i.e./e.g. - which one?

[Nile]

i.e. - in other words, e.g. - for example

A quick little tip

[traq]

i.e. - id est, "that is (to say)"

e.g. - exempli gratia, "for example"

[Nile]

Correct.
http://theoatmeal.com/comics/ie

[Beverleyh]

"that" and "which" are another 2 word-uses that cause confusion - take the examples below;

1 - The chocolates, which have pink centres, taste of strawberries.
2 - The chocolates that have pink centres taste of strawberries.

The first example implies that ALL the chocolates have pink centres and taste of strawberries while the second one is selective and tells us that only the chocolates with pink centres taste of strawberries.

You can safely remove the which-clause from the first example without changing the meaning of the whole sentence but you can't do the same with a that-clause.

So, as a general rule, if the information is extra/unimportant, can be surrounded in commas or brackets or can be removed altogether without changing the meaning of a sentence, use "which", and if the information is important to the meaning of the sentence, use "that".

[jscheuer1]

• i.e. - More commonly IE, the Microsoft Internet Explorer browser.
  
  
• e.g. - More commonly EG, a browser for some mobile devices.

Given that, in a forum such as this, I would think it best to avoid both terms except in their more common forms as relates to their respective browsers. As for their usage in general, the Oatmeal link is great! My mom (having been an English Teacher) was big into stuff like that, but more so than your average. Her colleagues would often go to her to resolve disputes.

Back to browser abbreviations - For Firefox, many folks still use FF, the proper one is Fx. I think that's with a lower case x. Anyways, rather than worry if someone might misunderstand and/or take offense, I always just spell it out.

[Nile]

• i.e. - More commonly IE, the Microsoft Internet Explorer browser.
  
  
• e.g. - More commonly EG, a browser for some mobile devices.

lol

[molendijk]

"that" and "which" are another 2 word-uses that cause confusion - take the examples below;

1 - The chocolates, which have pink centres, taste of strawberries.
2 - The chocolates that have pink centres taste of strawberries.

The first example implies that ALL the chocolates have pink centres and taste of strawberries while the second one is selective and tells us that only the chocolates with pink centres taste of strawberries.

So, as a general rule, if the information is extra/unimportant, can be surrounded in commas or brackets or can be removed altogether without changing the meaning of a sentence, use "which", and if the information is important to the meaning of the sentence, use "that".

It's not merely a question of ímportant' vs 'accessory', but of 'adding info to a set' vs 'resticting a set'.

Javascript-like:
First sentence:
if(chocolate(x)){taste_of_strawberry(x)};
if(chocolate(x)){have_pink_center(x)};

Second sentence:
if(chocolate(x) && have_pink_center(x)){taste_of_strawberry(x)}
===
Arie.

[traq]

if(chocolate(x)){taste_of_strawberry(x)};
if(chocolate(x)){have_pink_center(x)};
[...]
if(chocolate(x) && have_pink_center(x)){taste_of_strawberry(x)}

now we're getting somewhere!