SOT - interesting article!

users
#1

http://www.computerweekly.com/blogs/public-sector/2014/09/microsoft-gets-flack-over-rubb-8.html

#2

What a pity they cannot spell "flak" - even in a headline!

Brian Barker

#3

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/flak

Both are correct.

#4

No: sorry, but that's silly, of course. A dictionary's purpose is to help readers understand what they find - correct or incorrect. So any dictionary worth its salt will indeed list common wrong versions as well as correct ones. They are descriptive and don't provide any imprimatur. As someone memorably said, "_Fliegerabwehrkanone_ has nineteen letters, none of which is a C"!

Brian Barker

#5

No, a dictionary is typically said to be descriptive rather than
prescriptive. But it doesn't say something is acceptable when it is
not.

For example, at the same site, try
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Priviledge
it redirects you to the correct spelling and has nothing about
spelling with a 'd' being acceptable (because it isn't).

Merriam-Webster also says 'flack' is an alternative spelling for 'flak'.
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flack

Different dictionaries use different labelling, but will generally
distinguish between equally valid (e.g. theatre/theater); acceptable,
but as a second, less-desirable choice (which is what I believe
flak/flack is), and non-standard or substandard (e.g. irregardless). A
web site will try to anticipate misspelt words (Google's search is
very good at that, and that is what thefreedictionary.com is doing
with 'priviledge'), but that isn't the same thing.

#6

I suppose that it depends on how you read it. "flak" is the stuff you use to shoot down a plane and "flack" has some meaning related to publicity. I could infer either as being correct. I might consider it flak because I think that it paints MS in a bad light, but, it might be Flack simply because they are receiving publicity (although bad) about it.

Interesting observation Mr. Barker.