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2019 Tech Glossary

A de facto fallacy.

A dictionary



Summary: This clavis refers to what the de facto definition may be, based on how (and when) media uses the words nowadays

Cloud: server you don't control or own Serverless: server you cannot even access Smart: surveillance Big Data: surveillance using "cloud" (see above) Assistant: surveillance using a small device Speaker: microphone, sometimes "smart" (see above) because it sends audio streams to a "cloud" Open Source: may contain freely-accessible source code for some portions of the product Free: temporarily accessible free of charge (also known as bait) API: access point for surveillance AI: algorithm that collects data 4IR: something new or needing to sound novel App: proprietary, contained software that limits what users can do DevOp: overworked software developer you can wake up at any time of the day (and night) or sysadmin you can ask to code Security: national security, i.e. back doors, but not too many (or not too obvious) Standards: means for passing surveillance data (or "big data") around Community Edition: see "Free" above Enterprise Edition/Enterprise Software: proprietary software Foundation: a corporate front group for PR/lobbying purposes (e.g. Mozilla Foundation, Linux Foundation) Privacy: GUI controls to give people a perception of control over data Inclusiveness: corporate posturing for the appearance of tolerance or disregard for technical merit/quality in pursuit thereof Openness: friendliness towards business, profit Values: personification of corporations, ascribing feelings and ideologies to a collective of shareholders Agile: more managers and bureaucrats, less of the rest Self-driving: driven by corporations instead of people Innovation: patent monopolies that give market exclusivity IoT: devices with security holes in them (see security above) Engagement: puff piece or AstroTurfing Review: shipping of a product to someone with a site (or access to one) in exchange for an advertisement that looks like an article Sponsorship: bribe Keynote: exchanged for sponsorship (see above) Manager: non-technical person who can leverage ignorance to overrule technical people who voice concerns about ethics

And now it's readers' turn to come up with more.

Recent Techrights' Posts

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the layoffs are silent
The Register MS Publishes More Word Salads Promoting "AI" Because It's Paid to Do So
Hype, name-dropping, and scaremongering
 
PIPs at IBMs are Layoffs Because They're Impossible to Satisfy (or They Terminate Workers Despite Satisfying Them)
What insiders say
In the United Kingdom You Can No Longer Make the Assumption People Use Windows (or 'Smart' 'Phone')
As autumn arrives Microsoft faces a crisis
SLAPP Censorship - Part 171 Out of 200: Talking About Corruption and Violence Against Women
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Warming Up for Investigative Journalism About the European Patent Office (EPO), Europe's Second-Largest and Probably Most Corrupt Institution in Europe
It continues to exploit diplomatic immunity for impunity
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Years ago I heard from people who pretended to be ill to avoid getting fired
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We'll Never Do Slop!
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Links for the day
Buying From China
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Over at Tux Machines...
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IRC logs for Thursday, September 03, 2026
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Links for the day
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"stack ranking"
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How many people will still bother purchasing these consoles by the end of the year?
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Yesterday traffic skyrocketed here
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Links for the day
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Links for the day
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Links for the day
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RMS site down due to virtual machines issues upstream
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Links for the day
Over at Tux Machines...
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IRC logs for Wednesday, September 02, 2026
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Links for the day
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Today I checked GNU/Linux in Nepal again
SLAPP Censorship - Part 169 Out of 200: Calling People "Nazis"
'Cancel culture' in action
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The media repeats the "official" numbers
Links 02/09/2026: The Machine Stops, AuraSearch, and DOOM 1/2
Links for the day
1-1 Meetings at IBM This Week, PIPs Expected, Maybe RAs Too
As usual, we invite whistleblowers to tell us what's going on
Links 02/09/2026: Germany Blames Russia for Leipzig Airport Drone Attack and China Gains Power as US Faces Humiliation in the Midst of Presidential Cover-up
Links for the day
Quit Talking About "AI Layoffs" and Talk About How Chatbots and Other Bots Broke Recruitment Processes by Cheating
Bots talking to other bots isn't HR; it's a catastrophe
It's Inevitable Anyway, So...
of course blame Chinese Communists for the "anti-AI" messages
Robotics Isn't "Hey Hi", Robotics Isn't New Either
Is the official Arduino blog becoming shilling platform for Qualcomm's "hey hi" [so-called 'intelligent'] chips?
Giving 'Free Publicity' to the People You Hate and Attack
Be careful what you wish for in social control media
Today We'll Focus on Growth of GNU/Linux
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IBM Secret (or Silent) Layoffs in September 2026
We need whistleblowers
Gemini Links 02/09/2026: GAFAM's E-mail Cartel, ROOPHLOCH 2026, and Homeworlds
Links for the day
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People Who Participate in the Slop Plagiarism Pyramid Scheme and the Moral Dilemma (What's Acceptable for a Salary?)
giant pyramid scheme
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Links for the day
Andrew Lee Has Turned Freenode Into a Slopfarm (Because Who Needs IRC Anyway?)
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Over at Tux Machines...
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IRC Proceedings: Tuesday, September 01, 2026
IRC logs for Tuesday, September 01, 2026