Tech Directions - October 2007 - (Page 12)

mastering computers 2 Reid Goldsborough reidgold@netaxs.com p911: parent emergency partial continuous attention: state of mind of a person who is multitasking percussive maintenance: whacking a computer or other device to get it working again phishing: trying to trick someone into revealing private information online pir: parent in room plox: please podcast: audio or video designed to be downloaded to a portable MP3 player pos: parent over shoulder prw: parents are watching snail mail: postal mail as opposed to faster e-mail spam: unsolicited e-mail or other online communication that’s typically commercial spew: gibberish in spam designed to fool a spam filter sockpuppet: false online identity tdtm: talk dirty to me technostupidity: loss of ability through dependence on computers troll: person who deliberately starts online arguments ttyl: talk to you later wu: what’s up? Want more? Check out these sites: Abbreviations Directory: www.stands4.com Acronym Page: www.mullergodschalk.com/acronyms.html AIM’s Acronym Dictionary: www.aim.com/acronyms.adp Computing Dictionary: computingdictionary.thefreedictionary.com Geek.com’s Technical Glossary: www.ugeek.com/glossary Internet Slang Dictionary & Translator: www.noslang.com NetLingo: www.netlingo.com TechWeb’s TechEncyclopedia: www.techweb.com/encyclopedia Teen Chat Decoder: www.teenchatdecoder.com An additional option is to use Google by typing in the term you’re unfamiliar with followed by the word “definition” (without the quotation marks). Lingo for a Techno Age How we say things is often as or more important than what we say. It can speak volumes about our character and personality, where we grew up and what kind of education we received, and whether we’re anchored in the past or hankering after the future. Just as information technology has changed the way we work and play, it has also changed the way we speak, with new computer-related words and slang coming into existence as frequently as new computer virus reports. As in other fields, you can’t walk the walk unless you talk the talk. But even if you don’t want or need to walk the walk, knowing how to talk the talk can be useful and interesting. Buzzwords, jargon, and acronyms can condense complicated concepts into shorthand words and phrases, and thus save time. They can shed light on where our culture is headed. They can separate the insiders from the outsiders. They can tell you what students and your kids are saying while instant messaging or texting. And they can be as confusing as a software license agreement. Here are some of the more useful and interesting computer-related neologisms used today. Some have been candidates for “Word of the Year” honors from the American Dialect Society (www.americandialect.org). Some are found at the sites listed at the end of this column. And some I’ve learned from my own observations in wandering around cyberspace. blook: blog turned into a book brb: be right back clickstream: unique pattern of an individual’s web-surfing habits cd9: code 9, for parents are around cybersquat: to register a web address with the sole intention of trying to sell it for a profit data valdez: accidental release of a large quantity of private information digerati: digital elite digiroid: test photo taken with an inexpensive digital camera dot: used instead of “period” in Web and e-mail addresses dot-com: business Web site dot-bomb: failed dot com ego-surfing: surfing the Web by Googling your name flame: hostile online post geek: successful nerd gtg: got to go gf: girlfriend google: to search the web using the search engine Google handle: online I.D. hit: request for a file from a web server idk: I don’t know lmirl: let’s meet in real life lol: laughing out loud meatspace: where you meet Internet pals in person, also known as real life MP3: MPEG-1, audio layer 3 MPEG: Motion Picture Experts Group multislacking: playing at the computer when you should be working nerd: unsuccessful geek newbie: newcomer nifoc: naked in front of computer offline: out of the loop and uninformed opt in: to choose to receive or participate opt out: to choose not to receive or participate B2B: business-to-business e-commerce B2C: business-to-consumer e-commerce bf: boyfriend bleeding edge: leading edge that can be harmful blog: Web log or diary blognut: blog fanatic 12 techdirections ◆ OCTOBER 2007 http://www.stands4.com http://www.muller-godschalk.com/acronyms.html http://www.muller-godschalk.com/acronyms.html http://www.aim.com/acronyms.adp http://www.dictionary.thefreedictionary.com http://www.Geek.com http://www.americandialect.org http://www.ugeek.com/glossary http://www.noslang.com http://www.netlingo.com http://www.techweb.com/encyclopedia http://www.teenchatdecoder.com

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Tech Directions - October 2007 Technically Speaking Contents Direct from Washington The News Report Technology Today Technology’s Past Mastering Computers Rock Your Classroom!—Use Subwoofers to Teach Electricity and Science Sure, They Can Build It, But. . . . Manufacturing Students Need Process Planning Skills Teach Graphic Design Basics with PowerPoint Free Teacher Resources Product Central More than Fun

Tech Directions - October 2007

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