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<H1><A NAME="SECTION000400000000000000000"></A><A NAME="style-guide"></A>
<BR>
3 Style Guide
</H1>
<P>
The Python documentation should follow the <em class="citetitle"><a
href="http://developer.apple.com/documentation/UserExperience/Conceptual/APStyleGuide/AppleStyleGuide2003.pdf"
title="Apple Publications Style Guide"
>Apple Publications Style Guide</a></em> wherever possible. This particular
style guide was selected mostly because it seems reasonable and is
easy to get online.
<P>
Topics which are not covered in the Apple's style guide will be
discussed in this document if necessary.
<P>
Many special names are used in the Python documentation, including
the names of operating systems, programming languages, standards
bodies, and the like. Many of these were assigned <span class="LaTeX">LaTeX</span> macros
at some point in the distant past, and these macros lived on long
past their usefulness. In the current markup, most of these entities
are not assigned any special markup, but the preferred spellings are
given here to aid authors in maintaining the consistency of
presentation in the Python documentation.
<P>
Other terms and words deserve special mention as well; these conventions
should be used to ensure consistency throughout the documentation:
<P>
<DL>
<DT><STRONG>CPU</STRONG></DT>
<DD>For ``central processing unit.'' Many style guides say this
should be spelled out on the first use (and if you must use it,
do so!). For the Python documentation, this abbreviation should
be avoided since there's no reasonable way to predict which occurrence
will be the first seen by the reader. It is better to use the
word ``processor'' instead.
<P>
</DD>
<DT><STRONG>POSIX</STRONG></DT>
<DD>The name assigned to a particular group of standards. This is
always uppercase. Use the macro <tt class='macro'>\POSIX</tt> to represent this
name.
<P>
</DD>
<DT><STRONG>Python</STRONG></DT>
<DD>The name of our favorite programming language is always
capitalized.
<P>
</DD>
<DT><STRONG>Unicode</STRONG></DT>
<DD>The name of a character set and matching encoding. This is
always written capitalized.
<P>
</DD>
<DT><STRONG><span class="Unix">Unix</span></STRONG></DT>
<DD>The name of the operating system developed at AT&T Bell Labs
in the early 1970s. Use the macro <tt class='macro'>\UNIX</tt> to use this
name.
</DD>
</DL>
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<span class="release-info">Release 2.4.3, documentation updated on 29 March 2006.</span>
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