I was wondering if anyone knew why some programming languages that I see most frequently spelled in all caps (like an acronym), are also commonly written in lower case. FORTRAN, LISP, and COBOL come to mind but I'm sure there are many more.
Perhaps there isn't any reason for this, but I'm curious to know if any of these changes are due to standards or decisions by their respective communities. Or are people just getting too lazy to hit the caps lock key? (I know I am)
I think (some) people probably don't remember that they are acronyms anymore.
Because they are acronyms for stuff but at the end of the day it doesn't matter. They're just names.
E.g.
LISP = "LISt Processing"
Whereas Java for example is just named Java - it doesn't stand for anything. It used to be called Oak because they guy who named it had an oak tree outside his office.
Wikipedia a language and you'll find your answers.
FORTRAN, LISP, and COBOL ARE acronyms:
FORTRAN: Formula Translation/Translator
LISP: LISt Processing
COBOL: COmmon Business-Oriented Language
BASIC: Beginner's All-purpose Symbolic Instruction Code
Amongst others.
Some of it has to do with the version of the language (i.e. FORTRAN 77 vs. Fortran 90). From the Fortran Wikipedia entry (emphasis mine):
The names of earlier versions of the language through FORTRAN 77 were conventionally spelled in all-caps (FORTRAN 77 was the version in which the use of lowercase letters in keywords was strictly nonstandard). The capitalization has been dropped in referring to newer versions beginning with Fortran 90. The official language standards now refer to the language as "Fortran." Because the capitalisation (or lack thereof) of the word FORTRAN was never 100% consistent in actual usage, and because many hold impassioned beliefs on the issue, this article, rather than attempt to be normative, adopts the convention of using the all-caps FORTRAN in referring to versions of FORTRAN through FORTRAN 77 and the title-caps Fortran in referring to versions of Fortran from Fortran 90 onward. This convention is reflected in the capitalization of FORTRAN in the ANSI X3.9-1966 (FORTRAN 66) and ANSI X3.9-1978 (FORTRAN 77) standards and the title caps Fortran in the ANSI X3.198-1992 (Fortran 90) standard.
When I see FORTRAN, I think fixed-spacing, punch cards, non-dynamic memory, and a bad taste in my mouth. Fortran means things like user-defined types, modules, array intrinsic functions, and isn't so bad.
To add another to the list, MATLAB is supposed to be spelled with all caps. Since it is short for "matrix laboratory", some people tend to write it as MatLab. Others just write it as Matlab or matlab, but these are all technically incorrect.
The Lisp community has switched to Lisp from LISP with the invention of lower caps keyboards shortly after mankind killed the last dinosaur.
Apparently, lot of people doesn't know why, and capitalize all short programming language names they find. A sad example is Lua, too often written LUA for no reason.
Note that some languages names have internal capitalization, due to the way they were build, and well, just because the company making them wanted them this way. For example JavaScript and PostScript, or ActionScript (do I see a pattern there?). Or you have a strange mix, like ECMAScript (yes, I see a pattern!).
The rule is that there is no rule. It's not like there is an Academy or other governing body that rules of what people get to call their programming language and how they have to spell it. Everyone makes up their own rules for their own language.
Typically, if your writing about this stuff, you either follow a house style guide or lookup the official name for it.
The reason you see so many different uses is that most people don't care or are just ignorant. I still wonder who ever told anyone to refer to a Macintosh computer as "MAC", yet that spelling is pervasive. Some people just love their shift keys, I guess.