[Ads-l] laser

[Mark Mandel]

In an online discussion about the use of "laser" for a beam in a
fantasy-fiction story, the author made the following remark:

"laser" is undergoing more change, from
> - L.A.S.E.R. beam
> - LASER beam
> - laser beam
> - laser
>
> Check common usage, even on scientific sites, and there is no longer a
> specification for 'beam,' which means that writers have to specify the
> EQUIPMENT, when older articles would have to specify the /beam/ generated
> by the equipment.
>

The author is Sarah Williams, blogging as dialecticdreamer
<http://dialecticdreamer.dreamwidth.org/>, in this comment
<http://dialecticdreamer.dreamwidth.org/340218.html?thread=7071738#cmt7071738>
on Part 5 of 6 <http://dialecticdreamer.dreamwidth.org/340218.html> of her
story Defending Their Own
<http://dialecticdreamer.dreamwidth.org/338798.html>.

Most of the discussion
<http://dialecticdreamer.dreamwidth.org/340218.html?thread=7070458#cmt7070458>
is about whether a real laser could do this, and why it does or doesn't
matter in this story.

Mark



 . <http://www.gnuterrypratchett.com/>

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