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From: Richard D Riehle <laoXhai@ix.netcom.com>
Subject: Re: Business Week (12/6/99 issue) article on Software Quality
Date: 1999/12/08
Message-ID: <82mle2$3v3$1@nntp8.atl.mindspring.net>#1/1
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References: <B46A7702.169C%houseofcards@surfree.com>
 <m37liyerpj.fsf@kiuk0156.chembio.ntnu.no>
 <82hk54$cbc$1@nntp6.atl.mindspring.net> <82lv4i$aso$1@nnrp1.deja.com>
Organization: MindSpring Enterprises
X-Server-Date: 8 Dec 1999 22:17:38 GMT
Newsgroups: comp.lang.ada
Date: 1999-12-08T22:17:38+00:00
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In article <82lv4i$aso$1@nnrp1.deja.com>,
	Ted Dennison <dennison@telepath.com> wrote:

>As a reader, you loose me right here. This kind of lingusitc revisionism
>has throughout history been the exclusive domain of shrills and
>crackpots. 

Don't hold back, Ted.  As one of those "shrills and crackpots," I would
want you to really say what you mean.  Linguistic revisionism, indeed.

>There is ample proof that changing the word used to describe
>something has absolutely no impact on the meaning people give the
>concept. 

The choice of a word can be quite important to how someone perceives
a product or idea.  Revolutions have been initiated through the
clever selection of the right words.  Advertising is about symbols.
Words are symbols.   The "movers and shakers," in the poem by
Arthur O'Shaugnessy, are the "poets and music makers," people who
often specialize in words.  

In the case of the word "bug" versus "mistake" I believe the correct
choice of word does ultimately make a difference.  Perhaps I am wrong.
A lot of people think so.  On the other hand, I am finding that a lot
of people agree with me.  

>To make matters worse, the "improved" term is invariably longer
>and more mushy-mouthed.

Please craft your own response to the Business Week article if you
find mine so odius.  It will do no harm for the magazine to receive
multiple submissions.  The editors may then select from among those 
that seem most appropriate.  

Richard Riehle