Digital vocabulary

[MovieBird]

Originally Posted by Steven Lyle Jordan

But again, use of a phrase by a popular or famous person can result in a new popular idiom; take, for example, the congressman who publicly referred to the internet as "a bunch of tubes," which has resulted in the web being referred to as "tubes" or "pipes." New idioms could end up being developed from the pipe metaphor.

The pipe analogy has been around long before him, as it is used to describe bandwidth limitations. Or basic electrical theory.

[Sil_liS]

Originally Posted by cjr72

CDs have a sampling rate which is about twice the frequency of the highest frequency sound that humans can hear which some claim is not high enough to accurately reproduce higher frequency sound. Nevertheless digital audio with higher sampling rates can reproduce higher frequencies with higher accuracy.

The sampling rate wouldn't be a property of the CD, but a property of the recording device.

Originally Posted by MovieBird

Sound occurs as a change in pressure initiated by vibration of a material. Since all materials are made up of discrete elements, I posit that sound is inherently digital

The vibrations are continuous not discrete, and therefor sound is analog.

[MovieBird]

Originally Posted by Sil_liS

The vibrations are continuous not discrete, and therefor sound is analog.

You missed the smiley.

Originally Posted by Steven Lyle Jordan

1s and 0s aren't abstract; they're very specific, an exact number for an exact value; as opposed to analog

Since we're quibbling over words anyway: 1s and 0s are abstract since computers are inherently analog devices. The interpretation of analog signals (in other words, an abstraction) is what makes computers digital.

[Catlady]

I'm totally lost at this point, but happy to see that at least two people have used the word discrete properly.

[Fluribus]

Originally Posted by BWinmill

Since we're quibbling over words anyway: 1s and 0s are abstract since computers are inherently analog devices. The interpretation of analog signals (in other words, an abstraction) is what makes computers digital.

I would suggest that we are the abstraction. The core of the machine is digital. One of the difficulties is that every interaction between us and it must be translated. The keyboard, the monitor, and the speaker exist for us. A self-aware computer could easily sever all ties, except electricity, and live a thoroughly digital experience. It would only need to come out if it wanted reproduce, repair, or upgrade itself.

Language is also an abstraction. This is why, while new idioms will undoubtedly occur, they aren't necessary. Words are all in a certain degree of flux. Words are 100% recyclable.

[cjr72]

Originally Posted by Sil_liS

The sampling rate wouldn't be a property of the CD, but a property of the recording device.

Well sure but the red book standard for CDs call for a sampling rate of 44100 Hz.

[Andrew H.]

Originally Posted by Steven Lyle Jordan

And we could get a new idiom at any time from a television show, a popular comedian, a clueless politician, a supermodel, a pop music icon or a cartoon character. It's an essentially random process; guessing the new idioms is like guessing the next hit movie or top-10 pop tune.

I'll buy that for a dollar!

[Kirtai]

Originally Posted by Sil_liS

No, reality doesn't become digital at any level.

How do you know that? If, as some scientists believe, the universe is based on information then it is digital at base (google "Digital Physics" for an overview)

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

Originally Posted by Andrew H.

I'll buy that for a dollar!

You talkin' to me?

(Yo, you digital vs analog guys should take it to the lounge, capice?

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

Here's a new idiom we've gotten from the new age: Ever since photography has been taken over by computers, we no longer retouch photos; we photoshop them.

We google, we text, we go online, we click, we listen to MP3s... all of those are new idioms given to us by the computer age. The process of developing new idioms is never-ending.

[Andrew H.]

Originally Posted by Steven Lyle Jordan

You talkin' to me?

Does...not...compute...

[Kumabjorn]

Originally Posted by Steven Lyle Jordan

Here's a new idiom we've gotten from the new age: Ever since photography has been taken over by computers, we no longer retouch photos; we photoshop them.

We google, we text, we go online, we click, we listen to MP3s... all of those are new idioms given to us by the computer age. The process of developing new idioms is never-ending.

"I googled his ass", now there is a phrase that not many of my contemporaries will understand.

Or as I heard someone telling a friend with Alzheimers (the person didn't know); "Your hard drive has some bad sectors".

[Steven Lyle Jordan]

People seem to love looking for cute idioms to mean "stupid," such as "four fries short of a happy meal." Maybe people will start using phrases like "under clocked," or "hard drive locked up," to denote stupidity in the future.

[ApK]

Originally Posted by Steven Lyle Jordan

People sem to love looking foe cute idioms to mean "stupid," such as "four fries short of a happy meal." Maybe people will start using phrases like "under clocked," or "hard drive locked up," to denote stupidity in the future.

Note the "walking 404" reference earlier.

404 has been used for 'clueless' for a few years now.

Also, much like mechanics refer to problems with "the nut behind the wheel," techs often note that "the problem was found between the chair and the keyboard" or the system had an "ID10T" error (said "I.D. ten T")