Wednesday, October 31, 2007

Seriously...it's just CAFE, not CAFÉ

This is an amusing case of Microsoft changing the world, for the worse. In the US auto industry, many of the incumbent automakers are up in arms about increases to the Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards. CAFE is the acronym for the Corporate Average Fuel Economy. However, when you type CAFE into Microsoft Word (or other Office programs with Autocorrect) it will change the word to CAFÉ automatically. This has happened so much that I'm beginning to think that people feel that CAFE actually is spelled with an accent (I suppose it gives it more flair than a typical acronym). In all the articles in the media now about increases in CAFE standards, I'm seeing this happen more and more in real journalism. Gads!

Read Higher emissions standards to benefit U.S. automakers from CNet, and you'll see what I mean. Good article though, but it's just CAFE, not CAFÉ!

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

If you can't proofread your own work and catch errors like that it really causes me to question a person's argument in general. I guaranty you the auto makers know how to spell it because they're the ones who are going to have to foot the bill if the higher standards go through. I work with the AAM and its sad that CAFE is just a buzz word that people throw around without even really understanding that is not in their best interests.

Anonymous said...

Not nearly as bad as traveling in Thailand (where the local currency is the Baht). Many signs in English have bean Microsoft-ed, I saw typing services offered for 50 Baths per page.

Just turn off the autocorrect.

Anonymous said...

been