Actually slightly impedes a newcomer's understanding of what nostr is. The definite article ("the") implies a singular thing ("the apple" vs "apples") unless it's used in conjunction with a broader concept (as you note, "the nostr network").

Singular things are inherently centralized and usually assumed to be coherent (as opposed to amorphous*). Referring to nostr as a singular thing sets up the wrong mental framing right for what it is right from the start. We're taking a protocol with seemingly unbounded applications & possibilities and linguistically boxing it into a constrained conceptual space.

"But 'the internet'..."

The "NOSTR" acronym itself is describing a protocol, whereas, arguably, "the internet" describes the *outcome* of a connection protocol (an interconnected network), which is an intangible thing, but a thing nonetheless.

"the nostr" would be more akin to "the TCP/IP" or "the HTTP".

...This is all way more thought than this is worth.

tldr: "the nostr" is really dumb. And a very slightly counter-productive self-own that undermines nostr's core strength.

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*(yes, exception carve outs for "the fog", etc)