Anyone remember George Carlin, Woodstock, and Hill Street Blues? - then, you need to give refresh your vocabulary when you're talking about the beloved computer. New technology is developed everyday, and along with these new developments, comes a whole new set of acronyms.
Recently, I learned that several technical computer terms and phrases, are outdated.
For instance, do you remember ASPs (Active Server Pages)? Well, they've just become "cloud computing," although the two are virtually the same thing. ASP or ASP Classic was Microsoft's first server-wide script engine, for dynamically-generated web pages.
More, newly outdated terms follow:
-- INTRANET
In the 1990s, the term "intranet" referred to private networks running the Internet Protocol (IP), and others, such as, Hypertext Transfer Protocol (HTTP). Companies used internal Websites that could only be used by employees, and were hosted behind firewalls. However, today private networks use IP, and a new term has been put into play. Virtual Private Network (VPN) now describes individual, private IP-based networks.
-- EXTRANET
The term "extranet" referred to private network connections that were based on Internet standards, like IP and HTTP. These connections went outside the organization and could be used between businesses. Many times point-to-point electronic data interchange (EDI) was replaced by Extranets. But, today communications between business partners is accessed by the company's VPN.
-- SURFING
Today, the terms Internet and World Wide Web are one and the same to teens. If you slip and mention that you were surfing the Web, most likely you'll be thought to be speaking a foreign language! So, if you want the younger crowd to understand what you're saying, use "browsing" instead of "surfing."
-- PUSH TECHNOLOGY
In 1996, PointCase Network was released. This was a Web service that send news streams to their subscribers. This network demanded too much network bandwidth, and Really Simple Syndication (RSS) feed technology was developed. RSS is the preferred methods to publish information for Internet subscribers.
-- APPLICATION SERVICE PROVIDER (ASP)
The term "Application Service Provider" was changed to "Software-as-a-Service" (SaaS). Although both terms refer to vendor hosted software applications. This software is purchased, on a subscription basis, instead of owning and operating the program. The term ASP was popular before the term dot-com demise. The fashionable term today is "cloud computing."
-- PERSONAL DIGITAL ASSISTANT (PDA)
In the early 1990s, John Sculley, the former Apple CEO, presented the Apple Newton term "personal digital assistant" (PDA) that referred to handheld computers. This technology continued to be used in 1996. But, then the Palm Pilot became the big demand within the corporate world. Today, Blackberry and iPhone handheld computers, are known as "smartphones."
-- INTERNET TELEPHONY
The term "Internet Telephony" has been changed to Voice over IP (VoIP). But, be aware, VoIP is, also, going out of style, because very soon, telephone calls will be routed over the Internet. Public Switched Telephone Networks (PSTN) will be extinct. And, PSTN will soon be put into storage, because all voice, video, and data trafficking will be transmitted on the Internet.
-- WEBLOG
The well-known blog is really a shortened version of "Weblog." This term came about in the late 1990s, and described comments, opinions, and statements published online, by individuals. The Weblog gave birth to words like, "blogger" and "blogosphere." Nowadays, people don't have time to "blog," and are now "microblogging." Twitter is becoming a generic term to turn out 140-character observations or opinions, and "blogosphere" will soon be gone.
-- THIN CLIENT
The term "thin client," popular in the early 1990s, referred to Oracle's alternative terminal-like approach. Larry Ellison brought to light, flaws in client/server computing architecture, and advertised "thin clients" was the way to improve network security and manageability. However, "thin clients" never replaced PCs, the concept is similar to "virtual desktops."
-- RBOC
In 1984, AT&T was forced to split up into seven (7) Regional Bell Operating Companies (RBOCs), and became known as Baby Bells. Customers purchased local service from RBOCs, and long-distance service from other carriers, such as AT&T. Throughout the last 15 years, mergers within the Telecom industry, and integrated local- and long-distance carriers, like, AT&T, Verizon and Qwest were born. This change makes terms, such as, RBOC, Incumbent Local Exchange Carrier (ILEC), and Competitive Local Exchange Carrier (CLEC) obsolete.
-- LONG-DISTANCE CALL
Distinguishing between local and long-distance calls are unnecessary today, due to available flat-rate calling plans. And, there's no need to distinguish between terrestrial and wireless calls because wireless services have all but replaced them. Pay phones and long-distance calls are relics of the past.
-- WORLD WIDE WEB
Nobody talks about the "World Wide Web," or the "Information Superhighway," anymore. Today, the only term is "Internet."
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