposedly not including page views by spiders and automated systems.

Once I post an entry, I don't make major changes to it. I may replace it in its entirety (adding a note at the top) or update it (by adding a note at the bottom). I do go through older blog posts occasionally and check the content and links. When I do this, I post a note at the bottom. You will not see the term "last updated" as the "last" is redundant.

Updated July 21, 2013 and January 4, 2016.