Very few of us were ever taught the alphabet per-se. We were instead taught
a little tune. When dealing with things alphabetical we do not use the
alphabet, as such, because hardly anyone really knows it. We instead
mentally "sing" that little tune. Apart from that little tune the alphabet
does not exist. Near every man, woman and child in the US has that little
kindergarten ditty planted deep within our brains and nothing will root it
out. He has no chance.
        But, perhaps I am missing something here. The human world operates on a 10
based number system to accommodate the number of fingers we have while the
computer world uses a 2 based system to accommodate the two basic digital
states: on and off. Both worlds have what they want and are satisfied. Why
cannot a similar arrangement be made concerning the alphabet? If computers
need the alphabet to be in a certain order why not simply put it in that
order *within the computer* and leave the rest of the world alone?

-----Original Message-----
From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM]On Behalf
Of Marshall Ruskin
Sent: Saturday, October 28, 2000 12:02 AM
To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
Subject: Movement "Afoot" to Re-order English Alphabet

Hi Volks:

I thought that I had heard it all.

Apparently Microsoft is leading some international consortium to set the
standards for the re-ordering of the English alphabet!

Apparently, computers can work much better, if the most commonly used
letters are first in line - and the least commonly used ones are pushed
farther back - it's got something to do with code efficiency and increasing
the speed of the internet.

I personally don't want them to do this - what do you think?

Marshall Ruskin
84 Westy "Leader of the Pack"
Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada
"It's Friday" Member of "Vanagons Anonymous"