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Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: Washington County, Vermont, USA
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Bikes: 1966 Dawes Double Blue, 1976 Raleigh Gran Sport, 1975 Raleigh Sprite 27, 1980 Univega Viva Sport, 1971 Gitane Tour de France, 1984 Lotus Classique, 1976 Motobecane Grand Record
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The New York Times style guide has what I think is called "the four-letter rule" for acronyms, under which they upper-case acronyms of four letters or less ("UN" or "NATO"), while those with more than four ("Unicef", the United Nations Children's Emergency Fund) only get an initial cap--the theory being that five capital letters in a row scream too loudly. If the Times ever mentions MAFAC brakes in a story, it will appear as "Mafac."
There's no right and wrong--it's purely a matter of style. I was just kind of curious as to what "our" style is. Maybe there isn't one. I'm kind of hoping that someone is going to speak up for M.A.F.A.C. How I used to enjoy that old TV show, "The Man from U.N.C.L.E."
Anarchy rules in the US, but even the French actually allow some wiggle room--the Academie Francaise decides what words are and are not genuine French, but they're only recommendations--aren't actually binding on anyone.