Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!mailrus!cs.utexas.edu!uunet!mcsun!ub4b!kulcs!kulesat!imec!croes From: croes@imec.be (Kris Croes) Newsgroups: comp.misc Subject: Re: Acronyms. Is is `1 MIP' or `1 MIPS'? Message-ID: <1272@imec.UUCP> Date: 28 Jun 90 11:32:34 GMT References: <7711@tekgvs.LABS.TEK.COM> <+I84:_@xds13.ferranti.com> <1990Jun27.014943.27951@sq.sq.com> Reply-To: croes@imec.be (Kris Croes) Organization: IMEC, INTERUNIVERSITY MICROELECTRONICS CENTER, BELGIUM Lines: 22 In article <1990Jun27.014943.27951@sq.sq.com> msb@sq.sq.com (Mark Brader) writes: >Words change. ... >(I wouldn't say "1 MIP" in >serious writing, but then, I wouldn't say "2 MIPS" there either.) > I think you all are deviating from the Subject:. The question is not that MIPS is an acronym. Questions like the singular of USA are not appropriate. MIPS is a metrical UNIT: e.g. MIPS = Mega-Instruction/Second. I think that I once learned (and it's in the ISO standard too) that UNITS do not take a plural form. Just like you say: This pole is 5 m (five meter) long. Does this suffice, or do we continue on discussing what's the singular of USA? Kris -- -------- K. CROES - IMEC - Leuven - Belgium croes@imec.be The Demon King bites in your leg and you feel weaker.