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▲ klausa 2 days ago

"Public company" is a very specific thing; the BVG is state owned, but very much not a public company.

▲lotsofpulp 2 days ago | parent [-]

In the US, “public” can be short for a private business with publicly listed shares on a stock exchange anyone can buy, or public can mean an organization owned and operated by the government.

▲overfeed a day ago | parent | next [-]

> public can mean an organization owned and operated by the government.

Would you consider In-Q-Tel - wholly owned by the CIA - to be a public venture* through ownership by a government agency, or a private one, because the public has no opportunity of ownership or control? I'm convinced it's the latter.

* Let's ignore it's non-profit status. Any CIA shell-/front-company is an even better example

▲klausa 2 days ago | parent | prev [-]

Perhaps the fact that we’re having this discussion on HN shows the kind of media I’m likely to consume, but I’ve never seen it used in the latter sense. TIL, I guess!