Questions related to software development.
38
votes
3answers
1k views
How “macro” in computer programming came about
The prefix macro- is normally used for large things like macroeconomics and macroscopic. How did it come to be used to describe text macros in the programming world?
1
vote
1answer
56 views
Software for transcribing English phonetics
After asking this question and learning a lot of facts from comments I got there, I was wondering about the existence of software that transcribes English text into phonetics. I discovered sites such ...
1
vote
5answers
402 views
Verb meaning “to robust”
I am looking for a verb meaning "to make something more robust", especially in a software engineering context.
Is "to robust" correct and understandable? "Robustify" seems to be another candidate but ...
1
vote
2answers
58 views
Single word for undo / redo capability
I'm looking for a single word that describes an application that provides the capability to redo or undo steps. My first thoughts were something like modifiable software, which doesn't really suit my ...
-1
votes
0answers
45 views
Getting Phonetic alphabets from speaking with some software? [closed]
I want to practice pronunciation and learn how different non-English words are said in English. For example, my friend Ville -- it should be manotonous [Ville] -- is called [Vill] or [Villi] by Siri. ...
-1
votes
3answers
103 views
“.txt file” or “txt file” or “*.txt file”?
What is the correct form to address all files having the same extension? For example, files a.txt & b.txt.
I found these forms used:
.txt files
txt files
*.txt files
Context: I ...
7
votes
5answers
4k views
What connotation does “to fork one's repo” have?
In a recent news item, an employee was fired partly for making jokes about "big dongle" and "forking repos", which were alleged to be inappropriate sexual jokes. The employee admitted the dongle joke ...
13
votes
10answers
2k views
What is the correct word for “dependee”?
What is the word for something that is depended upon? The relationship here is in the context of software engineering
3
votes
1answer
68 views
“As of this patch…” , “From this patch onward…”?
I want to express that the new patch of the software I am writing enables the system to do "X".
Which of the following options are preferable:
As of this patch, the system is able to do X.
...
0
votes
1answer
252 views
English spelling and grammar exercise database [closed]
I have a little odd question, probably borderline applicable to stackoverflow...
What I am looking to do is to write a Windows program, which I will give my kids to exercise in English spelling as ...
0
votes
6answers
207 views
What is the word for something that has not yet been configured?
I am writing a user-interface for a program that configures some things. Let’s call them entries. To help the user keep track of what is left of configuration, a section such as the following is ...
3
votes
2answers
907 views
“In the menu” vs. “on the menu” (in software)
I usually see this phrase used interchangeably with the prepositions in and on. I know that their meaning isn’t the same, but I can’t think of situations where we should use one instead of another. ...
5
votes
3answers
767 views
Appropriate use of “app” vs “application”
Can app serve as an accepted abbreviation for application in formal contexts? Is there some context where app is more accepted (for example, when talking about mobile applications)?
1
vote
1answer
287 views
Space before three dots? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
What is the proper way of using triple dots and spaces before/after them?
Should there be a space before three dots?
Examples:
I don't know if this is good...
...
0
votes
0answers
134 views
Do people truly notice ellipses in computer applications? [closed]
Following a question on user experience stack exchange which discussed the ellipsis in the context of computer applications, I was asked whether there's any research indicating that users actually ...
-1
votes
1answer
111 views
Adverb of “gullible” [closed]
What is the adverb form of gullible? I tried using gullibly but it apparently isn't a word. Is it one of those adjectives that simply don't have an adequate adverb?
0
votes
1answer
132 views
Practice tool or package for stress and pronunciation [closed]
I think I'm not bad at written English. However, recently, as I started speaking English on a daily basis, I am noticing that my pronunciation, especially on where to put the stress, does not align ...
1
vote
2answers
320 views
“Reseller” or “re-seller”?
Which spelling is correct — reseller or re-seller?
I was writing a question on another Stack Exchange site, and I wrote reseller, but the editor underlined that as an incorrect spelling. Microsoft ...
3
votes
2answers
149 views
How popular are the terms “software” and “hardware” outside the computer world?
If I’m not mistaken, the terms software and hardware were ordinary English words, but they have been widely popularized by popularity of computers. How much they are common (and acceptable by native ...
15
votes
6answers
507 views
Where does the phrase “run code” or “run software” come from? Why “run”?
Historically speaking, it makes sense to me someone would say run "the computer". Early computers (not a human computer) were mechanical machines with moving parts that could achieve a velocity deemed ...
-4
votes
1answer
1k views
Is 'Grammarly' really that good? [closed]
I've been using this software for quite some time now. Not once until yesterday did I question the authenticity of its 'Grammar Check' reports.
Yesterday, I tried to test Grammarly with a piece of ...
0
votes
2answers
228 views
“Confusing modifiers” reported where none are found [closed]
I have a sentence:
Take a look at this math problem and try to so solve it.
The Grammar Checker told me: “This sentence contains Issue: Confusing modifiers.”
But where?
9
votes
8answers
1k views
Alternative term to “Blacklist” and “Whitelist”
In short, my company is developing a management tool for managing SIM cards. One of the features of the tool is to block the SIM card if it's put into a disallowed device by device IMEI validation.
...
7
votes
4answers
270 views
Should I use “software defect” or “software bug”?
The "bug" word seems to be so popular that it overshadows "defect" (in search results, in tags somewhere, even Wikipedia article is called "Software bug") despite of looking jargonesque.
Is the word ...
0
votes
1answer
350 views
“sit back and relax” vs. “kick back and relax”? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Why 'kick back' can mean 'get relaxed'?
I have seen so many times "Sit back and relax" while installing softwares. I understand that it means it will ...
2
votes
1answer
124 views
Subject of a commit message (in software engineering) [closed]
Each time I need to write a commit message for a git/svn repository, I wonder what the subject of the sentence should be, whether it should be:
the author of the commit (for example, "I added the ...
20
votes
5answers
2k views
Origin of “bug” in reference to software
What is the origin of the expression bug when used to refer to software? Wikipedia says it's from 1843 in Ada Byron's notes on the analytical engine. Another source I found was on dictionary.com:
...
1
vote
3answers
62 views
Word for code/applications that call an API library
I have an API library, what do I call code/applications that use it? I want to avoid "client" because in my context, it is ambiguous with another concept.
Also it doesn't have to be a single word, as ...
2
votes
2answers
894 views
What does “no-op” mean?
In the Remarks section of a Microsoft dbset.add page I read
Remarks: Note that entities that are already in the context in some other state will have their state set to Added. Add is a no-op if ...
4
votes
2answers
115 views
Is there a word that describes words like 'freeware', 'shareware'?
I'm looking for a word that describes the way software is released. It could be freeware, shareware, donationware, commercial, etc.
-1
votes
1answer
71 views
Language settings description [closed]
I need a short description for some language settings in an app. You can set a text field behavior to support Latin characters (read left to right), Arabic and other languages that read right to left ...
17
votes
8answers
2k views
What is a good, short, word to describe a software engineer?
What should I call a person who write software, computer programs ? I know he/she is a software engineer, can I call him/her as "Coder"?
0
votes
1answer
116 views
What's the proper synonym for purchase when used in real-estate context?
How to say
Buying Price
Purchase Price
You name it
Note, I need the 'buying' term, as opposed to Sale Price.
It's for a form where the user should fill in how much he paid for the apartment and ...
6
votes
4answers
1k views
Is “a software” really never correct? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
Why don't we use the indefinite article with 'software'?
In France I have always been told that saying "a software" is not correct English (as a nominal ...
5
votes
1answer
263 views
Who first used the term “bit rot”?
Wikipedia says:
Bit rot, also known as bit decay, data rot, or data decay, is a colloquial computing term used to describe either a gradual decay of storage media or the degradation of a software ...
4
votes
3answers
500 views
What is the origin of != in the meaning “not equal to”?
As a programmer I have always assumed that using != as meaning not equal to when writing text (usually on the internet) came from programming languages. Is this true or is the origin different?
2
votes
1answer
115 views
Is there a word that encompasses the concepts of cursor, caret, and selection? [closed]
In the context of computer software -- you can have a "cursor" for a position between two characters of text, or a "selection" for a region of text. Is there a word that means "cursor or selection"? ...
4
votes
5answers
148 views
A term for released software that is still being actively developed
I'm writing an academic paper that deals with classifying software and I'm trying to think of a term to describe software that is still being actively developed, with new versions being released ...
