13

In the footer of every Stack Exchange site, it says:

site design / logo © 2014 stack exchange inc; user contributions licensed under cc by-sa 3.0 with attribution required

I think "stack exchange" there should be capitalized, as "Stack Exchange" is a proper noun.

Improve this question
12
  • 14
    I'd prefer they use proper casing in that entire line, not just the network name.
    – animuson StaffMod
    Commented Nov 20, 2014 at 19:03
  • Trademark Guidance only covers other people using their name/logo. I suppose since it's their site they can do it however they want. It's a style thing, I guess.
    – Fish Below the Ice
    Commented Nov 20, 2014 at 19:08
  • 3
    @FishBelowtheIce Contesting the duplicate. I'm just asking about the brand name, not the entire sentence fragment.
    – Scimonster
    Commented Nov 20, 2014 at 19:10
  • Partially agree. Original form wasn't different enough, so I took the liberty to change this into a feature request before reopening it.
    – Shadow Wizard
    Commented Nov 20, 2014 at 22:07
  • @ShadowWizard Thanks.
    – Scimonster
    Commented Nov 20, 2014 at 22:14
  • Why exactly should it be capitalized? Just aesthetics?
    – user215040
    Commented Nov 20, 2014 at 22:29
  • 5
    @snailplane Because it's the brand name, and as such a proper noun.
    – Scimonster
    Commented Nov 20, 2014 at 22:30
  • 7
    This is not just pedantry. Scimonster and I (and others) are currently working on a publication (reproducing SE content) in which we'll need to recognize Stack Exchange's copyright, and it seems silly for us to print "stack exchange" when the name of the company is Stack Exchange. We can just do the logical and IMO correct thing in our publication, but why not also fix it at the source?
    – Monica Cellio
    Commented Nov 21, 2014 at 3:25
  • @ShadowWizard I did almost two hours of research on this... posted my answer below. I feel that company name should conform to what it's registered as.
    – HackerKarma
    Commented Jul 29, 2015 at 14:57
  • @MonicaCellio: Actually, SE content is governed by the CC licence, not "copyright". You need to provide attribution, not a "copyright" statement.
    – Lightness Races in Orbit
    Commented Aug 24, 2015 at 10:43
  • @LightnessRacesinOrbit actually, what we were using was the site logo, so that is SE's copyright. We also attributed the content per CC-BY-SA. Belatedly I realize that that comment wasn't clear enough; sorry about that.
    – Monica Cellio
    Commented Aug 24, 2015 at 12:39
  • @MonicaCellio: Okay :)
    – Lightness Races in Orbit
    Commented Aug 24, 2015 at 13:05

2 Answers 2

Reset to default
6

The Proper Use of the Stack Exchange Name section in the legal trademark guidance page says:

Stack Exchange Inc. is the official name of the company.

So, as per the given official name, it should be "Stack Exchange Inc." (notice the dot after Inc) and not "stack exchange inc".

Upon doing further research on the corporation (or the legal business entity) name, I found the following facts.

  • **EDGAR** (Electronic Data-Gathering, Analysis, and Retrieval):

    EDGAR system performs automated collection, validation, indexing, acceptance, and forwarding of submissions by companies and others who are required by law to file forms with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC").

    EDGAR system search says: Stack Exchange, Inc.

  • **NYS Department of State**, Division of Corporations: (for some reasons info. is printed in "CAPITAL" letters)

    The Corporation and Business Entity Database includes business and not-for-profit corporations, limited partnerships, limited liability companies and limited liability partnerships, as well as other miscellaneous businesses.

    NY DOS database search says: STACK EXCHANGE, INC.

IMO, the correct way to write a company name is to write it as the company registered its own name. So, based on the above facts, the "stack exchange inc" should be changed to "Stack Exchange, Inc." (proper noun; notice the comma and dot). But, if the company's official doc. says "Stack Exchange Inc." then let's go with that at least and not with "stack exchange inc".

I completely agree with the comments posted (under the questions above) by Monica Cellio (elected ♦ moderator) and animuson (employee ♦ moderator).

Improve this answer
1
  • 2
    Nicely done, +1
    – Shadow Wizard
    Commented Jul 29, 2015 at 19:31
5

Was just going to ask about this.

As it's stated officially to be "Stack Exchange Inc" in the legal/trademark-guidance (at the bottom), then wouldn't it be prudent to conform and have continuity?
I know it's "only a footer" but it should be right.

So the "stack exchange inc" should be "Stack Exchange Inc" as per the official name.

And, possibly while at it, change "cc by-sa" to "CC-BY-SA", because that is the correct way to write that initialism.

(There's also a rogue single space at the end of that line in the footer.)

Improve this answer
1
  • i agree if only because this fad of righting everyfing in lowahcase wit poor speling is rly fkn annoyin!!!!11
    – Lightness Races in Orbit
    Commented Aug 24, 2015 at 10:44

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .