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wasn't there a guy who said that he only hired english language students because computer science students couldn't communicate or do basic logical reasoning effectively? when working in teams, the ability to reason and communicate is far more important. so this guy, i can't remember who he was (anyone find a link?) said that he found it much more effective to hire people with good english language skills and to train them to program, than to try to hire people who could program and to try to get them to speke engleeeesh.

the advantage of that approach - if microsoft actually encouraged english to be taught at schools - would be that kids would actually learn like, y'know, quite a bit more than just how to program? and i could begin to get a little less stressed and have to refer people to this kind of site: http://www.apostrophe.org.uk/page4.html

Let me apologise for the lack of apostrophes as slashdot ate them.

http://www.apostrophe.org.uk/page4.html

So what you are saying is that the above linked web site has got it wrong.
as for the is and are the use of a single entity requires the singular
and the use of the plural demands are

The herd is coming this way but so are the wilder-beasts that make up that herd.

To form the possessive you use an apostrophe and you generally don't use apostrophes for plurals.

http://www.eng-lang.co.uk/apostrophe_rules.htm

I know I am slapdash in my use of English and I used to be worse. I would go as so far as to say I wasn't taught English, she only considered English literature as a subject to be taught not language.

You normally have more interesting things to post about, maybe Slashdot is no longer as interesting as it used to be. The posts seem to getting more predictable. Take it easy, stressing over little things is bad for your health.

not really helpful at all to be honest.

Taking the last point first it's the extinction that is coming (one extinction not many )

from http://www.apostrophe.org.uk/page4.html

Can an inanimate object own something?

When considering the use of an apostrophe, possession involves of and for. Consider a notice outside a golf club: Captainâ(TM)s parking space. The captain doesnâ(TM)t own the space; it is a parking space for the captain.

In the case of this carâ(TM)s colour is too bright the car doesnâ(TM)t own the colour; it is the colour of the car.

Another example is menâ(TM)s clothing or menâ(TM)s wear. It is clothing for men.

Using these guidelines I don't feel so bad about my usage. I believe that American English and British English have a few differences in usage. What may be correct in one, may not be in the other. In an International forum the differences should be tolerable. Besides McGrew isn't there a better target for your vitriol ;)

I've been on since the late 90's myself and I've really enjoyed this site over the years in spite of the spelling and grammar issues.

...like the people who write " 90's " instead of " '90s "?

http://www.apostrophe.org.uk/

Sorry, I had to.

If only we had more people (and editors) that could catch that kind of thing. We all do better when held to a higher standard. Thank you!

I've been on since the late 90's myself and I've really enjoyed this site over the years in spite of the spelling and grammar issues.

...like the people who write " 90's " instead of " '90s "?

http://www.apostrophe.org.uk/

Sorry, I had to.

Is that you, Mr Chairman?

Quick! Send it here before it's too late.