O'Reilly Default Stylesheet and Word List

This stylesheet is maintained (and frequently updated) by the Production Department and is available online at:

For questions and comments regarding this stylesheet, please send mail to stylesheet@oreilly.com.

Authors, please consult with your editor, editorial assistant, or production editor if you have questions specific to your book. If you'd like to use different conventions, please confer with your editor.

This stylesheet contains information for all authors, including those writing in Word, XML, or other formats. It is very important that you read the author's guide about writing in Microsoft Word if you are writing your book in Word.

Our general style reference is The Chicago Manual of Style, 14th Edition (though some O'Reilly styles differ).

Abbreviations/Acronyms

Bibliographical Entries

See The Chicago Manual of Style, 14th Edition.

Cross-References

Dates and Numbers

Figures, Tables, and Examples

Every figure, table, and example should be preceded by a specific in-text reference (for example: see Figure 99-1; Example 1-99 shows; Table 1-1 lists, etc.). Figures, tables, and examples should not be introduced with colons or phrases like "in the following figure," or "as shown in this table." Since figures float, lack of specific in-text references may cause incorrect placement of figures.

Any word groupings within a figure should have an initial cap on the first word only, with the exception of proper nouns. Generally, we don't use periods at the end of these word groupings.

Figure, table, and example numbers should be numbered as follows: 1-2 (note hyphen, not en-dash between numbers). The first number is the chapter number. This will be soft-coded in production if not during the writing process.

Code

Maximum line length for code varies slightly between book formats. For standard non-Nutshell books, the maximum line length for code is 82 characters, with 86 characters available in captioned examples. In Nutshell books, standard line length for code is 73 characters, with 77 characters available in captioned examples. Pocket references have even smaller code line length--check with your editor for this information. Please keep code within the code margins that appear in the Word template and indicate proper linebreaks and indents for all code. Indent using spaces, not tabs.

Footnotes

Try to minimize the use of footnotes, as they cause difficulties in page layout. Whenever possible, delete footnotes, work them back into the text as parenthetical comments, or tag them as Notes.

Table footnotes are lettered (a b c etc.) and appear directly after the table. They should be kept to a minimum.

Headings

Lists

Typically, we use three types of lists: numbered lists, for ordered steps or chronological items; variable lists, for terms and explanations/definitions; and bulleted lists, for series of items. Following are examples of each type of list.

Numbered list

The following list of step-by-step instructions is an example of a numbered list:

    1. Save Example 2-1 as the file hello.cs.

    2. Open a command window.

    3. From the command line, enter csc /debug hello.cs.

    4. To run the program, enter Hello.

Variable list

The following list of defined terms is an example of a variable list:

Setup Project
This creates a setup file that automatically installs your files and resources.

Web Setup Project
Helps deploy a web-based project.

Bulleted list

The following series of items is an example of a bulleted list:

Frequently, bulleted lists should be converted to variable lists. Any bulleted list whose entries consist of a short term and its definition should be converted. For example, the following bulleted list entries:

are correctly variable list entries:

Spellchecking
Process of correcting spelling

Pagebreaking
Process of breaking pages

Miscellaneous

Punctuation

Typography and Font Conventions

The following table outlines the basic font conventions used in O'Reilly books. It also lists the specific Word style tags you should use for these fonts.

Type of element in document Result in final document Style name(s) in template
Filenames, file extensions (such as .jpeg), directory paths Regular italic
(Times)
technical italic, fix
URLs, URIs, email addresses   online item, fiy
Emphasized words (shouting!)   emphasis, fi
First instance of a technical term   technical italic, fix
Registry keys Constant width
(Courier)
literal, fc
Language and script elements: class names, types, namespaces, attributes, methods, variables, keywords, functions, modules, commands, properties, parameters, values, objects, events, XML and HTML tags, and similar elements. Some examples include: System.Web.UI, a while loop, the Socket class, and the Obsolete attribute Constant width
(Courier)
literal, fc
Replaceable items (placeholder items in syntax); "username" in the following example is a placeholder:
login: username
Constant italic
(Courier Italic)
replaceable, fci
Placeholders in paths, directories, GUI items, URLs, or other text that would be italic anyway:
http://www.<yourname>.com
http://www.<yourname>.com No style; enclose in angle brackets
Keyboard accelerators (Ctrl, Shift, etc.), menu titles, menu options, menu buttons Regular text No style or font convention; leave as regular text
Superscripted items (not footnote markers: insert footnotes for these) Superscript2 superscript
Subscripted items Subscript3 subscript

These conventions may vary slightly for each project; please consult the production editor or freelance coordinator if you have any questions. Please note: Word authors should refer to the documentation accompanying the Word template; Frame authors should refer to the Tools Department's Frame documentation at http://www.oreilly.com/oreilly/frame and the FrameMaker cheat sheet, available from the Tools Department or your production editor.

It's very important to follow tagging conventions for terms. The method for applying conventions will vary depending on the format: Word, Frame, SGML, or troff. (Don't just make something "bold" or "italic," either; use the proper tagging method. For instance, if you use just "italic" in Word, that change won't make it into conversion--you have to use the proper font tag.) Please consult with your editor or the Tools Department for instructions specific to each environment.

NOTE: If you're an author, and you want to use a font convention that is slightly different for one of the following items, check with your editor first--some things can change; some can't.

For instance, URLs will not be anything but italic, but you might come up with a different font convention for function names or menu items. If you do use something that differs from the following list, please write it down on your printout of this stylesheet, which should be submitted with your manuscript.

Or, if you have a "new" element, please consult with your editor, then write it on your printout and submit it with your manuscript.

O'Reilly Word List

[ A ], [ B ], [ C ], [ D ], [ E ], [ F ], [ G ], [ H ], [ I ], [ J ], [ K ], [ L ], [ M ], [ N ], [ O ], [ P ], [ Q ], [ R ], [ S ], [ T ], [ U ], [ V ], [ W ], [ X ], [ Y ], [ Z ]

A

acknowledgments
ActionScript
ActiveX control
Addison Wesley >br>ADO.NET
a.k.a.
a.m. or A.M.
Alt key
Alt-N
anonymous FTP
appendixes
applet (or Java applet)
AppleScript
AppleScript Studio (ASS)
ARPAnet
ASCII
at sign
autogenerate
awk

B

background processes
backquote
backslash
Backspace key
backtick
backup (n)
back up (v)
backward
bandwidth
BeOS
Berkeley Software Distribution (BSD)
Berkeley Unix (older books may have UNIX)
BHOs
bioinformatics
bitmap
bit mask
Bitnet
bit plane
bitwise operators
Boolean (unless referring to a datatype in code, in which case s/b lowercase)
Bourne-again shell (bash)
Bourne shell
braces or curly braces
brackets or square brackets
browsable
built-in (a, n)
button bar

C

cannot or can't (not "can not")
Caps Lock key
caret or circumflex
CAT-5
CD-ROM
C language (n)
C-language (a)
checkbox
client/server
client side (n)
client-side (a)
co-class
code set
colorcell
colormap
Command key (Macintosh)
command line (n)
command-line (a)
Common Object Request Broker Architecture (CORBA)
compact disc
compile time (n)
compile-time (a)
CompuServe
copyleft
copyright
CPU
criterion (s), criteria (p)
cross-reference
C shell
<CR><LF>
Ctrl key
Ctrl-Alt-Delete
Ctrl-N
curly braces or braces

database
data block
Data Encryption Standard (DES)
datafile
datatype or data type (be consistent)
data is
disk
Debian GNU/Linux
Delete key
design time (n)
design-time (a)
DNS
DocBook
Document Object Model (DOM)
Domain Name System
dot
dot-com
double-click
double-precision (a)
double quotes
down arrow
downlevel (a)
download
drag-and-drop
drop-down (a)

E

e-books
e-business
e-commerce
Emacs
email
empty-element tag
end-of-file (EOF)
end-tag
end user
Enter key
equals sign
Escape key (or Esc key)
Ethernet
exclamation mark
Exim

F

failback (n)
failover (n)
fax
filename
file manager
file server
filesystem
file type
FireWire
foreground
FORTRAN
Fortran 90
forward (adv)
FreeBSD
Free Documentation License (FDL)
Free Software Foundation (FSF)
frame type
frontend
ftp (Unix command)
FTP (protocol)
FTP site

gateway
Gb (gigabit)
GB (gigabyte)
GBps (gigabytes per second)
GHz
gid
GIMP
GNOME
GNU Emacs
GNU Project
GNU Public License (GPL)
GNUstep
grayscale
greater-than sign or >
GUI, GUIs

H

hardcoded
hardcode (v)
hardcopy
hash sign or sharp sign
high-level (adj)
hostname
hotspot
HTML
HTTP
hypertext

I

IDs
IDE
inline
inode
interclient
Internet
internetwork
Intrinsics
I/O
IP (Internet Protocol)
IPSEC
ISO
ISP

J

Jabber
Jabber client
Jabber server
Jabber applet
JAR archive
JAR file
JavaScript
Java™ (must appear with ™ symbol on copyright page and first time in book)
JavaBeans™ (must appear with ™ symbol on copyright page and first time in book)

K Desktop Environment (KDE)
Kb (kilobit)
KB (kilobyte; denotes file size
or disk space)
Kbps (kilobits per second)
keepalive (n or a)
Kerberos
keyclick
keycode
keymaps
keypad
keystroke
keysym
keywords
kHz (kilohertz)
Korn shell

L

local area network or LAN
left angle bracket or <
lefthand (a)
leftmost
less-than sign or <
leveled (not levelled)
Linux
LinuxPPC
listbox
login, logout, or logon (n or a)
log in, log out, or log on (v)
lower- and uppercase
lowercase
lower-level (a)
lower-right (a)
Linux Professional Institute (LPI)

M

Macintosh
Mac OS
Mac OS 9 (note the use of spaces)
Mac OS X (note the use of spaces)
mail-handling (adjective)
manpage
markup
Mb (megabit)
MB (megabyte)
MBps (megabytes per second)
McGraw-Hill
menu bar
metacharacter
Meta key
Meta-N
MHz (megahertz)
mice or mouses (be consistent)
Microsoft Windows
Microsoft Windows NT
Microsoft Windows XP
Microsoft Windows 2000
MKS Toolkit
MS-DOS
multiline
multimedia
multitasking
multithreaded
multitier
multiuser
My Services

namespace
name service
the Net
NetBSD
NetInfo
.NET
newline
newsgroups
NeXTSTEP
nonlocal
nonpartitioned
nonstandard
Novell NetWare
nonzero

Objective-C
object linking and embedding (OLE)
object-oriented programming (OOP)
object request broker (ORB)
offline
offload
onboard
ongoing
online
open source (mention URL http://opensource.org/ first time)
open source software (OSS)
OpenBSD
OpenMotif
OpenStep
OpenWindows
Option key (Macintosh)
Oracle7
Oracle8
Oracle 8.0
Oracle8i (italic "i")
Oracle9i (italic "i")
Oracle Parallel Query Option
O'Reilly & Associates, Inc.
OS/2
OSA
OSF/Motif
OS X

packet switch networks
Paint Shop Pro
pagefile
parentheses (p)
parenthesis (s)
Pascal
password
pathname
pattern-matching (a)
peer-to-peer (or P2P)
percent (spell out if the number is spelled out)
period
Perl
Perl DBI
Plug and Play (PnP)
plug-in (a,n)
p.m. or P.M.
Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP)
pop up (v, n)
pop-up (a)
POP-3
Portable Document Format (PDF)
Portable Network Graphics (PNG)
Portable Operating System Interface (POSIX)
POSIX-compliant
Post Office Protocol (POP)
postprocess
PostScript
Prentice Hall
process ID
progress bar
pseudoattribute
pseudoterminal
pseudo-tty
public key (n)
public-key (a)
pull-down (a)

qmail
Qt
Quartz
Quartz Extreme
QuarkXPress
QuickTime
quotation marks (spell out first time it appears; can be "quotes" thereafter)


random-access (a)
RCS
read-only (a)
read/write
real time (n)
real-time (a)
Red Hat Linux
Red Hat Package Manager (RPM)
redirection
reference page or manpage
remote-access server
rename
Rendezvous (Mac OS X Zeroconf networking)
Return (key)
RFC 822
rich text
right angle bracket or greater-than sign (>)
right-click
righthand (a)
rmail
roll back (v)
rollback (n)
Rubout key
runtime (n, a)

Samba
saveset
screen dump
screenful
screensaver
scrollbar
Secure Shell (SSH)
Secure Sockets Layer (SSL)
sed scripts
semicolon
server-dependent
server side (n)
server-side (a)
servlet
SGML
sharp sign or hash sign
shell; lowercase even in shell name (Bourne shell)
shell scripts
Shift key
Simple API for XML (SAX)
single-precision (a)
single quote br>Smalltalk
SMP (a, n)
source code
SOAP
spacebar
spellchecker
split screen
square brackets or brackets
standalone
standard input (stdin)
standard output (stdout)
start-tag
startup file
status bar
stylesheet
subprocesses
subshade
SuSE Linux
system administrator
system-wide

T1
Tab key
TCP/IP
Telnet (the protocol)
telnet (v)
terabyte
TEX
texinfo
text box
text-input mode
thread pooling (n)
time-sharing processes
timestamp
time zone
titlebar
titlebutton
Token Ring
toolbar
toolkit
tool tip
top-level (a)
toward
troubleshoot

Ultrix
Universal Serial Bus (USB)
Unix (UNIX in many books, esp. older ones)
up arrow
upper- and lowercase
uppercase
upper-left corner
up-to-date
URLs
U.S.
Usenet
user ID (n)
user-ID (a)
username

v2 or Version 2
VAX/VMS
VB.NET
versus (avoid vs.)
vice versa
Visual Basic .NET
Visual Basic 6 or VB 6
Visual C++ .NET
Visual Studio .NET
VoiceXML
Volume One
VS.NET

the Web (n)
web (a)
web client
webmaster
web page
web server
web services (unless preceded by a proper noun, as in Microsoft Web Services)
web site
white pages
whitespace
wide area network or WAN
wildcard
Windows 95
Windows 98
Windows 2000
Windows NT
Windows XP
Wizard (proper noun)
wizard (a, n)
workaround
workgroup
workstation
World Wide Web (WWW)
wraparound
writable
write-only (a)
WYSIWYG

X client
X protocol
X server
X Toolkit
XView
X Window series
X Window System
x86
xFree86
XHTML
XLink
XML
XML Query Language (XQuery)
XML-RPC
XPath
XPointer
XSL
XSLT

Yahoo!

Zeroconf (short for "Zero Configuration"; see http://www.zeroconf.org/)
zeros
Zip Code