Re: The importance of being pedant

[brian whatcott <inet@INTELLISYS.NET>]

At 15:47 7/21/99 -0700, Bill wrote:
> On Wed, 21 Jul 1999, Leigh Palmer wrote:
>
> > Someone decided a long time ago that the three common states of
> > matter were solid, liquid and vapor. That's canonical; there's no
> > good reason to change our terminology.
>
> If "vapor" means gas, then why do we say "water vapor" when we actually
> mean "water gas"? ...

> William J. Beaty

Though Bill was surely asking his question rhetorically, I
will put on my 'straight man' face and respond:
 Water-gas is known industrially as an illuminant gas prepared
(if I recall ) by passing water over hot coal/coke.

(And yes, I DO remember the gas man walking around the district
and winding up all the clock timers on street gas light standards -
which surely places me beyond most readers' remembrance)

brian whatcott <inet@intellisys.net>
Altus OK