A very simple question that may just end up being a matter of opinion, more than a rule. But I'd like to know your thoughts on it just the same.

It's the simple matter of how to spell "ok". Hehehe!

When you're reading a story, and someone says, "I'll meet you later"...and the other character answers with, "Ok!" Exactly what do you think is the right way to actually put that in text form?

Is it "ok", "OK" (Caps only), "O.K.", or "okay"?

I'm sure it doesn't REALLY matter in the overall scheme of things, but if there's a right way to do it...or if you see one that's the definite WRONG way to do it...let us know!

Personally, I prefer "okay" but I think I'm in the minority. "O.K." is just wrong, because it's not an abbreviation (at least, not that I know of). "OK" makes me think of Oklahoma. I also have issues with "Ok" because it looks funny.

I'd be curious to find out where the saying derived from... anyone know?

I believe either OK or okay are acceptable, and my personal preference is okay. As long as the author is consistent about which one of the two they use, they should be fine. They shouldn't mix them, except in special circumstances (like having the characters discuss which one is correct )

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Okay for more information.

As far as I am informed, 'okay' is the most widely known word around the world, followed by 'Coca Cola'.

- Orsino

Thanks, Orsino! It was an abbreviation!

My personal preference is very much for "okay" because that's the word while "OK" is an abbreviation.

There are, of course, as Graeme, mentioned, special circumstances. For example, if the characters are discussing a famous gunfight in Tombstone, Arizona, it would not do to have them say "The Okay Corral".

Sorry to zeta-edit your post, my friend, but in this particular occurrence, the spelling is O.K.
Check out for yourself. And only in Kansas could they think of such a name for a city; though maybe they were forecasting the advent of a notorious goat author of the cliffhanger kind. With a very high death count in the history of fiction, not like a mere legendary pistol duel could actually fit the (wild) bill (hickock).

You are of course quite right on the spelling, it is the O.K. Corral. (Bondwriter is my Zeta-reader extraordinaire!)

However, Tombstone is definitely in Arizona. I've been there many times. Ed Schifelin gave it its name, and unfortunately it's rather touristy today, but there's still a lot of interesting history, especially in the surrounding area.

Hrmmm, speaking of which, I wonder of the O.K. Corral has anything to do with the etymology of the word "Okay". Oops, no.... a quick check says not because the term was in common usage before the famous gunfight, so that idea is out. LoL.

As far as I can tell, there is a general acceptance that the word derives from an acronym or abbreviation, but it is not clear of what. As such OK is legitimate. It is also the form most commonly used in computers (the ubiquitous OK button, for example), but in most writings it appears to be okay. It isn't universal, though. As long as an author is consistent, they can use whichever one they prefer. O.K., however, does not appear to be legitimate spelling for the word.

My personal preference is okay, because I see that a lot more when I'm reading. Also, while it may have an acronym or abbreviation in the past, it is now almost universally treated as a word, in which case I think it should be spelt as a word, not an acronym.