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Limiting the use of acronyms to a minimum


milandro

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This is an appeal to the members for a merciful and  limited use of acronyms.

 

While some terms might look obvious to the more frequent camera forum goers, the term might be obscure or totally unknown for others.

 

Since the purpose of a forum is communicating with others who might not be aware of the meaning of the many acronyms, please, spell things out.

 

Remember that the current version of the search engine doesn’t even allow searching too short a word and that includes ANY 3 letter word, if you do, even for something as stupid and obvious as LCD you get this 

 

One or all of your search keywords were below 4 characters or you searched for words which are not allowed, such as 'html', 'img', etc, please increase the length of these search keywords or choose different keywords.

 

So this would be another reason to spell things out  please! ;)

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Cheers @cale33! I don’t even think it is a matter of being a professional in fact, quite the opposite, most of the fora dwellers are not professional! It is just an habit.

 

Any large company suffers the same problem, people get emails that they don’t understand because the sender assumes the acronym is commonplace while it isn’t.

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You missed the point of the thread completely.

 

This is NOT about the search engine , that one is an extra complication that I’ve mentioned to make my point, it is about using a language that is comprehensible.

 

The use of acronyms is not a good habit. My post is NOT about not being able to search is about not understanding what you are talking about!

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Depends. After all, we all (should) know what an OVF, EVF or LCD is. Or ISO. Searching for this terms with Google yields useful results. The forum search can't really handle it, though. This is also important when we are searching for cameras like the X10, X20, X30, XF1, XQ1, XQ2. Even searches for X-T1, X-E1, X-E2, X-A1, X-A1, X-M1 etc. often don't work with normal forum searches, but a Google forum search will do the job. So adding the Google option would be reasonable. It works well in the German forum version.

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Thanks Andreas, this should make things easier for many users, especially since the forum search tends to ignore the "-" in camera model names, so "X-T1" etc. is treated as a 3 letter word by the forum search. Google search does the job.

 

As for acronyms: Milandro or someone else could compile a list of commonly used acronyms with explanations, which could be posted as a sticky thread or blog entry. I remember that we did this in the early days of my frequent flyer forum: http://www.vielfliegertreff.de/fragen-ankuendigungen-ideen/786-abkuerzungen-fachbegriffe-usw.html#post14392 

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I've always felt that the use of acronyms by people are a way to differentiate themselves from the commoners.  I really don't like acronyms on forums unless they would almost be universaly known by a near 100%.  If they aren't that well known, then you're just showing off.

 

This are precisely my feelings and I am sure they are widely shared by the acronyms victims anywhere. It simply means: " I am in the know......can’t you tell it by the way I write? "

 

The use of acronyms is poor form as it is the use of “ SMS English” ( writiN DIS way iz a shO off) we could provide people with dictionaries, vademecum and translators but the best is simply to be clear takes little effort and shows respect for others.

 

Read this

 

https://books.google.nl/books?id=2FRz-4vT1vUC&pg=PA52&lpg=PA52&dq=against+the+use+of+acronyms&source=bl&ots=wRzLzQwh5Z&sig=S3FsScTtXYBngfEaMN4k9hZmHUQ&hl=it&sa=X&ved=0CD8Q6AEwBGoVChMIl-mgwdSgyAIVwlRyCh2aIw0O#v=onepage&q=against%20the%20use%20of%20acronyms&f=false

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I've always felt that the use of acronyms by people are a way to differentiate themselves from the commoners.  I really don't like acronyms on forums unless they would almost be universaly known by a near 100%.  If they aren't that well known, then you're just showing off.

 

Interesting reading this thread.  I fully agree with what is said above, but at the same time I can't remember what "LCD" stands for other than the screen on the back of the camera.  LOL

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Kind of like when people use words like this instead of simply saying "handbook" or "guide" you mean?

 

Welcome, dear visitor! As registered member you'd see an image here…

Simply register for free here – We are always happy to welcome new members!

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Vademecum is a normal word , like  pedant. Some people understand it some don’t.

Depending on education.

 

Most English-speaking inhabitants of this planet see very little difference between "extracurricular" and "extracorporeal". Besides, vade mecum are two words, and if you translate 'em literally you'll get "EDC" in modern, Internet-era English.

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Depending on your education on a certain topic you'd also understand the common acronyms that are used there. Depending on your education you'd also understand if someone here started writing in a different language than English. 

 

I might interpret this the wrong way, but right now, you only come across as a language snob, not someone who actually wants to help by starting this discussion. Please accept my apologies if that's not the case, it's just my impression.

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The point is, and keeps on being, that using acronyms is bad form, using language, uncommon as it is might be, isn’t.

 

WTF might simply mean World Taekwondo Federation 

 

JFYI, acronyms are of great help when it comes to the commonly used, but unnecessarily ponderous phraseologisms. For example, we commonly use "CV" instead of "curriculum vitae" or even "resume".

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The title of the discussion that I have elected to open is “limiting the use of acronyms to a minimum” not  “ getting rid of any acronym here or anywhere else “.

 

It was a kind invitation to limit these expression because they are not of common usage and understanding. Those who use them might not be aware of the frustrating role they play for those who aren’t privy to their meaning.

 

I would have never expected to be on the receiving hands of this many slings and arrows for inviting to “limit” oneself to a sober use of acronyms. 

 

The word acronym is not a simple one, I know.

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I have an idea... why don't we have a section where we can have a complete of acronyms used on the thread... then we, the forum users can operate with acronyms or without :-)

 

TBH, most acronyms annoy the hell out of me, and if I'm going to be using them I use the legal method whereby they are defined at first time of use , so too be honest (TBH) is how I would introduce the acronym.

 

Something that would work would be the adoption of a single version of English - such as the UK version, as invented by the English - hence the name English! That would also reduce the need for trying to understood what is being said by some one using one of the many variants of English aroound the world!

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I would certainly find perfectly acceptable to use acronyms in a post if, the first time it is spelled out in its entirety and then, the rest of the times, it is abbreviated.

 

None of it is compulsory but common courtesy towards those who do not have the same command of the digital photography acronyms language... or as we snobs call it: DPAL  -_-

 

That is and always was, all I asked,

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