Questions tagged [technology]

Use this tag for broader questions about technology in the English language.

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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 ...
VlasovStanislav's user avatar
0 votes
4 answers
128 views

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 ...
bobovuk's user avatar
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-1 votes
2 answers
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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.
user480795's user avatar
1 vote
2 answers
144 views

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.
somo's user avatar
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1 vote
1 answer
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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 ...
Zoltan King's user avatar
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1 answer
56 views

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 ...
TAHER El Mehdi's user avatar
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0 answers
34 views

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 – ...
Mykola Tetiuk's user avatar
0 votes
2 answers
50 views

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 ...
Diezel's user avatar
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1 answer
614 views

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?
user463542's user avatar
-2 votes
1 answer
42 views

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 ...
BsAxUbx5KoQDEpCAqSffwGy554PSah's user avatar
2 votes
4 answers
67 views

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 ...
Eilia's user avatar
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1 answer
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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 ...
Levi H's user avatar
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9 votes
5 answers
539 views

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 ...
aoeu's user avatar
  • 93
1 vote
2 answers
71 views

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 ...
Bill S.'s user avatar
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2 votes
1 answer
51 views

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 ...
releseabe's user avatar
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3 votes
1 answer
82 views

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 ...
omid's user avatar
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0 votes
1 answer
93 views

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 ...
A.K. Stopper's user avatar
5 votes
1 answer
265 views

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 ...
bdsl's user avatar
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1 vote
1 answer
54 views

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 ...
user439863's user avatar
1 vote
3 answers
205 views

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 ...
Harry Jude's user avatar
0 votes
3 answers
318 views

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 ...
hb20007's user avatar
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3 votes
1 answer
217 views

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 ...
Ben Zotto's user avatar
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1 vote
2 answers
145 views

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 ...
Idos's user avatar
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2 votes
1 answer
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when and where is first occurence of word "zap"?

when and where is first occurence of word "zap" ? Online Etymology dictionnary mentions comic strip Buck Rogers but without any precise date or quotation
Jacques Notaise's user avatar
4 votes
3 answers
150 views

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 ...
Kashmir W.'s user avatar
1 vote
1 answer
112 views

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? ...
Hero's user avatar
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1 vote
1 answer
229 views

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 ...
Sam C.'s user avatar
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0 votes
1 answer
103 views

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 ...
Dominus's user avatar
  • 101
-1 votes
1 answer
91 views

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 ...
Plooftech's user avatar
3 votes
4 answers
198 views

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 ...
jkp1187's user avatar
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2 votes
5 answers
302 views

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 ...
LuminousNutria's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
82 views

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. ...
Lukas's user avatar
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1 vote
3 answers
899 views

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 ...
RE5494569's user avatar
7 votes
5 answers
3k views

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?
d-b's user avatar
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1 vote
0 answers
113 views

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 "...
jschrab's user avatar
  • 111
0 votes
1 answer
1k views

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 ...
Thong Nguyen Thanh's user avatar
1 vote
3 answers
402 views

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 "...
R Moog's user avatar
  • 127
0 votes
4 answers
269 views

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 ...
Nardog's user avatar
  • 1,553
1 vote
0 answers
133 views

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?
Jane's user avatar
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1 vote
3 answers
145 views

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 ...
Maria Sanchez's user avatar
0 votes
4 answers
202 views

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 ...
hbak's user avatar
  • 157
1 vote
1 answer
666 views

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. ...
lofidevops's user avatar
-2 votes
5 answers
136 views

One word describing a money transfer to a digital wallet

I'm wondering how to describe in one word (a noun) the act of transferring money from a lottery operator to the digital wallet of a player who won a prize. It's supposed to be the name of a wallet ...
user275415's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
712 views

"Develop against" usage and meaning [duplicate]

I've recently come across a phrase "Develop against the Sandbox and learn to use the different operators in your testing." It's not clear why the preposition against is used in this case. Can it ...
Tatiana's user avatar
2 votes
2 answers
238 views

A word to describe somebody with smartphone-only tech skills

I'm stuck finding a word to use for somebody who thinks he has tech skills because he can use the latest trendy mobile apps, though in fact he knows nothing about technology (e.g. how an app is made: ...
Francesco Marchioni's user avatar
2 votes
3 answers
129 views

What noun applies to all things transformed by human hands

As opposed to naturally occurring or unintentionally produced by human activity. It would include commodities, products, merchandise, parts, materials, etc. Specifically a thing that has any work ...
Scott Schlechtleitner's user avatar
0 votes
0 answers
314 views

meaning of fruit fly in a sentence

What is the meaning of the word fruit fly in the context of a business/technology conversation? Example: This technology is a fruit fly which is good and bad!
picolo's user avatar
  • 145
2 votes
3 answers
4k views

Word to describe an increase in technology and processes

I am trying to say the following: "The Machine Stops" is E.M. Forster’s literary attempt to call to attention to an ever-growing technicalization of society. Of course, that is not a word, but I ...
Wesley's user avatar
  • 149
1 vote
1 answer
1k views

Is it ok to say that the software version is "frozen"? Why? [closed]

I often hear phrases like code freeze, version freeze but I have never heard of frozen being used in this context.
chingis's user avatar
  • 135
3 votes
3 answers
176 views

What is a term to collectively describe the state or condition of a piece of media's "being" as it pertains to being either physical or digital?

For instance, if I have a movie on DVD, that particular movie holds a physical form, in the form of the disc. That particular movie is subject to the same physical limitations as anything else. In ...
Nathaniel's user avatar