On 12/16/2012 4:04 PM, Stephen Berman wrote:
> On Sun, 16 Dec 2012 14:26:11 -0800 "Drew Adams" <drew.adams@oracle.com> wrote:
> 
>> Mouthing "win32" is hardly "referring to [MS] Windows as a win."
> [...]
>> This "win32" thing is now nothing more than counting angels on pinheads.  It
>> makes as much sense as claiming that using the character `w' in an abbreviation
>> is tantamount to pledging allegiance to Bill Gates.  Or the devil.  Burn the
>> witch!  Burn the `w' books!
> 
> I think it's not entirely implausible to regard "win32" as implicitly
> conveying the positive connotations of "win".  On the one hand, it's not
> the shortest abbrevation of (some variant of) "the 32 bit Microsoft
> Windows platform"; that would be "w32", which is fairly common, but
> AFAIK used at microsoft.com only with reference to externally named
> viruses and worms.  The next shortest abbrevation "wi32" is quite rare,
> as is the next longer one "wind32" (judging by cursory websearches);

We can explain the dominance of "win32" phonetically, without reference to
semantics. First, say "w32" out loud. Note that it's pronounced "dub-a-you
thirty-two". Can we agree that it's a cumbersome word? Now try "wi32" and
"wind32" --- you'll notice that both involve moving the tongue from the palette
to the teeth in order to begin the "thir" in "thirty". They're easier to
pronounce than "w32", but still pretty unpleasant.

Now try "win32". The word is a joy to speak: at the end of the "n", the tongue
is in exactly the right position to begin pronouncing "thir". "Win32" just flows
naturally. I'm not surprised that "win32" is the dominant term. "Win64" is just
as easily to say.

(Also, note that you have to specifically enunciate to distinguish "wind32" from
"win32": the latter seems to happen by default.)