"The webOS" - Stop calling it that!

**sledge007** · 08/02/2010, 10:46 AM

remember that band ' The The'???.......ya... Me either

**Grabber5.0** · 08/02/2010, 10:54 AM

Ok, so it was Palm's decision.. one of a few bad decisions. 'Pixi' anyone?

**pre-fan** · 08/02/2010, 01:10 PM

Originally Posted by Achill3s

It's like saying "the internets" or "the Google."

Be careful. The interwebz doesn't like the makes fun.

**NickDG** · 08/02/2010, 01:52 PM

Bugs me too. I don't care if Palm wants it that way they are wrong.

**5 sisters** · 08/02/2010, 05:46 PM

I'm not particularly fussy,as long as my the webOS keeps functioning.

**alex.dobeck** · 08/02/2010, 06:04 PM

Even though it's been used as just 'webOS', it is technically wrong (though it's been used so frequently as a proper noun it sounds correct).

I mean you wouldn't say 'I'm a big fan of Microsoft Operating System' or 'Go talk to configuration manager'

Proper grammar says 'the webOS' is correct.

Originally Posted by 5 sisters

I'm not particularly fussy,as long as my the webOS keeps functioning.

It would still be my webOS in this case ; )
('My principal' as opposed to 'My the principal')

**Workerb33** · 08/02/2010, 06:09 PM

Originally Posted by rwhitby

Actually, Palm advise their staff to call it "the webOS". They have done so since day one. It's part of the brand guidelines.

-- Rod

This is probably because they are from California, where they use "the" in front of everything. As in, "Traffic was bad on THE 105 and THE 405 has construction, so I took THE 905."

I looked this up on THE Google to verify this.

**zParticle** · 08/02/2010, 06:24 PM

Originally Posted by alex.dobeck

Even though it's been used as just 'webOS', it is technically wrong (though it's been used so frequently as a proper noun it sounds correct).

I mean you wouldn't say 'I'm a big fan of Microsoft Operating System' or 'Go talk to configuration manager'

Proper grammar says 'the webOS' is correct.

Only if you parse out the OS part, which in the case of a trade name is actually incorrect. The easy test is to see whether the components stand alone: if you really consider the name of the operating system to be "the web", then I suppose that works (for you). I'm guessing Palm was counting on this ambiguity when they named the thing, which let them create a kind of implied ownership of something as broad as the Web.

In other words, webOS isn't an abbreviation, it's a proper name unto itself, capitalization and all.

**NickDG** · 08/02/2010, 06:24 PM

Originally Posted by alex.dobeck

Even though it's been used as just 'webOS', it is technically wrong (though it's been used so frequently as a proper noun it sounds correct).

I mean you wouldn't say 'I'm a big fan of Microsoft Operating System' or 'Go talk to configuration manager'

Proper grammar says 'the webOS' is correct.

It would still be my webOS in this case ; )
('My principal' as opposed to 'My the principal')

Proper grammar says 'the webOS' is correct, but tech history says otherwise.

I don't know how old you are, but back in the DOS days I never heard 'the DOS', ever.

**Workerb33** · 08/02/2010, 06:27 PM

Check out the Palm trademark page... the "the" isn't there...
Palm Trademarks & Brand Identity | Palm USA

Palm� webOS™

**Grabber5.0** · 08/02/2010, 07:29 PM

Originally Posted by NickDG

Proper grammar says 'the webOS' is correct, but tech history says otherwise.

I don't know how old you are, but back in the DOS days I never heard 'the DOS', ever.

I think we have a winner!

**Rangt#AC** · 08/02/2010, 07:57 PM

Not that I need a reason to hate Ohio State University ( I went to Michigan)...their alumni are adamant about calling it THE Ohio State University. I hate that they do that :-P

But i'm a fan of The WebOS ;-)

**saves** · 08/02/2010, 08:12 PM

If you watched those Stanford lectures by Brian and Dion, Brian is always referring to "the web" and "the mobile web" when talking about building apps, for "the mobile web". He points out all these reasons why building for "the web" is awesome. While he means literally that they run off webkit technology so cab be used across platforms easier etc etc, I know deep down he means webOS! At least to me. The web is the future, why not build a entire OS that runs standard web standards through and through, brilliant idea.

webOS is the entire web, at your fingertips. Synergized with it if you will. It may not have all the exact same functionality at this stage, but the potential is there and nothing stopping it. They keep saying one day the distinction between your desktop computer and your phone will go away entirely.

Hah I just like how that sounds. My phone runs on the web.

**sbono13** · 08/02/2010, 08:31 PM

Originally Posted by Workerb33

This is probably because they are from California, where they use "the" in front of everything. As in, "Traffic was bad on THE 105 and THE 405 has construction, so I took THE 905."

I looked this up on THE Google to verify this.

That's actually only a Southern California affectation. So Cal people are hella weird. Here in Northern California, we say take 880 South to 280, etc etc. I went to college in So Cal, so I'll refer to the So Cal freeways with "the" in front, but the NorCal ones still don't get a "the." When in Rome...

**bluewanders** · 08/02/2010, 09:11 PM

Your rant has changed my whole view on life and existence... I suddenly realized just how wrong I have been these many months... D*** my eyes!!

Oh wait... never mind.

Tell the truth... I really don't care what people call anything... and I honestly don't pay much attention to other peoples opinions either... I am what I am, and I'm gonna do whatever I'm gonna do. But hey... it would be really uncouth of me to rant about peoples opinions in the thread about your rant concerning the webOS.

**stung** · 08/02/2010, 09:26 PM

Originally Posted by sbono13

That's actually only a Southern California affectation. So Cal people are hella weird. Here in Northern California, we say take 880 South to 280, etc etc. I went to college in So Cal, so I'll refer to the So Cal freeways with "the" in front, but the NorCal ones still don't get a "the." When in Rome...

x2. Hella good description. NorCal >> SoCal

**Rudementry** · 08/02/2010, 10:11 PM

How about iPhone 4? Anyone got iPhone 4 here? I heard iPhone 4 is pretty good. No? iPhone 4 has a cool operating system. (Just kidding, iPhone 4 has most boring operating system I've ever used) Steve doesn't like to call iPhone 4 "the iPhone 4". Do people still call iPhone "the iPhone"? Yes.

**neit_jnf** · 08/02/2010, 10:15 PM

Originally Posted by jetsetter883

"My girlfriend loves the WebOS"

Any Spanish speakers here? I laughed so hard at this!!!

**Rudementry** · 08/02/2010, 10:19 PM

Originally Posted by neit_jnf

Any Spanish speakers here? I laughed so hard at this!!!

Hah I didn't see that until you said spanish.

Huevos

**ceph** · 08/02/2010, 11:31 PM

OP must have a lot of time on his hands

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