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From: nather@utastro.UUCP (Ed Nather)
Newsgroups: net.nlang
Subject: Re: Why the vax, but not the Unix??
Message-ID: <210@utastro.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 7-Jun-85 14:34:17 EDT
Article-I.D.: utastro.210
Posted: Fri Jun  7 14:34:17 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 10-Jun-85 21:14:50 EDT
References: <27400001@gypsy.UUCP>
Organization: U. Texas, Astronomy, Austin, TX
Lines: 17

> 
> 
> Why is it that some things do not take the definite article?
> 
> In particular, why do programs run on THE Vax
> 			   but run on Unix?  (no article???)
> 
Unix is a proper noun (a name), Vax is a *kind* of computer, but not the
name given to one.  I run programs under THE Unix operating system, but
under Unix, the same way I run under THE tree to get out of the rain, but
run under Mabel if that is the tree's given name.

-- 
Ed Nather
Astronony Dept, U of Texas @ Austin
{allegra,ihnp4}!{noao,ut-sally}!utastro!nather
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