 The magazine of the Melbourne PC User Group What's in a Name? Gary Taig garyt@melbpc.org.au |
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This is simply to help members know the name of the organisation to which we
belong. I don't know when this became an issue for me but it did, and it was quite some time ago, perhaps 10
or more years. For almost 19 years, Melbourne PC User Group has flourished and grown under its regular name.
Occasionally some weird versions creep in and I'm sure that for every one person unknowingly using an
incorrect name, several more are likely to be confused or misinformed by that example. The snowball effect
will result in many errors.
The full and complete, formal version is Melbourne PC User Group Incorporated. (Note: singular... it's
not Users Group.) It can be and often is abbreviated to the less ornate Melbourne PC User Group
Inc. where we follow the fairly common practice of using the short form of Incorporated. This is similar to
Pty Ltd replacing the formal "Proprietary Limited" in company names and so on. The "Inc" can be dropped
altogether for informal usage, leaving us with just Melbourne PC User Group.
The abbreviated form of the name has always been Melb PC. We are not, "PC Users", "PC Users Group",
"PCUG", "MPCUG", "MPC", "MPUG", "MelbPC", "Melb PC User Group" or a host of other incorrect, home-made
abbreviations that surface all too often; many times by people who really should know better.
Our magazine is PC Update, not PC User which is a commercial magazine. Some people are
confused by this and from time to time introducing myself on the phone I will hear, "Oh, yes, I know PC
User, I buy that sometimes". Whoops! It's always important that we correct these misunderstandings
immediately so that our group retains its identity.
So, the correct usage is: I belong to Melbourne PC User Group. I've been a Melb PC member for
15 years. Melb PC is a wonderful group where you can meet lots of people, share interests, experiences
and learn heaps! My group membership is due for renewal in March.
How often do you see written, "I use the Telstra for my communications." or, "I live in the
Australia" or "I joined the Optus"? Never! We have a similar situation with our group name.
When writing about the group in the context of other user groups throughout the world, it can be acceptable
to refer to Melb PC as "the" Melbourne PC User Group, as distinct from "the" Sydney PC Users
Group or "the" Las Vegas PC User Group and so on. However, if you submit something for publication in
PC Update and it contains "... I joined The Melbourne PC User Group..." don't be surprised when I
remove the word "the" preceding Melbourne. In almost all cases it should read simply "... I joined
Melbourne PC User Group...".
Reprinted from the February 2002 issue of PC Update, the
magazine of Melbourne PC User Group, Australia
