Bitcoin Forum

Bitcoin => Bitcoin Discussion => Topic started by: tenakha on September 11, 2012, 04:30:33 PM



Title: Convention - to BTC or not to btc, that is the question.
Post by: tenakha on September 11, 2012, 04:30:33 PM
When we quote the currency what is the preferred method:

10 BTC

or 10 btc

10 Bitcoin
10 bitcoin (lowecase)

10 Bitcoins

10 bitcoins

My preference is

10 BTC

and

10 bitcoins


Title: Re: Convention - BTC or btc?
Post by: Atlas on September 11, 2012, 04:36:25 PM
Bitcoin is a proper noun like every other currency denomination. Why should it be lowercased?

Why should BTC be lowercase when traditional abbreviations are uppercase?

OP, are you from Europe or Russia?


Title: Re: Convention - BTC or btc?
Post by: Graet on September 11, 2012, 04:41:11 PM
10BTC and 10 Bitcoin :)


Title: Re: Convention - BTC or btc?
Post by: tenakha on September 11, 2012, 04:41:32 PM
Bitcoin is a proper noun like every other currency denomination. Why should it be lowercased?

Why should BTC be lowercase when traditional abbreviations are uppercase?

OP, are you from Europe or Russia?

Hi,

yes, I am from The United Kingdom (sort of in Europe - but we tend to think we are not - as we've held onto our currency and we have a Queen).

In the UK its:

10 GBP

but in a sentence : I am selling my pineapple for ten pounds. <--- in this context lowercase is correct. "10 Pounds" would be wrong.


Title: Re: Convention - BTC or btc?
Post by: tenakha on September 11, 2012, 04:43:20 PM
just like you would write:

I want you to shave my squirrel for 10 dollars

not

I want you to shave my squirrel for 10 Dollars

yes?


Title: Re: Convention - BTC or btc?
Post by: Atlas on September 11, 2012, 05:02:55 PM
just like you would write:

I want you to shave my squirrel for 10 dollars

not

I want you to shave my squirrel for 10 Dollars

yes?


The term "dollar" can be generic. It has been applied to many currencies. If I want to imply I was using US Dollars, I would say Dollars.

I may be off-kilter. Let's see what others have to say.


Title: Re: Convention - to BTC or not to btc, that is the question.
Post by: Graet on September 11, 2012, 05:06:31 PM
A long time ago I saw a thread where the poster pointed out that if we capitalise something we show it has value to us, this makes sense to me. Ever since then  I have written Bitcoin.


Title: Re: Convention - to BTC or not to btc, that is the question.
Post by: Spekulatius on September 11, 2012, 05:30:30 PM
From a logical point of view "Bitcoin" would apply when we speak of the currency or the project itself, whilst "Bitcoins" should be used once we talk of a plural of currency units. Like in: "Have you heard of that new currency called bitcoin? 11 dollars equal 1 bitcoin at the moment."

Prices, following national and regional customs, could be priced in either 10 BTC, BTC 10, 10 BTC, BTC 10 or else


Title: Re: Convention - to BTC or not to btc, that is the question.
Post by: nobbynobbynoob on September 11, 2012, 06:02:45 PM
Which brings up another thought: what's the Unicode for BTC? ;D


Title: Re: Convention - to BTC or not to btc, that is the question.
Post by: Dalkore on September 11, 2012, 06:08:09 PM
Which brings up another thought: what's the Unicode for BTC? ;D

+1  I would like to know as well.  I fear that this was just a custom patch on this forum software.   Theymos should know?


Title: Re: Convention - BTC or btc?
Post by: FreeMoney on September 11, 2012, 08:27:41 PM
just like you would write:

I want you to shave my squirrel for 10 dollars

not

I want you to shave my squirrel for 10 Dollars

yes?


The term "dollar" can be generic. It has been applied to many currencies. If I want to imply I was using US Dollars, I would say Dollars.

I may be off-kilter. Let's see what others have to say.

You are off.

Why would capitalization imply your specific type of dollar when there are lots of types of dollars?


Title: Re: Convention - to BTC or not to btc, that is the question.
Post by: gbl08ma on September 11, 2012, 08:43:48 PM
Up to now, I use Bitcoin when I want to refer to the open source project, and bitcoin(s) for currency unit.
I prefer BTC in place of btc, but both should be acceptable and I use both as a currency unit, not as a way to refer to the open source project.
I definitely don't like BC.

Examples:
Two days ago he downloaded the client from the Bitcoin website after learning about Bitcoin.
Yesterday he traded 7 bitcoins.
One of his clients sent 1 bitcoin back.
He usually asks for 1.5 BTC for that product.


Title: Re: Convention - BTC or btc?
Post by: Lazer on September 11, 2012, 08:52:22 PM
just like you would write:

I want you to shave my squirrel for 10 dollars

not

I want you to shave my squirrel for 10 Dollars

yes?


The term "dollar" can be generic. It has been applied to many currencies. If I want to imply I was using US Dollars, I would say Dollars.

I may be off-kilter. Let's see what others have to say.

You are off.

Why would capitalization imply your specific type of dollar when there are lots of types of dollars?

Folks, that is a trick question and neither form is correct.

For everyone knows that squirrels won't let anyone shave them.


Title: Re: Convention - to BTC or not to btc, that is the question.
Post by: Stephen Gornick on September 11, 2012, 08:59:31 PM
When we quote the currency what is the preferred method:
My preference is

10 BTC

and

10 bitcoins

As far as capitalization:

The convention I hold to quite carefully is to call the technology "BitCoin" [Edited: "Bitcoin"] and the money itself "bitcoins".  This is largely so that even at the beginning of a sentence it can be clear whether I am referring to specific coins or the technology as a whole.  It is an arbitrary choice, but I feel it improves communication of the concepts.

As far as the symbol, I'm not sure. I've seen  10 USDs and 10 USD both used.  I'm sure the journalist style book has the proper use.  

Now instead if we just used Ƀ10 instead. it wouldn't matter.

Universal Bitcoin Logo Alternative
 - http://www.ecogex.com/bitcoin/


Title: Re: Convention - BTC or btc?
Post by: camem on September 11, 2012, 09:03:37 PM
just like you would write:

I want you to shave my squirrel for 10 dollars

not

I want you to shave my squirrel for 10 Dollars

yes?


The term "dollar" can be generic. It has been applied to many currencies. If I want to imply I was using US Dollars, I would say Dollars.

I may be off-kilter. Let's see what others have to say.

You are off.

Why would capitalization imply your specific type of dollar when there are lots of types of dollars?

Folks, that is a trick question and neither form is correct.

For everyone knows that squirrels won't let anyone shave them.

not so fast Lazer, what if it's a euphemism ?


Title: Re: Convention - to BTC or not to btc, that is the question.
Post by: Grix on September 11, 2012, 09:10:33 PM
Does it matter?


Title: Re: Convention - to BTC or not to btc, that is the question.
Post by: jga on September 12, 2012, 04:21:14 AM
I'm not sure where this came from originally, but this is the standard I've used... from https://bitcointalk.org/adrotate.php?adinfo
Quote
The Bitcoin software, network, and concept is called "Bitcoin" with a capitalized "B". Bitcoin currency units are called "bitcoins" with a lowercase "b" -- this is often abbreviated BTC.

Does it matter?
Having a standardized style guide is common with organizations to maintain uniformity and clarity in printed communications.  When I write blog posts or official emails, I like to know I'm following the accepted convention.


Title: Re: Convention - BTC or btc?
Post by: FreeMoney on September 12, 2012, 04:25:19 AM
just like you would write:

I want you to shave my squirrel for 10 dollars

not

I want you to shave my squirrel for 10 Dollars

yes?


The term "dollar" can be generic. It has been applied to many currencies. If I want to imply I was using US Dollars, I would say Dollars.

I may be off-kilter. Let's see what others have to say.

You are off.

Why would capitalization imply your specific type of dollar when there are lots of types of dollars?

Folks, that is a trick question and neither form is correct.

For everyone knows that squirrels won't let anyone shave them.

I don't always shave squirrels. But when I do

<mandrinkingbeer.jpg>

I use Trendon Shavers.


Title: Re: Convention - to BTC or not to btc, that is the question.
Post by: Grix on September 15, 2012, 05:45:19 PM
Having a standardized style guide is common with organizations to maintain uniformity and clarity in printed communications.  When I write blog posts or official emails, I like to know I'm following the accepted convention.

I don't think we will ever be able to get a final standardized style though. I mean, even dollars doesn't have one. I vary between "USD", "$" and "dollars" all the time.


Title: Re: Convention - to BTC or not to btc, that is the question.
Post by: Zack on September 15, 2012, 05:49:18 PM
I used to write 10 BitCoin, instead of 10 Bitcoin. At the time I just felt it was the way it was supposed to be typed/written out, but it just didn't seem proper after writing it.


Title: Re: Convention - to BTC or not to btc, that is the question.
Post by: evoorhees on September 15, 2012, 05:57:25 PM

Because "bitcoins" is a currency, it should all be lower-case (like "euros" and "dollars"). However, the network system known as "Bitcoin" should be capitalized.

"BTC" should typically be caps.

Examples:

- I use Bitcoin
- I own and spend bitcoins
- I'll send you 10 BTC


Title: Re: Convention - to BTC or not to btc, that is the question.
Post by: D.H. on September 15, 2012, 06:38:19 PM
I'm not sure where this came from originally, but this is the standard I've used... from https://bitcointalk.org/adrotate.php?adinfo
Quote
The Bitcoin software, network, and concept is called "Bitcoin" with a capitalized "B". Bitcoin currency units are called "bitcoins" with a lowercase "b" -- this is often abbreviated BTC.

That is also the convention that has been generally accepted on the StackExchange site (http://bitcoin.stackexchange.com/questions/462/what-is-the-difference-between-bitcoin-bitcoin-and-bitcoin/463#463). Basically everyone seems to accept it, there was never any debate.