Re: The word system

[John Bell <johnbell -at- erols -dot- com>]

"System" is one of the ambiguous words that is best avoided. It means
whatever the speaker wants it to mean, and has no standard definition.
Hardware manufacturers use it to refer to their devices. Software producers
use it to refer to their software.

I saw a water filter in the store the other day. Its packaging proudly
touted it as being "a total water purification system".

In computer terms, "system" could mean just the computer.
Or the computer and the monitor.
Or the computer, the monitor, and an application.
Or the computer, the monitor, an application, and the network to which it is
connected.
Or the computer, the monitor, an application, the network, and a printer.
You get the point.

I've almost always found a more precise term to use than "system", and only
fall back on it when I have completely exhausted all other terms.

--- John Bell
    johnbell -at- erols -dot- com


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