Technical jargon is still confusing [BT broadband office]

Technical jargon is still confusing

Posted 13 October 2006 at 9:26AM by David Morgan in Doing business online

In every industry and business we use jargon. But in the world of technology jargon is commonplace and most people find it very confusing. However, a recent BBC report surprised me with just how few people understood things I had assumed were commonplace.

Research carried out by Nielsen/NetRatings among British online users showed that;
- 75% didn't know that VOD stands for video-on-demand
- 68% didn't realise that PVRs are personal video recorders
- 67% didn't know the proper name for news feed services is Really Simple Syndication
- 57% weren't aware that IM stood for Instant Messaging
- 35% had heard of podcasting but didn't know what it meant
- 34% had heard of blogging it but weren't sure what it was

I wouldn't be surprised at these results from the general public, but the survey was of people who use online services.

Jargon can be bad for businesses too. In a survey of small-medium businesses over a quarter said confusing technical jargon had led them to make the wrong purchasing decision.

There are numerous places where you can get information on jargon. I like Wikipedia but a quick search also turned up
The Jargon File and NetLingo.

Finally, the BBC have a tech jargon quiz so you can check how much you know - or don't.

Tags: blog, jargon, podcast, PVR, RSS, technology, VOD

New feature: Rate this post!

Currently 0/5
1
2
3
4
5

Average rating: 0/5

Comments

1. At October 13, 2006 11:26 AM, Michael Kenward wrote:

Interesting statistics.

By coincidence I was reading an interesting article from, IEEE spectrum in bed last night, sad bugger that I am.

With the title "Acronym Addiction" it has some amusing insights into this plague.

http://spectrum.ieee.org/oct06/4657

"When you live on the cutting edge of technology, there are, literally, no words to describe it. Instead we have acronyms. Lots and lots of acronyms."

Add acronyms to jargon and a grey fog descends on the brain.

Still, if technical people did not hide behind this sort of thing and learned how to write I would be out of a job.

BT broadband office