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For 2023 (and 2024 ...) - we are now fully retired from IT training.
We have made many, many friends over 25 years of teaching about Python, Tcl, Perl, PHP, Lua, Java, C and C++ - and MySQL, Linux and Solaris/SunOS too. Our training notes are now very much out of date, but due to upward compatability most of our examples remain operational and even relevant ad you are welcome to make us if them "as seen" and at your own risk.

Lisa and I (Graham) now live in what was our training centre in Melksham - happy to meet with former delegates here - but do check ahead before coming round. We are far from inactive - rather, enjoying the times that we are retired but still healthy enough in mind and body to be active!

I am also active in many other area and still look after a lot of web sites - you can find an index ((here))
English check! An HTML file?

Posted by warmwhisky (warmwhisky), 28 August 2005
Hi guys.
Thanks Graham for your teachings on the PHP course last week. The course was excellent, informative and intense! Also it was great fun! I really enjoyed your facial illustrations of breathing in code munching it up and then blowing it out to the browser. That tickled me!

So here goes for my first post.

Why do we refer to HTML files as 'an HTML file' and not 'a HTML file?'
Call me illiterate but it does not sound right to me.
Are we assuming that we do not actually pronounce the "H" correctly?
It does sound correct when we pronounce it like "aych tee em ell" but surely, that is not English!??

Well I look forward to hearing back on this one!!

Ben Taylor


Posted by admin (Graham Ellis), 29 August 2005
Fascinating question ... I guess it's because we pronounce the letters of the abbreviration and, pronounced, the letter "H" starts with a vowel.   I think the rule follows ...

An XML file
An HTML file
An RPC connection
An FTP connection

but

a PHP Program
a BSD Unix
a MySQL database
and
a Linux Operating system

Question - err - answered by someone who took two goes to get his English 'O' Level.   I guess I had better explain 'O' levels ...



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