Posted by the IT Zone lexographical team
The Plain English Campaign today sank its teeth into technology jargon, complaining that computer nerds confuse the wider population through unnecessary use of impenetrable slang.
This age-old moan has been given new force by the speed with which new technologies emerge. In particular, the Plain English Campaign fussed over some of the terminology coming from the world of handheld gadgets.
Based on calls received by the Gadget Helpline, the most confusing phrases (and their simplified meanings) included:
- Time-shift function - the pause/fast forward/rewind button
- Navi key - the big central button on many handheld gadgets
- Dongle - Portable device that plugs into your computer for wireless access, security or other purposes.
"Naturally new developments bring new language," commented Plain English Campaign spokeswoman Marie Clair. "If users of technology are to make most of what's on offer, then the gadget creators must help bring down the walls of techno-babble by using terms we can relate to."
Our sister site BusinessCloud9.com has been documenting the emergence of web-hosted on-demand software, another corner of the technology world that has spawned new linguistic twists such as "Google flip" - a Cloud computing company created for the specific purpose of being acquired by the search engine giant. Here are some other contemporary phrases spotted by our Cloud lexographers:
- Cloudbase - indestructible web hosting service for the full spectrum of business data.
- Stratosfear - unreasonable concern about launching your data into the beyond.
- NIMBUS - Not In My Bloody Useless System.
- Polishing Chrome - adding plug-ins to Google's browser.
- Precipitation interface - Where Cloud computing touches the ground. Usually ends in tears.
- Rainbow - web 2.0 development environment delivering financial wealth at the extremes of a multi-hued user interface.
- Twelves - Small, bearded characters who spend the majority of their working lives on Twitter.
- Vapour trails - Marketing campaigns for products that are never released.
What technology phrases stretch the limits of your credulity? Help us counter this creeping menace by adding your own technology buzz-phrases below using the Post a Comment button
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Cloudbase....
.....evokes boyhood memories of Captain Scarlet and the deadly but alluring Angles.
Techno-babble - that's a buzz phrase that grates with me! :-)
Mark
e-conomic
So Mr Davies, you have foiled our dastardly plot
...Cloudbase was Simon Hurst's idea and it surprises me that no one has trademarked the name for their server farm yet.
Funny how the boundary between reality and fiction is so blurry in the world of computing, isn't it?
Cheers
John Stokdyk
Technology editor
AccountingWEB.co.uk
Ubuntu - a whole new world
The arrival of a new ubuntu loaded netbook has shown me how spoilt we are by Microsft, who have made quite a lot of progress with the use of plain English in the help screens etc. and with getting the software to do most of the techie stuff for the user.
I'm quite taken by the "pirate radio/us against the world" ethos of Linux and open office and I suppose you don't get what you don't pay for, but a degree in geekspeak would be quite handy when searching for help with doing quite simple tasks.
A new one for me - Numerrhoea?
The Accrual World blog team reported yesterday on the findings of Swiss scientists about Numerrhoea a condition that cause5 y()u t() interpret letter5 f()r number5...
John Stokdyk
Technology editor
AccountingWEB.co.uk
Brandwidth
Actually misheard, but what better term to define the objective of web-based marketing?
I shall work diligently to perpetuate this concept to maximise its... brandwidth.
John Stokdyk
Technology editor
AccountingWEB.co.uk
Like it! How about Blandwidth?
...another term for techobabble :-)
Mark
e-conomic
Branwidth
for measuring data blockages?
Clown Computing ?
The comedic, yet slightly sad, attempts by some traditional desktop software providers to produce an online version.
Big shoes and squirty flower optional.
Richard
Web hosting
I like this artile so much, I tweeted it to my tweeple. Later we'll have a tweetup to discuss it. I can haz web hosting is going to a whole new level in the any-shpere! Consider yourself pwned.
And those are just a few...