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From: Simon Wright <simon@pushface.org>
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Subject: Re: Ada e-books
Date: Thu, 19 Nov 2015 22:10:47 +0000
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Date: 2015-11-19T22:10:47+00:00
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"Randy Brukardt" <randy@rrsoftware.com> writes:

> "device" to me says something about hardware (a mouse is a device, a
> printer is a device), not software.

But, Duff's device (which, it seems, is not very effective nowadays).

Chambers says

(1) something made for a special purpose, eg a tool or instrument.
(2) a plan or scheme for doing something, sometimes involving trickery
    or deceit.

OED says

(1) A thing made or adapted for a particular purpose, especially a piece
    of mechanical or electronic equipment
(2) A plan, method, or trick with a particular aim

I suppose I was thinking more of sense 2. And using sense 1 for
non-hardware might maybe just possibly be considered
old-fashioned. Perhaps.