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Correct LITEfile capitalization #332
Description
As we initially conceived it, the name LITEfile was meant to be a "clever" combination of lite file and LIT e-file to reflect its purpose as well as its origins in the LIT Lab. (See discussion in Teams.)
However, the capitalization in the app, docs, and title of this repo is primarily LITEFile, which doesn't do quite the same thing because LITE doesn't stand out on its own. I have always spelled it LITEfile in our public communications (e.g., ALUpdates on the LIT Blog).
Style guides differ:
- LITE E-file is preferred by the Chicago Manual of Style and the Associated Press (we've stated an intention to follow the Chicago Manual of Style, FWIW)
- LITE E-File is preferred by the APA and MLA style guides
I think we should decide on the canonical capitalization (I'm a strong proponent of LITEfile), and change it before launch if necessary, with a change to the repo name and a find-and-replace throughout the repo.
Activity
nonprofittechy commentedon Oct 13, 2026
I hadn't even considered spelling it as
LITEfilewith lowercase "file", but I'm open to it. It's not a major shift fromLITEFile, which I thought was the canonical capitalization and spelling. I do know we considered and discarded my early version,LITeFile, and I'm fine with that - it seems nobody wants to go back to that one.I do not personally like
LITE E-file- it doesn't come across as a compelling brand to me withLITEon its own not meaning anything, and I think style guides don't really matter for brand names.nonprofittechy commentedon Oct 13, 2026
I went back to the thread and it looks like everyone but me saw it as "LITEfile", with a lowercase
f. I don't know why that looks a little weird to me and my eyes just glossed over it. I'm fine with that since people explicitly picked that capitalization.samglover commentedon Oct 13, 2026
I feel strongly that we pick one and stick with it from launch, but I don't feel super strong about LITEfile v. LITEFile.
(I don't think LITE E-file will be used anywhere, FWIW; I was just highlighting the style guide preferences as a possible way of deciding whether or not the F should be capitalized—but I neglected to capitalize the F in my APA/MLA bullet point. Oops!)
nonprofittechy commentedon Oct 13, 2026
I also don't have a strong feeling. Everyone else approved the
LITEfilecapitalization, so that's what we should use I think.