Hello all, Many of you have helped me compile a list of technology metaphors. Several asked to see the list. So here we go. The following is a list of metaphors related to technology and its use. The emphasis is clearly on digital technology but some others are in there as well. If you have additions to the list PLEASE do send them along, I would like to keep the list growing. If you have a dispute or other comment that should make for interesting conversation, as metaphorical as it might be on a mail list. Thanks for all your help! active and inactive bandwidth blog - web log?? blogosphere breadcrumbs brick and mortar broadband broken record (not digital but still a technology metaphor) bulletin boards calculating (as in a person is cold and calculating) chat "rooms" chatting citizen of the internet - netizen click cloud (storage and computing) cyberspace dashboard database deckware desktop dial a touch phone dial up internet access dialog boxes directory domain drop a packet email extranet files filing system firewall flame flaming folders forum forward (as in to forward an email) frames garbage can garbage in, garbage out gateway grinding (used in gaming to get lots of a resource) harvesting hit homepage hotspot hub inbox information superhighway instant messaging intranet link lurking menu mining, especially data mining mouse navigation open (as in a file or email) outbox owning someone (as in to defeat someone in a game, not unique to technology basis for pwned) palette portal programmed or hardwired people protocol quad (a couple people mentioned this but I don't know why it is a metaphor, any help?) recycle bin reply reserving a "seat" for an online course run search engine server shopping carts/basket slides in powerpoint spam speed dial (Opera browser) spyware surfing tabs tag tap (as in a line or phone which is no longer literal) terminal the computer going to "sleep" the whole concept of a virtual open house tree trojan horse trolling virus windows wiping out a team of players (gaming, not unique to technology) world wide web worm -Gordon
On Sat, Jun 28, 2008 at 3:23 PM, Gordon Carlson <gordycarlson@gmail.com> wrote:
broadband
Not a metaphor. Typically misused these days but still a technical term with a specific, defined meaning. How about addingt: e-penis Internet male offline (particularly interesting when used in contexts completely unrelated to computers and networks) Kevin
At 15:37 -0400 28/6/08, Kevin Guidry wrote:
On Sat, Jun 28, 2008 at 3:23 PM, Gordon Carlson <gordycarlson@gmail.com> wrote:
broadband
Not a metaphor. Typically misused these days but still a technical term with a specific, defined meaning.
Which is? Gordo -- "Think Feynman"///////// http://pobox.com/~gordo/ gordon.joly@pobox.com///
broadband is basically a thick set of twisted wires, maybe 2-in or less in diametor, rounded chord, sort of, and made of sometimes fiber optic wires, sometimes copper, but in what sense broad, and in what sense a band? (I used to work for the telecoms when they were building data centers. They have names like "Cat 5," short for category, etc etc.) ps.... would an emoticon be a metaphor... as well as a truncated word... emotion and icon.... plus would this be a metaphor? ;-) ----- Original Message ----- From: Gordon Joly <gordon.joly@pobox.com> Date: Monday, June 30, 2008 5:23 pm Subject: Re: [Air-L] Metaphors in Technology To: air-l@listserv.aoir.org Cc: air-l@listserv.aoir.org
At 15:37 -0400 28/6/08, Kevin Guidry wrote:
On Sat, Jun 28, 2008 at 3:23 PM, Gordon Carlson <gordycarlson@gmail.com> wrote:
broadband
Not a metaphor. Typically misused these days but still a technical term with a specific, defined meaning.
Which is?
Gordo
-- "Think Feynman"///////// http://pobox.com/~gordo/ gordon.joly@pobox.com/// _______________________________________________ The Air-L@listserv.aoir.org mailing list is provided by the Association of Internet Researchers http://aoir.org Subscribe, change options or unsubscribe at: http://listserv.aoir.org/listinfo.cgi/air-l-aoir.org
Join the Association of Internet Researchers: http://www.aoir.org/
Nancy McDonald-Kenworthy, GA The Women's Place http://womensplace.osu.edu/
On Jun 30, 2008, at 5:22 PM, Gordon Joly wrote:
At 15:37 -0400 28/6/08, Kevin Guidry wrote:
On Sat, Jun 28, 2008 at 3:23 PM, Gordon Carlson <gordycarlson@gmail.com
wrote:
broadband
Not a metaphor. Typically misused these days but still a technical term with a specific, defined meaning.
Isn't that how metaphors are formed ?
On Tue, Jul 1, 2008 at 7:51 AM, Steve Cavrak <Steve.Cavrak@uvm.edu> wrote:
On Jun 30, 2008, at 5:22 PM, Gordon Joly wrote:
At 15:37 -0400 28/6/08, Kevin Guidry wrote:
On Sat, Jun 28, 2008 at 3:23 PM, Gordon Carlson <gordycarlson@gmail.com> wrote:
broadband
Not a metaphor. Typically misused these days but still a technical term with a specific, defined meaning.
Isn't that how metaphors are formed?
Perhaps. I'm not an expert in language or how languages evolve so I'm not in a good position to answer your question. However, it seems to me that most metaphors are used with the explicit understanding that they are indeed metaphors and that understanding seems to supply some of their power and usefulness. Words or phrases that are misused to the point where the "misuse" redefines the word or phrase seem very different from metaphors. And to the person who asked for a definition of broadband: I got rid of my Cisco books a few years ago but I seem to recall that broadband was initially a technical term referring to media capable of transmitting multiple signals at the same time typically using some form of multiplexing. I understand how the term has come to mean "high speed Internet" but the shift from a technically-specific word to a very poorly-defined one greatly saddens my inner computer geek. Kevin
Users' Metaphoric Interaction with the Internet Amy Hogan A.L.Hgan@bath.ac.uk University of Bath Department of Psychology. 2 South, University of Bath, BA2 7 A Y http://amyhogan.com/pdfs/HCI2005_Hogan.pdf ----- Original Message ----- From: "Steve Cavrak" <Steve.Cavrak@Uvm.Edu> To: <air-l@listserv.aoir.org> Sent: Tuesday, July 01, 2008 1:51 PM Subject: Re: [Air-L] Metaphors in Technology
On Jun 30, 2008, at 5:22 PM, Gordon Joly wrote:
At 15:37 -0400 28/6/08, Kevin Guidry wrote:
On Sat, Jun 28, 2008 at 3:23 PM, Gordon Carlson <gordycarlson@gmail.com
wrote:
broadband
Not a metaphor. Typically misused these days but still a technical term with a specific, defined meaning.
Isn't that how metaphors are formed ? _______________________________________________ The Air-L@listserv.aoir.org mailing list is provided by the Association of Internet Researchers http://aoir.org Subscribe, change options or unsubscribe at: http://listserv.aoir.org/listinfo.cgi/air-l-aoir.org
Join the Association of Internet Researchers: http://www.aoir.org/
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Hi, The first edition of the Journal of Virtual Worlds Research is now online: http://jvwresearch.org/ Yours, Jeremiah Spence Editor, Journal of Virtual Worlds Research jspence5@mail.utexas.edu
RE: broadband, you might want to check out the Wikipedia entry http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broadband also Broadband Internet Access http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Broadband_Internet_access I think Broadband (particularly when referring to internet access) is used in a less technical sense (or perhaps by less technical people) in discussions such as those involving Digital Divide (See for example the NTIA's "A Nation Online: Entering the Broadband Age" http://www.ntia.doc.gov/reports/anol/index.html). While it has a very specific technical definition, broadband also carries connotations of privilege. -c On Tue, 1 Jul 2008, Steve Cavrak wrote:
Date: Tue, 1 Jul 2008 07:51:52 -0400 From: Steve Cavrak <Steve.Cavrak@Uvm.Edu> Reply-To: air-l@listserv.aoir.org To: air-l@listserv.aoir.org Subject: Re: [Air-L] Metaphors in Technology
On Jun 30, 2008, at 5:22 PM, Gordon Joly wrote:
At 15:37 -0400 28/6/08, Kevin Guidry wrote:
On Sat, Jun 28, 2008 at 3:23 PM, Gordon Carlson <gordycarlson@gmail.com
wrote:
broadband
Not a metaphor. Typically misused these days but still a technical term with a specific, defined meaning.
Isn't that how metaphors are formed ? _______________________________________________ The Air-L@listserv.aoir.org mailing list is provided by the Association of Internet Researchers http://aoir.org Subscribe, change options or unsubscribe at: http://listserv.aoir.org/listinfo.cgi/air-l-aoir.org
Join the Association of Internet Researchers: http://www.aoir.org/
Chris Hodge University of Tennessee
How about adding "Word-of-mouse" (as opposed to Word Of Mouth?) :) Rgds Adeline ________________________________ From: air-l-bounces@listserv.aoir.org on behalf of Gordon Carlson Sent: Sun 29/06/2008 07:23 To: air-l@listserv.aoir.org Subject: [Air-L] Metaphors in Technology Hello all, Many of you have helped me compile a list of technology metaphors. Several asked to see the list. So here we go. The following is a list of metaphors related to technology and its use. The emphasis is clearly on digital technology but some others are in there as well. If you have additions to the list PLEASE do send them along, I would like to keep the list growing. If you have a dispute or other comment that should make for interesting conversation, as metaphorical as it might be on a mail list. Thanks for all your help! active and inactive bandwidth blog - web log?? blogosphere breadcrumbs brick and mortar broadband broken record (not digital but still a technology metaphor) bulletin boards calculating (as in a person is cold and calculating) chat "rooms" chatting citizen of the internet - netizen click cloud (storage and computing) cyberspace dashboard database deckware desktop dial a touch phone dial up internet access dialog boxes directory domain drop a packet email extranet files filing system firewall flame flaming folders forum forward (as in to forward an email) frames garbage can garbage in, garbage out gateway grinding (used in gaming to get lots of a resource) harvesting hit homepage hotspot hub inbox information superhighway instant messaging intranet link lurking menu mining, especially data mining mouse navigation open (as in a file or email) outbox owning someone (as in to defeat someone in a game, not unique to technology basis for pwned) palette portal programmed or hardwired people protocol quad (a couple people mentioned this but I don't know why it is a metaphor, any help?) recycle bin reply reserving a "seat" for an online course run search engine server shopping carts/basket slides in powerpoint spam speed dial (Opera browser) spyware surfing tabs tag tap (as in a line or phone which is no longer literal) terminal the computer going to "sleep" the whole concept of a virtual open house tree trojan horse trolling virus windows wiping out a team of players (gaming, not unique to technology) world wide web worm -Gordon _______________________________________________ The Air-L@listserv.aoir.org mailing list is provided by the Association of Internet Researchers http://aoir.org <http://aoir.org/> Subscribe, change options or unsubscribe at: http://listserv.aoir.org/listinfo.cgi/air-l-aoir.org Join the Association of Internet Researchers: http://www.aoir.org/
'epeen' (e-penis) and 'ding' (to gain another level, it's a gaming term - 'I dinged level 50 last night'), perhaps? On Sun, Jun 29, 2008 at 1:25 AM, Adeline Chua <achua@business.otago.ac.nz> wrote:
How about adding "Word-of-mouse" (as opposed to Word Of Mouth?) :)
Rgds Adeline
________________________________
From: air-l-bounces@listserv.aoir.org on behalf of Gordon Carlson Sent: Sun 29/06/2008 07:23 To: air-l@listserv.aoir.org Subject: [Air-L] Metaphors in Technology
Hello all,
Many of you have helped me compile a list of technology metaphors. Several asked to see the list. So here we go. The following is a list of metaphors related to technology and its use. The emphasis is clearly on digital technology but some others are in there as well.
If you have additions to the list PLEASE do send them along, I would like to keep the list growing. If you have a dispute or other comment that should make for interesting conversation, as metaphorical as it might be on a mail list.
Thanks for all your help!
active and inactive bandwidth blog - web log?? blogosphere breadcrumbs brick and mortar broadband broken record (not digital but still a technology metaphor) bulletin boards calculating (as in a person is cold and calculating) chat "rooms" chatting citizen of the internet - netizen click cloud (storage and computing) cyberspace dashboard database deckware desktop dial a touch phone dial up internet access dialog boxes directory domain drop a packet email extranet files filing system firewall flame flaming folders forum forward (as in to forward an email) frames garbage can garbage in, garbage out gateway grinding (used in gaming to get lots of a resource) harvesting hit homepage hotspot hub inbox information superhighway instant messaging intranet link lurking menu mining, especially data mining mouse navigation open (as in a file or email) outbox owning someone (as in to defeat someone in a game, not unique to technology basis for pwned) palette portal programmed or hardwired people protocol
quad (a couple people mentioned this but I don't know why it is a metaphor, any help?)
recycle bin reply reserving a "seat" for an online course run search engine server shopping carts/basket slides in powerpoint spam speed dial (Opera browser) spyware surfing tabs tag tap (as in a line or phone which is no longer literal) terminal the computer going to "sleep" the whole concept of a virtual open house tree trojan horse trolling virus windows wiping out a team of players (gaming, not unique to technology) world wide web worm
-Gordon _______________________________________________ The Air-L@listserv.aoir.org mailing list is provided by the Association of Internet Researchers http://aoir.org < http://aoir.org/> Subscribe, change options or unsubscribe at: http://listserv.aoir.org/listinfo.cgi/air-l-aoir.org
Join the Association of Internet Researchers: http://www.aoir.org/
_______________________________________________ The Air-L@listserv.aoir.org mailing list is provided by the Association of Internet Researchers http://aoir.org Subscribe, change options or unsubscribe at: http://listserv.aoir.org/listinfo.cgi/air-l-aoir.org
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How about the metaphor of "space" as referred to the entire Internet? paul emerson teusner -----Original Message----- From: air-l-bounces@listserv.aoir.org [mailto:air-l-bounces@listserv.aoir.org] On Behalf Of Gordon Carlson Sent: Sunday, 29 June 2008 5:23 To: air-l@listserv.aoir.org Subject: [Air-L] Metaphors in Technology Hello all, Many of you have helped me compile a list of technology metaphors. Several asked to see the list. So here we go. The following is a list of metaphors related to technology and its use. The emphasis is clearly on digital technology but some others are in there as well. If you have additions to the list PLEASE do send them along, I would like to keep the list growing. If you have a dispute or other comment that should make for interesting conversation, as metaphorical as it might be on a mail list. Thanks for all your help! active and inactive bandwidth blog - web log?? blogosphere breadcrumbs brick and mortar broadband broken record (not digital but still a technology metaphor) bulletin boards calculating (as in a person is cold and calculating) chat "rooms" chatting citizen of the internet - netizen click cloud (storage and computing) cyberspace dashboard database deckware desktop dial a touch phone dial up internet access dialog boxes directory domain drop a packet email extranet files filing system firewall flame flaming folders forum forward (as in to forward an email) frames garbage can garbage in, garbage out gateway grinding (used in gaming to get lots of a resource) harvesting hit homepage hotspot hub inbox information superhighway instant messaging intranet link lurking menu mining, especially data mining mouse navigation open (as in a file or email) outbox owning someone (as in to defeat someone in a game, not unique to technology basis for pwned) palette portal programmed or hardwired people protocol quad (a couple people mentioned this but I don't know why it is a metaphor, any help?) recycle bin reply reserving a "seat" for an online course run search engine server shopping carts/basket slides in powerpoint spam speed dial (Opera browser) spyware surfing tabs tag tap (as in a line or phone which is no longer literal) terminal the computer going to "sleep" the whole concept of a virtual open house tree trojan horse trolling virus windows wiping out a team of players (gaming, not unique to technology) world wide web worm -Gordon _______________________________________________ The Air-L@listserv.aoir.org mailing list is provided by the Association of Internet Researchers http://aoir.org Subscribe, change options or unsubscribe at: http://listserv.aoir.org/listinfo.cgi/air-l-aoir.org Join the Association of Internet Researchers: http://www.aoir.org/
Another one might be the Internet as a "frontier." Much has been written and criticized on that. I just wrote a paper on that called "Living in YouTubia: Bordering on Civility that address this metaphor. -Patricia G. Lange Postdoctoral Fellow School of Cinematic Arts University of Southern California --- On Sat, 6/28/08, Gordon Carlson <gordycarlson@gmail.com> wrote:
From: Gordon Carlson <gordycarlson@gmail.com> Subject: [Air-L] Metaphors in Technology To: air-l@listserv.aoir.org Date: Saturday, June 28, 2008, 12:23 PM Hello all,
Many of you have helped me compile a list of technology metaphors. Several asked to see the list. So here we go. The following is a list of metaphors related to technology and its use. The emphasis is clearly on digital technology but some others are in there as well.
If you have additions to the list PLEASE do send them along, I would like to keep the list growing. If you have a dispute or other comment that should make for interesting conversation, as metaphorical as it might be on a mail list.
Thanks for all your help!
active and inactive bandwidth blog - web log?? blogosphere breadcrumbs brick and mortar broadband broken record (not digital but still a technology metaphor) bulletin boards calculating (as in a person is cold and calculating) chat "rooms" chatting citizen of the internet - netizen click cloud (storage and computing) cyberspace dashboard database deckware desktop dial a touch phone dial up internet access dialog boxes directory domain drop a packet email extranet files filing system firewall flame flaming folders forum forward (as in to forward an email) frames garbage can garbage in, garbage out gateway grinding (used in gaming to get lots of a resource) harvesting hit homepage hotspot hub inbox information superhighway instant messaging intranet link lurking menu mining, especially data mining mouse navigation open (as in a file or email) outbox owning someone (as in to defeat someone in a game, not unique to technology basis for pwned) palette portal programmed or hardwired people protocol
quad (a couple people mentioned this but I don't know why it is a metaphor, any help?)
recycle bin reply reserving a "seat" for an online course run search engine server shopping carts/basket slides in powerpoint spam speed dial (Opera browser) spyware surfing tabs tag tap (as in a line or phone which is no longer literal) terminal the computer going to "sleep" the whole concept of a virtual open house tree trojan horse trolling virus windows wiping out a team of players (gaming, not unique to technology) world wide web worm
-Gordon _______________________________________________ The Air-L@listserv.aoir.org mailing list is provided by the Association of Internet Researchers http://aoir.org Subscribe, change options or unsubscribe at: http://listserv.aoir.org/listinfo.cgi/air-l-aoir.org
Join the Association of Internet Researchers: http://www.aoir.org/
HI Gordon, How about 'thread'? For a philosphical take on metaphors, if you haven't seen it, there is a book called ... Philosophy In The Flesh: The Embodied Mind And Its Challenge To Western Thought, Lakoff and Johnson (1999) joan ----- Original Message ----- From: "Gordon Carlson" <gordycarlson@gmail.com> To: <air-l@listserv.aoir.org> Sent: Saturday, June 28, 2008 3:23 PM Subject: [Air-L] Metaphors in Technology
Hello all,
Many of you have helped me compile a list of technology metaphors. Several asked to see the list. So here we go. The following is a list of metaphors related to technology and its use. The emphasis is clearly on digital technology but some others are in there as well.
If you have additions to the list PLEASE do send them along, I would like to keep the list growing. If you have a dispute or other comment that should make for interesting conversation, as metaphorical as it might be on a mail list.
Thanks for all your help!
active and inactive bandwidth blog - web log?? blogosphere breadcrumbs brick and mortar broadband broken record (not digital but still a technology metaphor) bulletin boards calculating (as in a person is cold and calculating) chat "rooms" chatting citizen of the internet - netizen click cloud (storage and computing) cyberspace dashboard database deckware desktop dial a touch phone dial up internet access dialog boxes directory domain drop a packet email extranet files filing system firewall flame flaming folders forum forward (as in to forward an email) frames garbage can garbage in, garbage out gateway grinding (used in gaming to get lots of a resource) harvesting hit homepage hotspot hub inbox information superhighway instant messaging intranet link lurking menu mining, especially data mining mouse navigation open (as in a file or email) outbox owning someone (as in to defeat someone in a game, not unique to technology basis for pwned) palette portal programmed or hardwired people protocol
quad (a couple people mentioned this but I don't know why it is a metaphor, any help?)
recycle bin reply reserving a "seat" for an online course run search engine server shopping carts/basket slides in powerpoint spam speed dial (Opera browser) spyware surfing tabs tag tap (as in a line or phone which is no longer literal) terminal the computer going to "sleep" the whole concept of a virtual open house tree trojan horse trolling virus windows wiping out a team of players (gaming, not unique to technology) world wide web worm
-Gordon _______________________________________________ The Air-L@listserv.aoir.org mailing list is provided by the Association of Internet Researchers http://aoir.org Subscribe, change options or unsubscribe at: http://listserv.aoir.org/listinfo.cgi/air-l-aoir.org
Join the Association of Internet Researchers: http://www.aoir.org/
participants (13)
-
Adeline Chua -
chodge5＠utk.edu -
Gordon Carlson -
Gordon Joly -
Jacob Hecht -
Jasmine Pues -
jcu -
Jeremiah Spence -
Kevin Guidry -
NANCY MCDONALD-KNWRTHY -
Patricia Lange -
Paul Emerson Teusner -
Steve Cavrak