# IT-centric words which are appropriated from elsewhere **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 3, 2015, 8:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-centric-words-which-are-appropriated-from-elsewhere/721515 "2015-06-03T08:32:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![TwoCarrotSnowman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/twocarrotsnowman/32/15879_2.png) [@TwoCarrotSnowman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwoCarrotSnowman)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2015, 8:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-centric-words-which-are-appropriated-from-elsewhere/721515/1 "2015-06-03T08:32:16Z")
Hi folks. For a talk I’m doing, I’m trying to compile a list of words which are commonly used and understood in IT which were appropriated from elsewhere. Examples are “memory” (originally one’s ability to recall, now a computer component) and “packet” (originally a physical parcel, now a grouping of ones and zeroes). You get the idea. The list I’ve come up with is as follows - any more are very welcome, as I’m sure there are lots I have forgotten… cable, client, desktop, disk, frame, framework, icon, interface, keyboard, memory, monitor, mouse, packet , port, printer, screen, scroll, server, socket, switch, tablet, web ---
**Author:** ![Dervorin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Dervorin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dervorin)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2015, 10:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-centric-words-which-are-appropriated-from-elsewhere/721515/2 "2015-06-03T10:41:00Z")
There’s also the term “computer” itself, which used to mean a person who computes, and now means a calculating machine. I think an exhaustive list on this topic would be difficult to get to, because any term that isn’t a complete neologism (like “selfie” or “byte”) is going to have had a meaning before the IT industry was created, and therefore could potentially e on your list. For example: anchor (in HTML) buffer class avatar bit copy paste dodge burn backbone bus blade bridge zip firewall de-militarised zone Not to mention a whole lot of brand names: Apple Windows Orange ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2015, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-centric-words-which-are-appropriated-from-elsewhere/721515/3 "2015-06-03T11:56:16Z")
> [@Dervorin](#): > > I think an exhaustive list on this topic would be difficult to get to, because any term that isn’t a complete neologism (like “selfie” or “byte”) is going to have had a meaning before the IT industry was created Agreed. It would be easier to take a glossary of computer industry terms and just remove things that were made up specifically for use. But that’s not unique to computers, you could say the same for pretty much any modern industry. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2015, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-centric-words-which-are-appropriated-from-elsewhere/721515/4 "2015-06-03T12:49:59Z")
To boot or reboot comes from bootstrap load which comes from the saying, “to lift yourself by your own bootstraps,” referencing back in the day when you’d pull your boots on by pulling the straps sewn into the lining on either side. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2015, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-centric-words-which-are-appropriated-from-elsewhere/721515/5 "2015-06-03T14:46:55Z")
Cache ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2015, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-centric-words-which-are-appropriated-from-elsewhere/721515/6 "2015-06-03T16:49:22Z")
As \*\*Telemark \*\*says, this is a fool’s errand. If it’s not a neologism it’s a repurposed word. Window as a GUI component, not a brand name. Architect Developer Designer Release Package Service Application Execute Compile Link Library Import Export Wireless Bug Hardware Drag Drop Wrap ---
**Author:** ![Deeg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/deeg/32/2955_2.png) [@Deeg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deeg)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2015, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-centric-words-which-are-appropriated-from-elsewhere/721515/7 "2015-06-03T17:32:24Z")
Heap! ---
**Author:** ![TheFaerie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c57346/32.png) [@TheFaerie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheFaerie)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2015, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-centric-words-which-are-appropriated-from-elsewhere/721515/8 "2015-06-03T17:44:51Z")
master slave daemon ---
**Author:** ![Hermitian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hermitian/32/470_2.png) [@Hermitian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hermitian)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2015, 5:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-centric-words-which-are-appropriated-from-elsewhere/721515/9 "2015-06-03T17:51:10Z")
I am surprised no one has mentioned the one that always seemed the most obvious to me: Folders and files. I mean, the little icon even look like the real physical object of a folder. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2015, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-centric-words-which-are-appropriated-from-elsewhere/721515/10 "2015-06-03T17:59:31Z")
interrupt gate desktop hash array algorithm (lots from math.) I agree, it would be simpler to find invented words. Mainframe, operating system, compiler (maybe) etc. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2015, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-centric-words-which-are-appropriated-from-elsewhere/721515/11 "2015-06-03T18:03:34Z")
Environment, ecosystem, family, peer, roadmap ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2015, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-centric-words-which-are-appropriated-from-elsewhere/721515/12 "2015-06-03T21:06:00Z")
Finger, ping, password, shell, command. Lot of “brand” stuff: e.g., Java. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2015, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-centric-words-which-are-appropriated-from-elsewhere/721515/13 "2015-06-03T22:10:34Z")
Is there any way you can work “CLOB” into the talk? CLOB is such a fun word. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2015, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-centric-words-which-are-appropriated-from-elsewhere/721515/14 "2015-06-03T22:19:42Z")
The unique word list will be much smaller. This list will go on forever, words are being borrowed faster than we can name them. Below are words taken from the just the first 4 paragraphs from a page of documentation. Service Object Class Property Method Consume Process Context Request Response Diagram Studio Scope Throw Fault ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2015, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-centric-words-which-are-appropriated-from-elsewhere/721515/15 "2015-06-04T20:43:00Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > … > I agree, it would be simpler to find invented words. Mainframe … etc. “Mainframe” came from the telephone industry. It was the term used to describe the physical racks the Telco’s switching electronics were installed in. In fact some of the very early research computers were built using kit-bashed telco hardware as a base. So it’s another example of a slightly-repurposed word, not a new coinage. ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2015, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-centric-words-which-are-appropriated-from-elsewhere/721515/16 "2015-06-04T21:06:32Z")
Bandwidth - Term from radio. Literally, it’s the width (highest frequency-lowest frequency) of your transmission. The more width you have, your transmissions can be either more reliable or more information-heavy. Bug - I believe this was also taken from the radio world, who had appropriated it from mythology. Dial (as in “dialing” a VPN) - from telephones, via the dial-up modems that used to be common. Bit - Common, ordinary word meaning a small amount. ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2015, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-centric-words-which-are-appropriated-from-elsewhere/721515/17 "2015-06-04T21:07:57Z")
Shift (on keyboards) - Comes from typewriters where hitting “shift” physically _shifted_ the print assembly to expose a different character set (e.g. caps). ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2015, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-centric-words-which-are-appropriated-from-elsewhere/721515/18 "2015-06-04T21:09:45Z")
Very old IT joke: Q: How do you get fresh air into a Russian church? A: Double click an icon. A window will open. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [June 4, 2015, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-centric-words-which-are-appropriated-from-elsewhere/721515/19 "2015-06-04T22:00:05Z")
That’s only an “old” joke if you’re a young IT person. IOW, it’s old only in internet years. ---
**Author:** ![TwoCarrotSnowman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/twocarrotsnowman/32/15879_2.png) [@TwoCarrotSnowman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TwoCarrotSnowman)\ **Post date:** [June 5, 2015, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-centric-words-which-are-appropriated-from-elsewhere/721515/20 "2015-06-05T14:51:22Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > Agreed. It would be easier to take a glossary of computer industry terms and just remove things that were made up specifically for use. But that’s not unique to computers, you could say the same for pretty much any modern industry. Yep… sorry - should have been clearer. I’m not looking for a definitive list of ALL such words, just enough that I can throw a slide up in the background with a big list to show how our language is changing as technology adopts existing words. I keep thinking of new ones every now and again - I just went down the rabbit hole of programming terms: function, variable, loop, method, class etc… it’s never-ending! 😃 Thanks everyone for all the suggestions, I think I have plenty now. 🙂 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-centric-words-which-are-appropriated-from-elsewhere/721515.md?page=2)