Questions tagged [technology]
Use this tag for broader questions about technology in the English language.
132 questions
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To “digitize” means to turn something into a digital format that was previously not digital. What to call changing one digital format into another?
In the context of 2000s and pre-2000s media, we often used the words "digitize" and "digitization" to refer to the act of converting media in an electronic analog format, such as a ...
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What is a word for battery "longevity"?
I do NOT mean battery "life" which is how long a battery holds charge. Battery life is usually like 12-24 hours. The word I'm seeking refers to the time you can use the battery daily until ...
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Which indefinite article should be used before a period followed by a vowel: "a(n) .ir domain"?
I am writing an email and I just realized I am a bit baffled. I do not think there is a proper convention to this, unless there is and I have not heard of it. This is in regards to registering ...
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Origin of “best-in-class”
This snippet was taken from the Stack Overflow Blog, featured 29 February, 2024
Defining socially responsible AI: How we select partners
[…] Together with Stack's strong developer community and ...
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Idiom for model organism / prototypical example / "MNIST of X"
I'm looking for idioms or phrases conveying something similar to one of the following:
a toy example on which practitioners of X usually test a new method first, as it's expected that if a method ...
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Is there a term for a button or feature that does not actually do anything, other than giving the user a sense of control?
I was wondering if there was a one-word term for this. I suppose a classic example might be the "Door Close" button on an elevator. Essentially, a working feature that apparently does ...
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What is a word that describes developing something (datasets/apps/whatever) artificially and manually in a rotational environment?
We are currently using the term circularizing (I made it up) as the technique of using artificial intelligence to check something, have devs check what artificial intelligence suggestions, which allow ...
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On the origins of the use of "key" or "clavis" to refer to the keys of an organ
I'm in the middle of some research on the origins of the word "keyboard" to refer to the thing we all type on to communicate online these days. There's a clear genealogy backwards from the ...
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Refresh vs. Update
I need some advice on the use of these two words - update and refresh.
I am currently working on the desktop app and I need to give a button a correct name.
There is a big number of objects that an ...
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4
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Is there a term for a robot-like machine that is virtually occupied and driven by a human?
The existing English language term needs to refer to a robot that can navigate environments and it incorporates a human who is present virtually inside the robot from a remote location. The human ...
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I need a word for a Noun that has only one function or use [duplicate]
Let's say that an AI was created to toast bread. That is its only function, and only use. How would I describe such a thing in one word?
For instance: Like a _____, it executed its task.
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How to describe this gadget in English? ("בית מנורה עם מתג") [closed]
How would you describe this gadget in English?
In Hebrew, I would say "בית מנורה עם מתג", that is, "a lantern house with a switch"- perhaps English has a better way to put it.
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Key binding or key bindings (tech term)
Does anyone know if the term key binding can be used for a combination of keys pressed, for example CTRL (Control) + SHIFT + m? Or should I use key bindings (plural) because there are three keys ...
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what it is the opposite of comment?
In programming commenting: To disable a section of source code by converting it into a comment. If you do not want to run this line of code, just comment it out!
But my question what is the opposite ...
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Punctuation in a bulleted list, title and description
I'm making documention for a piece of software and I need to write multiple lists, namely menus and functions of the software.
Currently items are formatted this way:
• File
◦ New – ...
- 101
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What did this person mean by this confusing remark?
This confuses me massively, and I'm unable to ask him through a comment:
if the TV is unplugged, there's no power. A capacitor isn't going to hurt you through a stream of water, and that's only for ...
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What do you call a person who is resistant to new technology [duplicate]
Does a word exist that describes someone who is either
a) resistant to,
b) afraid of,
or
c) refuses to learn
new technology?
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Blogosphere: what is it?
Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary & Thesaurus :
all the blogs (= records of personal thoughts and opinions) on the
internet, and the people who write or read them
Cambridge Business ...
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4
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Term for introducing a new work/idea that is different in some aspects relative to previous ones
How to introduce a work, e.g. a publication or report, in a field in which there are many similar works but the new one considered the topic from another perspective that is not common among previous ...
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What's the etymology for the term "resilvering" as used in computer file systems like hardware RAID, btrfs, ZFS, etc?
Hardware systems like traditional RAID, or modern software systems like ZFS, btrfs, etc. are used for redundancy (and performance) of the storage of data. Whenever a drive dies in one of these ...
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Accessible as in web accessibility
In web development the term accessibility is used when working with features such as screen readers. When talking about accessibility the wording sometimes makes it unclear whether one is referring to ...
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Word for vintage entity with modern technology
What word describes retro sounds/images incorporated into our modern technology?
For example, the sound of a phone ringing with an incoming call, or the click of a shutter when we take a photo with ...
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Using the term "operating system" to describe a gun mechanism -- influenced by computers or other way around?
Saw two separate videos on Youtube where they go into the details of how a given model of firearm works -- I think they use the term "operating system" to describe things like how ammunition ...
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English word for data files that have duration
Do we have any English word for data files that have duration?
More specifically I'm looking for a word to distinguish data files like sounds or videos (that have a duration) from data files like ...
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424
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What are the origins of "tech" as an abbreviation for "technology?
I'm trying to trace the origins and rise in popularity of the abbreviation "tech" from "technology." From what I can tell, the term began taking off in popular culture around the ...
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Why does "the blockchain" have a definite article?
I have noticed that the technology word blockchain often seems to be used with the definite article the even in contexts where there is no specific blockchain being referenced, where with other nouns ...
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Correct and technical terminology for the process of converting a traditional procedure to a more modern and systematic one
The title is pretty self-explanitory,
what would be the correct and technical term to use for the process of "converting an old and traditional procedure of doing something (usually related to ...
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264
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What Do You Call a Store that Sells Obsolete Equipment?
I think of the sort of place you could buy a power cord for a flip-phone ... and the word that comes to mind is 'radio shack'; not because of the company "Radio Shack"--which sells the same ...
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516
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Collective term for nontechnical staff at a company?
I am looking for a term which would refer to all of the nontechnical staff at a technical company.
For example, if it is a software firm, the term would refer to, say, all HR, education, travel and ...
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What is the origin of "set" (noun) as used in "television set"? Tubes?
The colloquial (and mostly archaic) term "television set" invokes a narrow use of set (noun). Merriam-Webster defines this as:
(22) an apparatus of electronic components assembled so as to ...
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What would you call an organization to which a certificate is issued?
Let’s say I am writing some code that inspects the SSL Certificate issued to some website. There is the issuer which can be, for example, Verisign. What would you call the organization to which the ...
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when and where is first occurrence of word "zap"?
When and where is first occurrence of word zap?
The Online Etymology Dictionary mentions the comic strip Buck Rogers, but without any precise date or quotation.
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Is there a word to describe the situation when a system that you created yourself surprises the author?
I just thought that there would be a bunch of errors logged in my system, because it seemed as if two files with the same path and filename were being saved at the same time, conflicting with each ...
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Is “horizontal slits” an acceptable description?
Sometimes on tv or while seeing an old video, there are slits on the screen, interrupting the video. It is like static. Is it okay to say “horizontal slits on screen” to describe this type of error? ...
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Is "compute" sometimes used as a noun, to mean "computational power"?
I have seen compute being used in this way before, as in "We have much more compute today than in the 1960s." Is this commonly accepted? If so, is stress placed on the second syllable as in the verb ...
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A word describing the fact that a technology has become commonplace [closed]
I'm looking for this word which is often associated with a technology going from specialist only, to being available for everyone. For instance, this word could be used to describe computers, the ...
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Was there ever a time where 'enclosure' was used as an alternative to 'attachments' of an e-mail?
In a recent interview, Bill Gates used the word 'enclosure' instead of 'attachment' while referring to e-mail attachments. Both of those words have been used interchangeably when referring to ...
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Do people still use the word "program" as a noun?
Liberal Arts kind of guy who wormed his way into Information Technology here.
Part of my job involves explaining technology to people who have little technical aptitude at all, so I look for ways to ...
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What is a term for "modern" technology that doesn't imply up-to-date?
I am working on a game where the player is one of very very few people who own spaceships capable of jumping between planetary systems. Different planets have vastly different technology, but roughly ...
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What is an overview page of a newspaper (online) called
I am actually working at a German newspaper as a programmer, so this question might sound embarrassing or silly to you. Still we have a dispute on how to name the "overview" pages on our website.
...
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How to pronounce August Dvorak's last name in English?
I've recently come across the existence of the Dvorak Simplified Keyboard created by professor August Dvorak. And I've been looking for solid sources on how to pronounce the man's name and I can't ...
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How old is the word "upskirting"?
In the comments section of this question the subject derailed slightly: is the word upskirting dependent on today's technology or is it older?
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Is the term "carriage return" outdated in a (near) post-typewriter world?
When we say "Return key" or "Enter key", either are clear in meaning to those with even very light keyboarding experience. But "Return" is a diminutive of "Carriage Return". Fully saying/writing "...
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What does "years off" mean? [closed]
What does "years off" mean in a technological background? For example, I have encountered a sentence:
"Scientists had thought that the technology was years off."
I don't quite get what the ...
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3
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Why do some people misspell "kernel" with an "a"?
Sometimes when working with servers, one may encounter a problem with the kernel. I have noticed many times when participating in support groups on IRC, that some people type "kernal" instead of "...
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Term for an image that briefly appears on computer screen
What do you call an image, usually fragmented, that appears on a computer screen for a split second, such as when a webpage is loading or an app is launching? I know the term exists, but can't ...
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Which verb to use with noun “action”?
In technical manual how would you write: “to run the default action press the button” or to launch the default action? Or to activate? Or something else?
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What does “boots” mean in this context about making technological improvement and making work easier?
I encountered this usage:
We can do massive training closer to the operator on a smartphone, using their own device, right now, we’re doing tests in plants, so people have boots and computers and ...
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Alternative words for "Decoding"
I'm trying to pitch something about my project. While training on this pitch I got comments telling me that the word "decode" is not appropriate and it's a "blunt" for such type of pitching and for ...
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What do you call a collection of coordinated servers?
A "network" is any collection of server machines that are physically connected and/or can see each other.
Now consider some subset of those servers that are configured to coordinate with each other. ...
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