Computer-ese, Jargon and My Coming Booklet

Tech terms drive me crazy. In general. And in particular.

I'll be including a section on the most heinous ones in my new booklet (more to come on this blog!) that lists common editing (and writing) booboos but I thought I'd vent a bit today on one there's little or no help for. Thus I am including it for relief, though I do suggest some casual alternatives in case there is an occasion where we really need to get away from computer-ese.

It's Wi-Fi:

Wi-Fi doesn't say what it means. We've been told it means "wireless fidelity" but the firm that helps brand products created the term and they say it doesn't stand for anything. I want to know why we've adopted a word that doesn't mean anything! David Pogue of the New York Times prefers "wireless hot spot" when he can substitute that term. It might improve some tech instructions if they said, "Find a cozy nook where your computer can connect wirelessly to the Net." For some of us it wouldn't hurt if they got really basic and said, "You can find one at most McDonald's."


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Carolyn Howard-Johnson edits, consults and speaks on issues of publishing. Find her The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success at http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0978515870. Learn more about her other authors' aids at www.howtodoitfrugally.com, where writers will find lists and other helps on the Resources for Writers page. She blogs on all things publishing (not just editing!) at her Sharing with Writers blog.
And please tweet to your followers. We all need a little help with editing. (-:

Jargon (Especially Tech Terms) to Avoid

I love word lists. Lists of words that are easily confused, as an example. David Pogue, who usually writes about tekky stuff, recently listed some of the new tech terms that don't make sense or are so misleading or just plain ugly we writers should avoid them. How I enjoyed it! I thought I'd pass it on to you, of course.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/16/technology/personaltech/16pogue-email.html?scp=7&sq=david%20pogue&st=cse

Pay special attention to the trap most everyone is falling into these days. Many of us are using "content" when we probably just mean "articles" or "tips" or "music." So, if you're talking about what is on your Web site, for clarity you'll just want to say what that is. It might go, "You'll find great articles and reviews on the Free Content page on my Website at www.howtodoitfrugally.com."

Mmmmm. I think you can see there may be times when the word "content" fits the bill. Like when we're talking about a variety of things that will give our readers valuable information but we can't be all that specific about what that might be because we don't know.

Otherwise, forget "content" or you may hear from David. Maybe you'll hear from me!
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Carolyn Howard-Johnson edits, consults and speaks on issues of publishing. Find her The Frugal Editor: Put Your Best Book Forward to Avoid Humiliation and Ensure Success at http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0978515870. Learn more about her other authors' aids at www.howtodoitfrugally.com. She blogs on all things publishing (not just editing!) at www.sharingwithwriters.blogspot.com.