On Tue, 06 Dec 2005 18:28:14 -0500, Mark E. Shoulson <mark@...> wrote:

> Nicholas Bodley wrote:
>
>> Indeed. (You remind me of the spoofs about dihydrogen monoxide, btw.)

> That always bugged me. The idea of such a spoof is good, but the
> terminology is needlessly verbose.

Well, I considered that verbosity to be embellishment of the spoof. :)
However, I can easily see your point of view, indeed! In general, what you
say is the way to go, no doubt.

> It's just hydrogen oxide, plain and simple. Hydrogen sulfide is H2S,
> hydrogen peroxide is H2O2, etc... No need to be pedantic about it.

> ~mark

I'm split about whether, in my own writing, it would be pedantic to type
H_2O_2. I'll find out, on Howthingswork@...

Amused,

--
Nicholas Bodley /*|*\ Waltham, Mass. (Not "MA")
The chemist (?) who created the term "silicone"
was wildly optimistic in his assumptions about
general literacy.