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Re: The Correct Way to Pronounce “OS X” [Video]

Leo Told Whom? — Wed, 07 May 2008 14:20:45 -0000

I really don't care if the Jobs pronounces it "Ten". If I was talking to him I might call it OS Ten, but if it is written "x", then I will pronounce it "eks". How did the romans pronounce "X" in their language? Did they pronounce it "ten"? Did they pronounce it "X"? Neither. So, that means we have to go to the evolution of the English language, which renders it "ten". Seriously, it's one thing to make up words, I'm more than happy to allow cool new netspeak, but another to completely redefine pronunciation of a letter. "I play the ten-olophone." "I had a ten-ray at the doctor's office today". "The movie was rated triple ten". Come now. Don't use arabic numerals, switch to roman numerals, make your company successful based off perceived ease of use, and then resort to some backwards reasoning where it suddenly isn't user friendly. Write down "OS 10" next time. Or when OS 11 comes out, then all will be good. Seriously, if they come out with OS XI and pronounce it 11, I don't care what's happening, I'm selling my apple stock.

Re: The Correct Way to Pronounce “OS X” [Video]

CarlM — Fri, 26 Oct 2007 20:58:52 -0000

For the record, Leopard also says "Oh Ess Ten."

Re: The Correct Way to Pronounce “OS X” [Video]

CarlM — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 14:05:15 -0000

"The UNIX part is secondary; the main definition is the version number. That’s why the OS itself pronounces it as “ten”."

Yeah, yeah, yeah .. we know. But, Apple has joined those who have brought silly redundancies into the world. (Raise your hand if you've heard of the SAT test or an ATM machine.) OS X Version 10.4.10 (which is on my machine at the moment) is NOT actually
the 10th version of OS X. It's the 10th upgrade to the 5th version of OS X. (10.0 was the
first version.) So there is a redundancy in the name OS X Version 10.x.y.

Rather than believe that Apple is capable of such silliness, people assume that the X must not be a redundant "ten" and so pronounce it "X." So, rather than just telling people that they're wrong, you should say something like "Apple was being redundant. Silly, I know, but true nonetheless. Internally they pronounce it "Oh Ess Ten," so if you want to sound like a real Mac lover, you should pronounce it that way too. Think of it like knowing a secret handshake." That way, people will thank you for bringing them into the secret world of "Oh Ess Ten"ers rather than wondering why this bothers you so. :)

Re: The Correct Way to Pronounce “OS X” [Video]

danielrm26 — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 11:06:23 -0000

The UNIX part is secondary; the main definition is the version number. That's why the OS itself pronounces it as "ten".

Re: The Correct Way to Pronounce “OS X” [Video]

CarlM — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 11:02:15 -0000

Surely there are bigger issues than this one, but let's be clear. The OS is called OS X not entirely because it is the one after 9, but because it is the one that is based on UniX.

Hmmm ...

Uni = 1, X = 10. So, UniX is ...One Ten ... now is that 110? Or is it 1 times 10? Do we have videotape of someone authoritative explaining this?

Re: The Correct Way to Pronounce “OS X” [Video]

Bill B — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 09:42:43 -0000

They may have created it, but now it's not theirs anymore.

It's evolved. There is no longer one right answer.

Saying Oh Es Ten is so nineties it's as bad as wearing ironic trucker hats or thinking Britney Spears is hot.

Whatever. Like get in your Eddie Bauer edition SUV and go to the mall and get a clue.

Re: The Correct Way to Pronounce “OS X” [Video]

danielrm26 — Thu, 25 Oct 2007 04:13:32 -0000

This is not an argument about regional accents, alternate pronunciations of common words, British vs. American English, or any of that. It also isn't an argument that we should fight to keep all language static. Everyone knows that language evolves over long periods of time. The key difference here is that the things in question were created in our recent memory, and their creators are still here to guide us.

Re: The Correct Way to Pronounce “OS X” [Video]

Russ — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 22:13:21 -0000

hey bill...read the ubuntu comments, someone already got the dictionary (gasp!) and showed you the way to pronounce those words. you are not correct.

get over it.

Re: The Correct Way to Pronounce “OS X” [Video]

imbeta — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 20:21:58 -0000

I think everyone KNOWS is "Oh-Es-Ten" - after all, the Operating System before it was OS 9, right?

But there's something about "Oh-Es-Ex" that makes it sound better. I'm thinking "Deus Ex" reason here.

Re: The Correct Way to Pronounce “OS X” [Video]

xabbott — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 15:45:17 -0000

I can't believe you used "gg."

Re: The Correct Way to Pronounce “OS X” [Video]

Wed, 24 Oct 2007 14:27:57 -0000

How bout them there Winders computer.

Re: The Correct Way to Pronounce “OS X” [Video]

Jason Sares — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 13:32:02 -0000

It's even more confusing to talk about the point updates.

Consider Leopard it's OS X 10.5 and I'm sure soon will be OS X 10.5.1

Do you pronounce both 'tens'?

To be honest I don't care because after the way Apple treated iPhone unlockers I will never be a customer again.

Re: The Correct Way to Pronounce “OS X” [Video]

Jason Powell — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 12:21:28 -0000

I agree with the importance you give the point, and I think it's good to share how OS X should be pronounced.

Dan, you know this story 'cause you were there for it...

I once owned a Porsche, and I was pedantic (really, an ass) about how the name should be said.

"Porsh-ah," I would correct people.

"I'm going to my Blaze-ah," replied a friend who didn't miss a beat.

I did this for a couple of years until I watched a video of the president of Porsche, who I'm sure was German, pronounce it his way.

"Porsh-ee."

Never, ever, was I going to try to convince anyone of that. I dropped my point, and now shift between the more common "porsh" and my old habit of "Porsh-ah."

There's probably a footnote in the history of every society that, when the revolution came, pedants were the first against the wall. It's just good measure.

Re: The Correct Way to Pronounce “OS X” [Video]

Ryan — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 11:57:24 -0000

How about a post on how to correctly pronounce "Miessler." You know, for those of us who don't know. I'm guessing the 'I' is silent.

Re: The Correct Way to Pronounce “OS X” [Video]

-gd — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 11:31:40 -0000

@sebastiaan de with:

or... you could live and let live and not be a douche and find something more meaningful to be upset or bothered/annoyed about.

Re: The Correct Way to Pronounce “OS X” [Video]

Sebastiaan de With — Wed, 24 Oct 2007 11:13:32 -0000

I tip my hat to you, sir. Too many are walking around saying "Oh Es Ex". It does matter in the grand scheme of things as it helps me be less annoyed around people I have to correct ;)