The points Lyo raises are valid, but it's such a good shorthand term to
describe what users see as two nearly-identical systems that it won't die
unless there is a better alternative.
I don't know the derivation of the term, but it is very similar in structure
to "Wintel," the shorthand for those few PCs that have a fast enough Intel
chip and enough memory to be able to run Windoze.
It's hard to break these portmanteaus apart to assess which element prevails.
I had assumed that "Wexis" favored Lexis by 80%, because only the first
letter was changed to form the new term. But on further reflection, the "e"
could have come from Westlaw, so Lexis only got 60%. ["Wintel" could be
50-50 or you could see it as "intel" with an added "W".] And Lyo reacted to
position, seeing Westlaw as dominant because it comes first.
But, Elmer Fudd or not, it's a gweat term and I'm going to keep using it
until the Fat Lady sings "That's all, folks."
Greg Koster
CUNY Law School
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