Here's my list:
http://blogs.techrepublic.com.com/hiner/?p=591
Do you agree that these are the hottest acronyms in IT right now? If not, what other acronyms do you think should be on the list?
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While we cannot do away with acronyms, the proliferation of such needs to be curtailed. Coin acronyms where it is necessary. After all why to coin and use a term which confuses the different stake holders in a project. What has to be communicated and comprehensively understood by the stake holders is lost.
Subramanian
Subramanian
Why can't we do away with acronyms? They are a pain in the butt, often misunderstood and totally confusing for the majority of IT people and users alike. What are their purpose? To cut down on the amount of typing we do?
There is already a campaign for plain English to be used whereever possible and the IT industry should join!
There is already a campaign for plain English to be used whereever possible and the IT industry should join!
is to distinguish a class of people. If one knows the secret code, one is accepted in the group. All professions have their own secret code which is used to establish one's position in the group, especially when an acronym has several meanings.
There ain't no plain English! I woke up in Sydney one morning with a pounding headache, went to the corner and asked the cop where the nearest drug store was. Met many interesting people that morning who had no sense of humor. Also found out that what I wanted was called a chemist's. Same English language, but it damn sure wasn't plain
There ain't no plain English! I woke up in Sydney one morning with a pounding headache, went to the corner and asked the cop where the nearest drug store was. Met many interesting people that morning who had no sense of humor. Also found out that what I wanted was called a chemist's. Same English language, but it damn sure wasn't plain
burntfinger1 hits on two critical truths in his post. The first is that all professions create their own language, for whatever social or practical reasons. The practice was adopted in the military (who had large logistial problems long before IT culture evolved), for practical reasons to streamline communication and, yes, save writing (think swift horse and later telegraph).
The second point is more profound: how seldom users in need can clearly communicate what they need; You did not clearly state the problem: Instead, you proposed a specific solution, and being unfamilar with the solution domain, you selected an inappropriate solution. Had you asked "where could I get a couple asprin for an aching head" your day would have been less interesting and your headache likely lessened rather than added to.
How many times has that happened to you on IT projects? A user, customer or client comes to you with a solution in mind, and this mindset leads to a great many additional headaches for both IT and users!
The second point is more profound: how seldom users in need can clearly communicate what they need; You did not clearly state the problem: Instead, you proposed a specific solution, and being unfamilar with the solution domain, you selected an inappropriate solution. Had you asked "where could I get a couple asprin for an aching head" your day would have been less interesting and your headache likely lessened rather than added to.
How many times has that happened to you on IT projects? A user, customer or client comes to you with a solution in mind, and this mindset leads to a great many additional headaches for both IT and users!
The occurrence of the wrong request (route vs end) is a major factor in so many errors in life.
That is why we use aspirin to "cure" a cold. We want the headache to go away, rather than remove the reason for it.
When a user asks for Excel the response should be, "What do you want to use it for?". This the same answer that is needed for "What computer should I buy?". In both cases the response should be to the need, not the request.
That is why we use aspirin to "cure" a cold. We want the headache to go away, rather than remove the reason for it.
When a user asks for Excel the response should be, "What do you want to use it for?". This the same answer that is needed for "What computer should I buy?". In both cases the response should be to the need, not the request.
...and I love acronyms! It reminds me of when I was in the army and I had to drive the LT to meet the CO at the TOC in my HMMWV while packing my M-9! GO ARMY!!
Don't forget your ROE when encounterning CIs and then write up your AAR after the CA. Dont wander to far from your AO lest you be WIA or worse KIA.. then you will RIP.
Follow your ARs!
Fom a Veteran of 7th SFG(A) ODA-753 MTT
Follow your ARs!
Fom a Veteran of 7th SFG(A) ODA-753 MTT
...not your POV [Personally Owned Vehicle].
(POV = the first acronym I thought of, means two things to me.)
I loved learning everyone's acronyms when I wrote B2B ads [Business-to-Business] for decades. Like BOPD (bbls Oil Per Day) in the oil patch (that's slang, & "bbls" is an abbreviation for barrels).
Wrote a demo film for the first helo (Gazelle/Aerospatiale then, Eurocopter now) to get single-pilot IFR [Instrument Flying Rules] certified in the 70s.
To change gears, a movie script of Sluggo's story of the trip could read:
In the Humvee, driving, grunt's POV [Point Of View] out the windshield. He stops abruptly at the TOC. Cut to MCU [Medium Close Up] of grunt, he smacks his palms on the steering wheel, excitedly.
SLUGGO: (nods head toward building)
We're there, sir.
(SFX, explosion far off)
Cut to Lt OC [On Camera]
SHAVETAIL: In time. Good work.
======================================
Uh, Sluggo, if you picked up the LT at the BOQ, is he old enough to date me? I'm really old. And not ex-Army. Ima LOL [Little Old Lady] who grew up AF brat in a big Army town.
Also, what does the acronym "GO ARMY" mean?
(POV = the first acronym I thought of, means two things to me.)
I loved learning everyone's acronyms when I wrote B2B ads [Business-to-Business] for decades. Like BOPD (bbls Oil Per Day) in the oil patch (that's slang, & "bbls" is an abbreviation for barrels).
Wrote a demo film for the first helo (Gazelle/Aerospatiale then, Eurocopter now) to get single-pilot IFR [Instrument Flying Rules] certified in the 70s.
To change gears, a movie script of Sluggo's story of the trip could read:
In the Humvee, driving, grunt's POV [Point Of View] out the windshield. He stops abruptly at the TOC. Cut to MCU [Medium Close Up] of grunt, he smacks his palms on the steering wheel, excitedly.
SLUGGO: (nods head toward building)
We're there, sir.
(SFX, explosion far off)
Cut to Lt OC [On Camera]
SHAVETAIL: In time. Good work.
======================================
Uh, Sluggo, if you picked up the LT at the BOQ, is he old enough to date me? I'm really old. And not ex-Army. Ima LOL [Little Old Lady] who grew up AF brat in a big Army town.
Also, what does the acronym "GO ARMY" mean?
In any scientific or technical field technical terms will always be needed to accurately describe the issue. Acronyms are another matter and often are used to confuse rather than enlighten - I am in agreement with your first point, but short of carrying a synonym dictionary there is easy answer to your second issue - chemist or pharmacy but never drug store in Oz.
That reminded me of another occurrence of language misinterpretation. It's a little OT [off topic] but hey.
A girl was visiting Australia from the US and was taking in a favourite Aussie past time of going to the footy. As she was walking into the stadium she was receiving whoops from the people around her and she was a little confused why. It was then someone noticed what was written on the back of her jeans. "I root for the home team". Now in Australia that has an entirely different meaning. Needless to say she wore a jumper [sweater] tied around her waist for the rest of the outing.
A girl was visiting Australia from the US and was taking in a favourite Aussie past time of going to the footy. As she was walking into the stadium she was receiving whoops from the people around her and she was a little confused why. It was then someone noticed what was written on the back of her jeans. "I root for the home team". Now in Australia that has an entirely different meaning. Needless to say she wore a jumper [sweater] tied around her waist for the rest of the outing.
Why can't we do away with acronyms? They are a pain in the butt, often misunderstood and totally confusing for the majority of 'IT' ..
There is already a campaign for plain English to be used whereever possible and the 'IT' ..
-------------------------------------------
Les.
There is already a campaign for plain English to be used whereever possible and the 'IT' ..
-------------------------------------------
Les.
This is the part of IT that a true "nuts and bolts" IT pro hates. These are acronyms that mean essentially nothing. There's no meat to this gibberish and any IT person in the trenches can do without them. It is purely for the upper management snobs.
I couldn't agree more. Those sound to me like
Administrators trying to feel "Computer geeks" without
having a clue what is behind their screen...
Administrators trying to feel "Computer geeks" without
having a clue what is behind their screen...
IT is the only profession that calls those who don't know anything about computers as computer illiterates.
I don't hear medical professionals calling their patients medically illiterate.
I don't hear medical professionals calling their patients medically illiterate.
I'd guess 90% of admin/end user animosity is directly attributable to Windows being total cr@p.
While I agree that IT people can be remarkably arrogant and often intentionally use confusing jargon to baffle the layman I have to say that the arrogance in the IT profession does not even approach the level that exists in the medical profession.
My rule of thumb is that if you cannot explain it, whatever it is, so that an average person will at least understand the basic concept of it you really don't understand it yourself.
Quite often IT professionals don't entirely understand what they are dealing with. (Yes, we all know it's true.) Of course, everyone wants to appear to be in complete control of a situation they are expected to handle. This results in the well known, 'If you can't astound 'em with brilliance, baffle 'em with ' approach.
Sadly, the IT field is so complex and rapidly changing that no one person can even approach 100% understanding of even one field. It would be a good thing if management and other end users understood this as viscerally as we all do.
If we were all more open to admitting when we don't know the solution to a problem instantly it would greatly increase our credibility with end users. It has always worked for me when I was dealing with anyone who wasn't a declared Enemy of Truth.
My rule of thumb is that if you cannot explain it, whatever it is, so that an average person will at least understand the basic concept of it you really don't understand it yourself.
Quite often IT professionals don't entirely understand what they are dealing with. (Yes, we all know it's true.) Of course, everyone wants to appear to be in complete control of a situation they are expected to handle. This results in the well known, 'If you can't astound 'em with brilliance, baffle 'em with ' approach.
Sadly, the IT field is so complex and rapidly changing that no one person can even approach 100% understanding of even one field. It would be a good thing if management and other end users understood this as viscerally as we all do.
If we were all more open to admitting when we don't know the solution to a problem instantly it would greatly increase our credibility with end users. It has always worked for me when I was dealing with anyone who wasn't a declared Enemy of Truth.
Talk about adding confusion. Technology has complex terms that rely on acronyms to make them easy to say. Try the following without the acronyms:
"Can you please hand me that PCMCIA card? I need it to connect to the wifi network here. Oh and do you remember the WEP key? And did you know that we just setup that iSCSI SAN box the other day? It works very well for managing our data using ILM."
That conversation would take a lot longer:
"Can you please hand me that Personal Computer Memory Card International Association card? I need it to connect to the wireless fidelity network here. Oh and do you remember the wireless encryption protocol key? And did you know that we just setup that internet small computer system interface storage area network box the other day? It works very well for managing our data using information lifecycle management."
"Can you please hand me that PCMCIA card? I need it to connect to the wifi network here. Oh and do you remember the WEP key? And did you know that we just setup that iSCSI SAN box the other day? It works very well for managing our data using ILM."
That conversation would take a lot longer:
"Can you please hand me that Personal Computer Memory Card International Association card? I need it to connect to the wireless fidelity network here. Oh and do you remember the wireless encryption protocol key? And did you know that we just setup that internet small computer system interface storage area network box the other day? It works very well for managing our data using information lifecycle management."
Acronyms. They look pretty and make me look smart. I think we need more, here are a couple to add to the .bat P.E.B.K.A.C, R.T.F.M, and ID Ten T.
AristonCC:
"Can you please hand me that Personal Computer Memory Card International Association card? I need it to connect to the wireless fidelity network here. Oh and do you remember the wireless encryption protocol key? And did you know that we just setup that internet small computer system interface storage area network box the other day? It works very well for managing our data using information lifecycle management."
What a bunch of ridiculous names. It's like word-spaghetti, and looks they were chosen for the acronym they became, if for any reason at all.
Personal Computer Memory Card International Association [its own "International Association" is unnecessary]
internet small computer system interface [many small computers attach to the internet, and many of their interfaces could be described as "small"; useless description]
storage area network [network-attached storage actually is what its constituent words mean; "storage" & "area" & "network," in that order, signify nothing]
wireless fidelity [wireless communication]
wireless encryption protocol [exception]
information lifecycle management [basic organization skills]
You make a pretty good argument, and those terms are certainly a nuisance to pronounce as words. But, your claim that technological complexity is the culprit is false. Stupid naming conventions are the problem.
"Technology has complex terms that rely on acronyms to make them easy to say."
That is the kind of claim that prevents IT from being taken seriously, on the level of lawyers, doctors and scientists. They memorize many more, much more difficult Latin names, and don't claim "technological complexity" as an excuse to forget them.
"Can you please hand me that Personal Computer Memory Card International Association card? I need it to connect to the wireless fidelity network here. Oh and do you remember the wireless encryption protocol key? And did you know that we just setup that internet small computer system interface storage area network box the other day? It works very well for managing our data using information lifecycle management."
What a bunch of ridiculous names. It's like word-spaghetti, and looks they were chosen for the acronym they became, if for any reason at all.
Personal Computer Memory Card International Association [its own "International Association" is unnecessary]
internet small computer system interface [many small computers attach to the internet, and many of their interfaces could be described as "small"; useless description]
storage area network [network-attached storage actually is what its constituent words mean; "storage" & "area" & "network," in that order, signify nothing]
wireless fidelity [wireless communication]
wireless encryption protocol [exception]
information lifecycle management [basic organization skills]
You make a pretty good argument, and those terms are certainly a nuisance to pronounce as words. But, your claim that technological complexity is the culprit is false. Stupid naming conventions are the problem.
"Technology has complex terms that rely on acronyms to make them easy to say."
That is the kind of claim that prevents IT from being taken seriously, on the level of lawyers, doctors and scientists. They memorize many more, much more difficult Latin names, and don't claim "technological complexity" as an excuse to forget them.
I grew up as a US Air Force brat.
While I was in the US Navy I had (and used!) a copy of the DICNAVAB. For you landlubbers, that's short for Dictionary of Navy Abbreviations.
I now work for an outsourcing company that grew up in the US Government. Acronyms are nothing new to me.
Everybody has their own coded language. When was the last time a healthcare professional spoke plane English to you without sounding like they were talking to a two-year-old? We just have to live with it.
While I was in the US Navy I had (and used!) a copy of the DICNAVAB. For you landlubbers, that's short for Dictionary of Navy Abbreviations.
I now work for an outsourcing company that grew up in the US Government. Acronyms are nothing new to me.
Everybody has their own coded language. When was the last time a healthcare professional spoke plane English to you without sounding like they were talking to a two-year-old? We just have to live with it.
Our industry is getting dangerously close to a government operation. From the Military to SSA, GSA, HUD, DHS, etc... the government is RULED by acronyms. In reality this isn't any better than the "Geek Speak" that caused so much confusion in the industry in the mid to late 90's. Here is one acronym that never needs to be set aside though...KISS - Keep It Simple Stupid.
"Acronyms" are abbreviations that can be spoken as a word
(e.g., "laser," "scuba," "NATO").
Your list is of "abbreviations," not acronyms.
(e.g., "laser," "scuba," "NATO").
Your list is of "abbreviations," not acronyms.
You are absolutely correct. It looks as if we can?t tell our acronyms from our onomatopoeias!I hope you all don't think I'm a homophone for saying sew.
Navy acronyms are all pronounced somehow, even BPMDS - beep a dee mus, believe it or not. Stands for Basic Point Missile Defense System. So as far as some people are concerned, ANY series of letters is pronounce-able. Which is why the borderline between acronym & abbreviation is so blurry. Especially in some branches of the military.
CIWS, anyone?
CIWS, anyone?
First, why hate? Because it is not possible to talk with business people with same terms. A lot of time is wasted and almost always there are at least two interpretations of acronyms, one real and one marketing. Which one business uses, of course the marketing, they did hear it in last dog and pony show! It's hot, lets use it! I already have a book and hired an IT vendor who tells us how we change our business, these IT vendors must know more of our food and brick business than we do?
Also, all these are old ideas with new names, marketing again! BPM, BI, TCO, etc are old. ITIL was first formalized a long time ago but the ideas were old. Nice thing that they are more standardized and documented now.
Anyway, yes, these are and should be hot but not just this year. They all are sound (business, not technology) ideas, even CMDB which is actually a little backwards. If you need some system to collect configuration info instead a systems which already has the information something is very wrong.
Also, all these are old ideas with new names, marketing again! BPM, BI, TCO, etc are old. ITIL was first formalized a long time ago but the ideas were old. Nice thing that they are more standardized and documented now.
Anyway, yes, these are and should be hot but not just this year. They all are sound (business, not technology) ideas, even CMDB which is actually a little backwards. If you need some system to collect configuration info instead a systems which already has the information something is very wrong.
I have always been amused by the evolution of the three letter abbreviations (TLAs). I guess a majority of these were required for marketing and consulting folks to make the solutions they sold unique and special. and then ofcourse they are thrust on the hapless techies.
PEBKAC - Problem Exist Between Keyboard and Chair
User - Help Desk, I can't seem to find my spreadsheet even though I've rebooted several times....HELP!
Help Desk - Problem is now fixed. Icon was moved to other side of Desktop. For faster response to issues related to this, please put the acronym "PEBKAC error" in subject field. Thank You
User - Help Desk, I can't seem to find my spreadsheet even though I've rebooted several times....HELP!
Help Desk - Problem is now fixed. Icon was moved to other side of Desktop. For faster response to issues related to this, please put the acronym "PEBKAC error" in subject field. Thank You
See also BDU from prior post...and you remind me I left out one:
SASE - Smart Ass Support Engineer.
and most importantly:
AGH - All Grins Here!
SASE - Smart Ass Support Engineer.
and most importantly:
AGH - All Grins Here!
There is actually a very valid answer. It speeds the learning process tremendously. For example, imagine your learning about DHCP and you have to say Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol every time. Trust me, by the end of the day, you will be furious that the instructor is not using the acronym.
This is also true in books. It's very painful to read Enterprise Resource Planning in every third paragraph of a chapter on the same; however, the acronym ERP eases the burden.
In the end, no, acronyms are not created to confuse or create an elite group. Thy are created to simplify learning for those who need to understand the functionality of the technology or concept. Now, if we are using those acronyms instead of meaningful language when we talk to those who do not know the acronyms, we are at fault... not the acronyms that help us learn and internally conceptualize large concepts.
Just a thought,
Tom Carpenter
This is also true in books. It's very painful to read Enterprise Resource Planning in every third paragraph of a chapter on the same; however, the acronym ERP eases the burden.
In the end, no, acronyms are not created to confuse or create an elite group. Thy are created to simplify learning for those who need to understand the functionality of the technology or concept. Now, if we are using those acronyms instead of meaningful language when we talk to those who do not know the acronyms, we are at fault... not the acronyms that help us learn and internally conceptualize large concepts.
Just a thought,
Tom Carpenter
"In the end, no, acronyms are not created to confuse or create an elite group. Thy are created to simplify learning for those who need to understand the functionality of the technology or concept."
Yes, a lot of acronyms do help simplify conversation and learning. The bad side is acronyms that are created solely as a marketing device to impress people who don't know what they are buying.
"Now, if we are using those acronyms instead of meaningful language when we talk to those who do not know the acronyms, we are at fault..."
DEAD ON RIGHT! It isn't the acronym that is at fault. The fault lies with the person using the acronym to intentionally confuse someone and with the listener for being too insecure to require clarification.
Yes, a lot of acronyms do help simplify conversation and learning. The bad side is acronyms that are created solely as a marketing device to impress people who don't know what they are buying.
"Now, if we are using those acronyms instead of meaningful language when we talk to those who do not know the acronyms, we are at fault..."
DEAD ON RIGHT! It isn't the acronym that is at fault. The fault lies with the person using the acronym to intentionally confuse someone and with the listener for being too insecure to require clarification.
"In the end, no, acronyms are not created to confuse or create an elite group. Thy are created to simplify learning for those who need to understand the functionality of the technology or concept."
How do acronyms simplify learning?
IME acronyms are used to reduce paper.
Is the usage of acronyms any different to using shorthand to send text messages?
Les.
How do acronyms simplify learning?
IME acronyms are used to reduce paper.
Is the usage of acronyms any different to using shorthand to send text messages?
Les.
indicate that the writer is quoting something written by someone else.
Read the post I quoted. You appear to have missed most of the discussion.
Read the post I quoted. You appear to have missed most of the discussion.
Here's a few from the BCA Achronym glossary. No table of achroyms is complete without at least some of these.
ARA - Achronyms Relating to Achronyms.
TLA - Three Letter Achronym. Term first used by DoD.
MLA - Multi-letter achronym. Generalization of TLA. Invented by BAR.
PTA - Pointless Technical Achronym. See also PMA.
PMA - Pointless Marketting Achronym.
YAFA - Yet Another Fine Achronym. Self referential MLA (or SR-MLA, a CMLA).
CMLA - MLA formed by concatonating MLAs. Very popular in technical standards (see IEEE-SA, ITU-R, etc).
TUAs - Technically Useful Achronyms
BDE - Used to describes designs and engineering practices not well thought through.
BDU - Brain Dead User. Describes failure mode caused by uses of a product in ways the engineers never imagined. Often result of BDE.
GIBD - GUI Induced Brain Damage. Condition often resulting from poorly engineered user interfaces.
GIFS - GUI Induced Frustration Syndrome. Early sympton of GIBD and can lead to GIRS and ultimately GRIEF.
GIRS - GUI Induced Rage Syndrome.
GRIEF - GUI Induced Rage Equipment Failure. Refers to damage caused to equipment by users afflicted by GIRS.
FIHT - Frustration Induced Hardware Trauma. A variation of GRIEF.
AE - Achronym Embedding. The practice of creating MLAs who's definition include other MLAs.
CRAP - Circular Referential Achronym Process. An MLA who's definition refers to itself (may consist of arbitrary levels of indirection, creating an ICRAP).
JFSA - Just Flippin' Silly Achronyms
GFAAW - Global Foundation Against Achronym Waste.
JPA - Jargon Perverting Achronym. Refers to the practice of altering in unatural ways established language or jargon to create a cutsie achronym.
Notes:
ICRAP may become a trademark of Apple Computer, Inc. Don't blame me!
ARA - Achronyms Relating to Achronyms.
TLA - Three Letter Achronym. Term first used by DoD.
MLA - Multi-letter achronym. Generalization of TLA. Invented by BAR.
PTA - Pointless Technical Achronym. See also PMA.
PMA - Pointless Marketting Achronym.
YAFA - Yet Another Fine Achronym. Self referential MLA (or SR-MLA, a CMLA).
CMLA - MLA formed by concatonating MLAs. Very popular in technical standards (see IEEE-SA, ITU-R, etc).
TUAs - Technically Useful Achronyms
BDE - Used to describes designs and engineering practices not well thought through.
BDU - Brain Dead User. Describes failure mode caused by uses of a product in ways the engineers never imagined. Often result of BDE.
GIBD - GUI Induced Brain Damage. Condition often resulting from poorly engineered user interfaces.
GIFS - GUI Induced Frustration Syndrome. Early sympton of GIBD and can lead to GIRS and ultimately GRIEF.
GIRS - GUI Induced Rage Syndrome.
GRIEF - GUI Induced Rage Equipment Failure. Refers to damage caused to equipment by users afflicted by GIRS.
FIHT - Frustration Induced Hardware Trauma. A variation of GRIEF.
AE - Achronym Embedding. The practice of creating MLAs who's definition include other MLAs.
CRAP - Circular Referential Achronym Process. An MLA who's definition refers to itself (may consist of arbitrary levels of indirection, creating an ICRAP).
JFSA - Just Flippin' Silly Achronyms
GFAAW - Global Foundation Against Achronym Waste.
JPA - Jargon Perverting Achronym. Refers to the practice of altering in unatural ways established language or jargon to create a cutsie achronym.
Notes:
ICRAP may become a trademark of Apple Computer, Inc. Don't blame me!
All acronyms are good when you work with Big cozs but when its come to small and Miz size companys then...its just time wast for the owners..
Most of owner don't want to talk about that..even..just dont want to spend Money..lol
But its good have knowledge of all acronyms.
thanks
Most of owner don't want to talk about that..even..just dont want to spend Money..lol
But its good have knowledge of all acronyms.
thanks
If you could add few more ideas with this jargon, it will add more color. Like DM- its a document Management - there are number of software are based on this technology, including MOSS2007 (Microsoft Office Sharepoint Server 2007)and RM- Record Management - and KPI- key performance Indicator.
Most of us who uses IT in the execution of our jobs also HATES all these acronyms and fads going about. Most of them are just existing concepts "soiced up" to be to re-sell.
As an information specialist these acronyms and their actual meanings confuse me. In my world words have specific meanings, not negotiable - so the add hoc use of terminology causes confusion.
Please - define master and reference data to me, then I will clearly understand what we intend to manage.
Dr Johan Coetzee
As an information specialist these acronyms and their actual meanings confuse me. In my world words have specific meanings, not negotiable - so the add hoc use of terminology causes confusion.
Please - define master and reference data to me, then I will clearly understand what we intend to manage.
Dr Johan Coetzee
I agree with you. What is more obsurd is what I see in that the CIO on down the management rank somehow develops political capital by throwing around these acronyms and creates projects over them to take care of those age-old problems they don't ever effectively solve.
I guess we should be creative and create the next generation acronyms and turn it into game:-P
I guess we should be creative and create the next generation acronyms and turn it into game:-P
Sorry Jason, this feels like one of the Trivia Geek's quibbles of the week. I suspect that few if any of the examples are acronyms. An acronym is a word spelled from the initial letters of other words, like NASA or LASER. Something like CNN, in which the letters are individually pronounced, is an initialism, or more generally a form of abbreviation. So TLA can mean 'three-letter abbreviation', but it isn't a three-letter acronym.
(Slightly) more pertinently to the discussion, I think that acronyms and abbreviations can be useful when the audience understands them and their purpose is to avoid repetition of lengthy (and sometimes tongue-twisting) phrases; use them amongst the uninitiated, and you're in danger of labelling yourself as a pompous ass.
(Slightly) more pertinently to the discussion, I think that acronyms and abbreviations can be useful when the audience understands them and their purpose is to avoid repetition of lengthy (and sometimes tongue-twisting) phrases; use them amongst the uninitiated, and you're in danger of labelling yourself as a pompous ass.
I'm sad enough to be more bothered by the fact that they are all abbreviations and not acronyms, than I am interested in the article!
So is this an acronym,initialiism or what?
PPA - Purposly Pompous Ass. Person who intentionally obscures the point to make himself feel superior.
Language is dynamic. Sadly, "achronym" has been generalized in common usage to include abreviation and initialism. Ant after all it is how a word (or achronym, or abreviation, or...whatever) that counts.
According to Webster's :
ac?ro?nym : a word (as NATO, radar, or laser) formed from the initial letter or letters of each of the successive parts or major parts of a compound term; also : an abbreviation (as FBI: initialism)
Remember, Words don't hurt people, People hurt People when using words irresponsibly
;-0)
PPA - Purposly Pompous Ass. Person who intentionally obscures the point to make himself feel superior.
Language is dynamic. Sadly, "achronym" has been generalized in common usage to include abreviation and initialism. Ant after all it is how a word (or achronym, or abreviation, or...whatever) that counts.
According to Webster's :
ac?ro?nym : a word (as NATO, radar, or laser) formed from the initial letter or letters of each of the successive parts or major parts of a compound term; also : an abbreviation (as FBI: initialism)
Remember, Words don't hurt people, People hurt People when using words irresponsibly
;-0)
Some time ago I addressed this subject on my woyano blog (www.woyano.com, if that's allowed). It deals with this subject and so, for your collective amusement, I copy it here:
Computer Weekly Reports a promise by Microsoft to ensure deep integration of ERP and M$ Office
I was struck by the front page article(FPA) 'Microsoft promises 'deep' integration of ERP and Office', September 13th issue. What is ERP? I had to look it up. I've been in the IT industry for 20 years and am used to spurious TLA's popping up every now and then(NAT). I have recieved Computer Weekly(CW) for almost as long and am somewhat used to CW blithely using acronyms without expansion(AWE).
When Jeeves pointed me to a site explaining what ERP actually was I fell about laughing(FAL). Forgive me, but I have to assume that someone (or several someones) have too much time on their hands(TOTH) and should be taken out and shot (TOAS). Enterprise Resource Planning indeed. So you have some people(HR), some raw materials(RM), some real estate(RE) and a finished product(FP). ERP describes the process of putting them all together so that your business actually makes what it does in the most efficient manner(MEM).
Now please point me in the right direction if I'm wrong here, but is not "Enterprise Resource Planning" as it were, per se, in a manner of speaking (IAMOS), just exactly what every businessperson since the Eden Apple Consortium (EAC) set itself up 6,000 years ago has been doing? Suddenly ERP is a 'buzzword' (BW). If you have 'ERP' on your web site you can charge more. Is that an indication of Corporate Gullibility(CG)? Is our industry so full of idiots that Mr Gates et al can bamboozle them all with shiney new acronyms(SNA's) that actually say nothing at all(NAA)?
What's truly galling (TG) of course, is that Mr Gates assures us that Microsoft Office will integrate with ERP systems - I'm sorry, but Word Processor(WP), Spreadsheet and Database(DB) have been at the heart of enterprise resource management(ERM) since WordStar and Visicalc first came along. It's true that there's nothing new under the sun (NNUTS) but as long as we keep making up silly new names(SNN's) the morons out there (MOT's) will continue to pay up for what they think is leading edge business practice advice(LEBPA), leading edge business products (LEBP's) and leading edge business consultancies(LEBC's).
So the next time someone comes up with a completely new, leading edge, brilliant repackaging of everything you've already been doing, look at it carefully, see it for what it really is, and tell them to FO.
I'm telling you - the Emperor is not wearing any clothes!
Computer Weekly Reports a promise by Microsoft to ensure deep integration of ERP and M$ Office
I was struck by the front page article(FPA) 'Microsoft promises 'deep' integration of ERP and Office', September 13th issue. What is ERP? I had to look it up. I've been in the IT industry for 20 years and am used to spurious TLA's popping up every now and then(NAT). I have recieved Computer Weekly(CW) for almost as long and am somewhat used to CW blithely using acronyms without expansion(AWE).
When Jeeves pointed me to a site explaining what ERP actually was I fell about laughing(FAL). Forgive me, but I have to assume that someone (or several someones) have too much time on their hands(TOTH) and should be taken out and shot (TOAS). Enterprise Resource Planning indeed. So you have some people(HR), some raw materials(RM), some real estate(RE) and a finished product(FP). ERP describes the process of putting them all together so that your business actually makes what it does in the most efficient manner(MEM).
Now please point me in the right direction if I'm wrong here, but is not "Enterprise Resource Planning" as it were, per se, in a manner of speaking (IAMOS), just exactly what every businessperson since the Eden Apple Consortium (EAC) set itself up 6,000 years ago has been doing? Suddenly ERP is a 'buzzword' (BW). If you have 'ERP' on your web site you can charge more. Is that an indication of Corporate Gullibility(CG)? Is our industry so full of idiots that Mr Gates et al can bamboozle them all with shiney new acronyms(SNA's) that actually say nothing at all(NAA)?
What's truly galling (TG) of course, is that Mr Gates assures us that Microsoft Office will integrate with ERP systems - I'm sorry, but Word Processor(WP), Spreadsheet and Database(DB) have been at the heart of enterprise resource management(ERM) since WordStar and Visicalc first came along. It's true that there's nothing new under the sun (NNUTS) but as long as we keep making up silly new names(SNN's) the morons out there (MOT's) will continue to pay up for what they think is leading edge business practice advice(LEBPA), leading edge business products (LEBP's) and leading edge business consultancies(LEBC's).
So the next time someone comes up with a completely new, leading edge, brilliant repackaging of everything you've already been doing, look at it carefully, see it for what it really is, and tell them to FO.
I'm telling you - the Emperor is not wearing any clothes!
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