Filing System

[albaqwerty]

was on a web-site looking for tv series called The Outpost.

My first impulse was to look under 'O'. I was wrong, it was under 'T', part of me understands the reasoning but the rest of me shuddered at the nonsense of it.

Anyone else shudder at similar? (I would say stupidity but maybe I'm missing something about the way English is taught these days)

[SparklyKid]

If the series is titled "The Outpost" it would be listed under "T"

[andy-hughes]

No - if the title starts with a 'T' - and it does, then that is where I would look.

[Sqad]

LOL....I agree with you alba, I would look under "O."

If one was looking for "the Naval Ranks in the R.A.F"........would one look under "T?"

[aelmpvw]

i get referred to the tv series if i type outpost? (chrome win 10)

[douglas9401]

A big change in listing was brought about by the release of the first album by The The.

[aelmpvw]

:-)

[THECORBYLOON]

I can't see a connexion between the way English is taught and filing methods. Different styles are used for filing and as long as it is consistent, I cannot see a problem.

I looked at the BBC's A-Z of programmes and titles starting with "The" are listed twice, once under "The" and again under the second word.

[THECORBYLOON]

ALBA, how would you file surnames starting with "Mc" or "Mac"? Are they the same? Do they all come before the rest of the M's?

What if the "Mac" is separate as in "Mac Aonghusa"?

[albaqwerty]

ooh, now, Mc's and Mac's each had their own section :D

oh, Douglas, very good!!! x

I guess I'm just harking back to the days when metal filing cabinets and space was limited.

[THECORBYLOON]

Some places would have McArthur and MacArthur filed together but I would file them separately. The main thing is that everyone using the system needs to know the method to use.

[Mamyalynne]

In a list 'Mac' before 'Mc' then alphabetically from the following letter.

[THECORBYLOON]

I'm still wondering what the connexion is with the way English is taught.

[anneasquith]

Why is the outpost under T ?

[Old_Geezer]

Because it starts with a "T"

[albaqwerty]

maybe not so much as English is taught TCL - I think I should have put Secretarial school or similar :-)

I have a very vague recollection of being told to ignore the 'A' 'An' 'The' when filing.
Then again, we were still using Dictaphones and telex machines :-D

[gingejbee]

sqad..."the Naval Ranks in the R.A.F." isn't a title of anything.
anne...it isn't "the outpost", it's "The Outpost"....big difference.

[Canary42]

I knew a boss who got most annoyed because his new secretary filed all his files under F (for File).

[jno]

I just found an old Radio Times film and video guide at the back of a shelf... thousands of films, all listed alphabetically. In each case where the title begins with The, it's ignored for the purposes of filing. The same with foreign equivalents (Les Miserables is under M), and with titles beginning A. So I agree with you.

However, films like Dr Crippena nd Dr Strangelove come after Downturn.

But I notice that if I sort documents on my computer, everything is strictly alphabetical, with all "The"s under T. So maybe the website's computer is doing that.

[douglas9401]

Now there's something I've never done, used a Dictaphone.

If only I'd known all those years ago I could have saved a lot of time looking for a payphone or indeed a call box.

[Old_Geezer]

I recall asking a colleague in our office if I could use his Dictaphone.

"No ! Use your finger like everyone else", he retorted