# Ways in which you are annoyingly pedantic
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-in-which-you-are-annoyingly-pedantic/999676
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [April 1, 2024, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-in-which-you-are-annoyingly-pedantic/999676 "2024-04-01T14:12:18Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 10
### Author:  [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)
#### Post date: [April 10, 2024, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-in-which-you-are-annoyingly-pedantic/999676/181 "2024-04-10T21:51:30Z")
Yes _the_ leg, not each leg: the distance from where one foot leaves the earth to where it makes impact.
A Roman mile was 1000 paces, and our mile is 5,280 feet. So the average Roman man was just under 5’3” because at full stride our pace equals our height. Fight me on this and you fight Virtuvian as well.
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### Author:  [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)
#### Post date: [April 10, 2024, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-in-which-you-are-annoyingly-pedantic/999676/182 "2024-04-10T21:58:34Z")
Another thing I’ve become pedantic about: how the word “Stochastic” has gone viral, as a pretentious replacement for “random.” It’s everywhere now, mostly in usage where it doesn’t apply. I’ve even seen it used in discussion on current sexual behavior: a stochastic hook-up.
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### Author:  [@fachverwirrt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fachverwirrt)
#### Post date: [April 10, 2024, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-in-which-you-are-annoyingly-pedantic/999676/183 "2024-04-10T22:44:45Z")
However you wish to interpret that sentence, the OED (the most pedantic dictionary of them all) defines (twice in its first definition) “pace” as “step”. If one of you is going ten paces and the other ten steps, you’re going the same distance.
And maybe this makes this the wrong thread for me, but I am indifferent to how the Romans used a different word, whatever the etymological relationship. That’s just not how language works.
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### Author:  [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)
#### Post date: [April 10, 2024, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-in-which-you-are-annoyingly-pedantic/999676/184 "2024-04-10T23:06:22Z")
Yes, you’re right. The OED _is_ pedantic, so much so that it’s why it used “the leg,” not “each leg.” That’s specific language and not just how I choose to interpret it.
Every search for “pace vs step” confirms this. I find nothing that says they are the same.
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### Author:  [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)
#### Post date: [April 10, 2024, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-in-which-you-are-annoyingly-pedantic/999676/185 "2024-04-10T23:58:22Z")
That does raise the question of how to account for fractional paces:
> **[If Bugs Bunny challenges you to a duel, just face it...you're done. Clip from...](https://www.facebook.com/GoldenAgeCartoons/videos/403347234489028/?mibextid=rS40aB7S9Ucbxw6v)**
>
> If Bugs Bunny challenges you to a duel, just face it...you're done. Clip from "Hare Trimmed" (Friz Freleng, 1953).
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### Author:  [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)
#### Post date: [April 11, 2024, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-in-which-you-are-annoyingly-pedantic/999676/186 "2024-04-11T00:38:34Z")
Logoff / Log off means just that. Stop your connection to it. Not to turn it off. None of our systems get tuned off except for system updates.
Depending on the system, shutting it down may me someone has to physically visit the machine and turn it on. Depends on if you are virtual machines or whatever. Do NOT randomly shut servers down. This must be planned.
If a remote computer tries to get into your computer (someone with privileges of course) it will ask if you want to kick the other person off.
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### Author:  [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)
#### Post date: [April 11, 2024, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-in-which-you-are-annoyingly-pedantic/999676/187 "2024-04-11T01:19:11Z")
> [@Dinsdale](#):
>
> So, does “logoff/log off” mean for me to sign out, or to shut the computer down?
I just checked my (Windows) computer, and “Sign out” is the closest thing I could find to “log off.”
Since this is a thread about being pedantic, does “sign out” mean the same as “log off,” or are there subtle differences?
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### Author:  [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)
#### Post date: [April 11, 2024, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-in-which-you-are-annoyingly-pedantic/999676/188 "2024-04-11T01:59:39Z")
I’ve been told by IT that I should completely close down the computer at least once a week. Apparently, some of the updates won’t install unless the computer is booting up after being completely closed down.
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### Author:  [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)
#### Post date: [April 11, 2024, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-in-which-you-are-annoyingly-pedantic/999676/189 "2024-04-11T02:05:22Z")
I had an (old) friend who would always call his Linksys router a “Linkski.”
Eventually, I gave up correcting him.
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### Author:  [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)
#### Post date: [April 11, 2024, 2:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-in-which-you-are-annoyingly-pedantic/999676/190 "2024-04-11T02:20:29Z")
> [@Yllaria](#):
>
> I’ve been told by IT that I should completely close down the computer at least once a week. Apparently, some of the updates won’t install unless the computer is booting up after being completely closed down.
And where is the “close down” command? 😉
Our computers are to be “restarted” to receive updates. As far as I can recall, the only time I’ve been told to completely shut down my computer - which I believe is called a “hard reboot” - is if something went wrong.
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### Author:  [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)
#### Post date: [April 11, 2024, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-in-which-you-are-annoyingly-pedantic/999676/191 "2024-04-11T03:21:18Z")
Okay, it says Shut Down. Be pedantic, why doncha.
You can also press the button on the tower.
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### Author:  [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)
#### Post date: [April 11, 2024, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-in-which-you-are-annoyingly-pedantic/999676/192 "2024-04-11T03:50:03Z")
You mean like this?
[ ](https://www.boredpanda.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/660fa56ca1293_429562455_922012892722568_6999299968231376077_n__700.jpg)
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### Author:  [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)
#### Post date: [April 11, 2024, 4:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-in-which-you-are-annoyingly-pedantic/999676/193 "2024-04-11T04:30:28Z")
I can’t raise my foot that high. (My tower is on my desk.)
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### Author:  [@Dinsdale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dinsdale)
#### Post date: [April 11, 2024, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-in-which-you-are-annoyingly-pedantic/999676/194 "2024-04-11T11:42:21Z")
Been some time since I had a tower either at work or home.
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### Author:  [@Sylvanz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sylvanz)
#### Post date: [April 11, 2024, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-in-which-you-are-annoyingly-pedantic/999676/195 "2024-04-11T17:07:23Z")
How in the hell did they take stochastic and change it to mean “random?” There is no connection between these words save that they are in English. It’s worse than literally. At least literally is the opposite of the way it’s being _incorrectly_ used. They are taking, “stochastic” and applying to it to a completely unrelated meaning. Why? Just why? I’ve not seen this, and I hope I don’t. I don’t think this is even pedantic.
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### Author:  [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)
#### Post date: [April 11, 2024, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-in-which-you-are-annoyingly-pedantic/999676/196 "2024-04-11T19:46:28Z")
I don’t use the word stochastic, but the connection with “random” is kind of important, isn’t it? It’s something having a random probability distribution, no? (And “literally” is not used to mean its opposite. It’s used to mean “in a literal manner,” as a form of exaggeration/hyperbole, but that’s been rehashed a million times.)
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### Author:  [@Sylvanz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sylvanz)
#### Post date: [April 11, 2024, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-in-which-you-are-annoyingly-pedantic/999676/197 "2024-04-11T20:54:41Z")
Not gonna’ argue about, “literally” again. It’s obviously being used incorrectly a lot. However, “stochastic,” means people being primed to do violence by a person speaking. The person uses innuendo, inference, out right lies, to rile up suggestible violent people. There is nothing, “random,” about it.
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### Author:  [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)
#### Post date: [April 11, 2024, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-in-which-you-are-annoyingly-pedantic/999676/198 "2024-04-11T21:02:07Z")
The definition of stochastic, is stochastic.
And now I need to go lie down. Or should I lay down. Donno.
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### Author:  [@74westy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/74westy)
#### Post date: [April 11, 2024, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-in-which-you-are-annoyingly-pedantic/999676/199 "2024-04-11T21:06:23Z")
> [@Sylvanz](#):
>
> “stochastic,” means people being primed to do violence by a person speaking
# [stochastic](https://www.dictionary.com/browse/stochastic)
adjective Statistics.
1. of or relating to a process involving a randomly determined sequence of observations each of which is considered as a sample of one element from a probability distribution.
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### Author:  [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)
#### Post date: [April 11, 2024, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ways-in-which-you-are-annoyingly-pedantic/999676/200 "2024-04-11T21:10:16Z")
> [@74westy](#):
>
> of or relating to a process involving a randomly determined sequence of observations each of which is considered as a sample of one element from a probability distribution.
Thanks. Now I need aspirin. Or a beer. I’ll do both.
Sort of sounds like entropy, but with a plan.
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