Am 1998-07-17 um 8:44 h hat Berthold Frommann geschrieben:
> As to "sharp s" vs. "ss" in the spelling reform: The new rule is ...
> ... "sharp s" after long vowels and diphtongs,   (e.g.   "Fu/sharp s/",
> "hei/sharp s/")
> ... "ss (lowercase)" after short vowels          (e.g.   "Fluss)

It is a common myth that this rule be new; actually this is also the current
rule, which becomes apparent in the inflection forms "Fußes" vs. "Flusses"
(genitive case), or "Füße" vs. "Flüsse" (plural number). New is only that
an additional rule (viz. final "ss" to be replaced with "ß") has been dropped.

Incidentally, the "new" ss/ß scheme was one (Heyse, 1829) of three schemes
in use before the current spelling rules were adopted, in 1901, cf.
<http://www.ids-mannheim.de/reform/bvg5-98.doc> (search for "Beispiel:
s-Schreibung").

Best wishes,
   Otto Stolz