Why "alternate"and not "alternative" CD?

[Liam Proven]

On 10 February 2012 15:51, Colin Law <clanlaw at googlemail.com> wrote:
> On 9 February 2012 23:26, AV3 <arvimide at earthlink.net> wrote:
>> On Feb/9/2012 12:1405 PM, Ioannis Vranos wrote:
>>>
>>> With English not being my native language, I think the proper term for
>>> "alternate CD" is "alternative CD". Why "alternate" is used instead?
>>
>> There is little nuance of difference between the two expressions in this
>> case. 'Alternative' is an adjective and you understand its meaning
>> correctly, Here 'alternate' is a noun;
>
> I did not want to comment on this thread as it is definitely OT and
> should be on bikeshed, but I have to say that alternate in this case
> is definitely an adjective not a noun.  I don't see how alternate can
> ever be a noun, one cannot have "an alternate", only "an alternate
> something".

It started vaguely on-topic although it's drifting.

"Alternate" can be a noun, yes.

"Alternative" means that there is a set of mutually-exclusive options:
e.g. months with an R in their name. Some do, some don't; if you pick
one set, whichever it is, then you have an alternative - the other
set.

"Alternate" implies sequence. Day and night alternate: one is not the
"alternative" of the other, it is the alternate of the other.

The default CD image for Ubuntu is the desktop LiveCD. However, there
is a second option, which is usually less desirable as it requires a
little more technical expertise and can do less. It is the alternate.

Both are alternatives of one another, *but* there is a clear first or
primary option, which is what's best for most people, and an
alternate.

The /alternative/ to Ubuntu is Fedora or something. :¬)

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