[Duo2400] off topic jargon

[mac at ozymandias.unm.edu]

Greg M <pailface88 at yahoo.com> writes:

> A bit off topic but of concern to me (read "pet pieve").
peeve? :)

> But, the word "bandwidth" seems to be more commonly (and erroneously)
> used to describe an amount of data (or storage space of data) without
> any reference to time, and nobody seems to care!

I haven't heard it in terms of storage, but I've heard it in the sense
of a lot of data transferred is "a lot of bandwith" which I've always
translated as in reference to a portion of the quantity of data
allowed per month by a service provider (or even by the physical
limitations of the connection) I could be just an optimist, though.

> Another one that bugs me is "chip". I see that nowadays the word is
> used to describe an entire memory module, not just a single chip. It is
> used synonymously with SIMM. In other words, any circuit board with RAM
> chips on it may be called a SIMM, a DIMM or a chip.

Once again, I don't hear this misused often.  I think when I have it's
been by people who just haven't been around the term long enough to
learn its connotation.  I think I hear about memory boards for Duos,
and not even SIMMS, DIMMS, SIPPS or any other acronym...  

> There are lots more missuses of terms but these two come to mind. I
> just wondered if anyone else cares or should we just allow the meanings
> to change to suit the lowest common denominator?

That's a question.  I have this special, irrational love of the
subjunctive case- the 'were' in "I wish I were..." and it's going
away.  The 'be' in "If that be..." is already gone, and well, it's
gone.  The thing is, the language is always changing.  You can resist,
but as long as communication works, it's all good.  However, I still
punch everybody I hear misusing the word 'decimate.'

--
Dana
mac at ozymandias.unm.edu