[Python-Dev] FileSystemError or FilesystemError? (original) (raw)

Nick Coghlan ncoghlan at gmail.com
Wed Aug 24 04:31:12 CEST 2011

On Wed, Aug 24, 2011 at 5:19 AM, Steven D'Aprano <steve at pearwood.info> wrote:

Antoine Pitrou wrote:

Hello, When reviewing the PEP 3151 implementation (*), Ezio commented that "FileSystemError" looks a bit strange and that "FilesystemError" would be a better spelling. What is your opinion? It's a file system (two words), not filesystem (not in any dictionary or spell checker I've ever used).

I rarely find spell checkers to be useful sources of data on correct spelling of technical jargon (and the computing usage of the term 'filesystem' definitely qualifies as jargon).

(Nor do we write filingsystem, governmentsystem, politicalsystem or schoolsystem. This is English, not German.)

Personally, I think 'filesystem' is a portmanteau in the process of coming into existence (as evidenced by usage like 'FHS' standing for 'Filesystem Hierarchy Standard'). However, the two word form is still useful at times, particularly for disambiguation of acronyms (as evidenced by usage like 'NFS' and 'GFS' for 'Network File System' and 'Google File System'). The Wikipedia article on the topic mixes and matches the two forms, but overall does favour the two word form.

Since I tend to use the one word 'filesystem' form myself (ditto for 'filename'), I'm +1 for FilesystemError, but I'm only -0 for FileSystemError (so I expect that will be the option chosen, given other responses).

Regards, Nick.

-- Nick Coghlan   |   ncoghlan at gmail.com   |   Brisbane, Australia

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