Re: upload / download

[Jan Boomsliter <boom -at- CADENCE -dot- COM>]

My two-cents-worth: Use your second ref.  The first source is too
limiting, probably because it's old.

Changing the definition of a term according to location sounds terriby
cumbersome and fraught with confusion.

        [The situation is fraught.  Fraughter than we thought.]

You're right, we shoulda stuck to "transmit" and "receive."  Why did
somebody invent words that confused rather than clarified?  That's
another topic.

============================

 I'm fairly new to this list, so forgive me if this subject has been
 discussed before. Is there any industry-standard for the use of the
 words "upload" and "download"?

 Two of my source books define the words differently.

 1)
 upload - v. , to transfer data stored in a microcomputer system
     to a storage device in a larger computer system
 download - v., to transfer data stored in a larger system to a
     storage devce in a microcomputer

 2) from Newton's Telecom Dictionary, fifth edition
 upload - to transmit a data file from your computer to another computer.
     The opposite of download, which is receiving a file on your computer
     from another computer. Upload means the same as TRANSMIT, while
     DOWNLOAD means the same as receive. [...]
 downloading - the act of receiving data from another computer into your
     computer. It's also called to RECEIVE. The opposite of UPLOAD or
     TRANSMIT. [...]

 And, internally, we have a third definition offered for consideration --
 that the meaning of upload/download are dependent on your location. The
 speaker's site is always on the "high ground", so that the individual
 always has files uploaded to his site and always downloads to remote
 sites. (This third contribution is from a former employee of a large
 data transfer organization.)

 How are these terms used in your publications? Does anyone know the
 origins of these terms? Too late now to change industry jargon, but
 wouldn't it have been simpler to use "transmit" and "receive" to describe
 these actions?

 Thanks for all the interesting traffic on this list. I've found the
 discussions very informative.

 Jo Davidsmeyer     |
 jad -at- tct -dot- com        |