Internet capitalization

Someone I know received a company-wide memo at their office advising workers on the proper capitalization of Internet (capital I) and Web site (two words, capital W). Indeed, Merriam-Webster shows Internet with capitalization and shows Web site as two words with capitalization.

Wikipedia lists website as one word without capitalization, with mention to spelling. Wikipedia does capitalize Internet, but also has an article about this topic. On the other hand, it has been 4.5 years since Wired magazine announced it would drop caps on internet.

The capitalization has no place for either common noun. Neither are more proper than television, radio, telephone, space, media, etc. Neither are names of people or places. One might argue the words represent places, but then so would a radio channel, television channel, telephone number, etc. The capitalization logic is that Internet refers to a specific, unique thing (which does not hold for Web site and undermines the argument by revealing the capitalization arose from onset without regard for grammar). However, there are many nouns which are specific and unique without capitalization; outer space is the most applicable (others could include air, mathematics, Earth's atmosphere, etc.).

It should only be a matter of time before a consensus to drop caps prevails. Until then feel free to refer your company to this blog post. After all, it would look funny if we begin to capitalize any old Web content found Online, like Blogs, Search engines, Social networks, and Personal homepages. There would be no End to it.