Re: what do you call it when your computer stops?

Subject: Re: what do you call it when your computer stops?
From: Jane Bergen <janeb -at- IADFW -dot- NET>
Date: Fri, 1 Sep 1995 22:55:22 +0000

How about "if your computer stops responding....." That's the
Microsoft terminology, but it works for me.


> On Thu, 31 Aug 1995, Solveig Haugland wrote:

> > Several terms are used to describe what happens when your computer just
won't
> > do anything--it's frozen, it locks up, it's hung, and so on. Has anyone
found
> a
> > dignified, yet clear term to describe this? We've tentatively gone with "if
> > your computer stops processing" but it doesn't feel good.

> Diplomacy is called for here. God forbid if the marketing types find out
> that we have even _suggested_ in the documentation that a computer can
> lock up, freeze, hang, crash, get lost, freak out, glitch, or otherwise
> become unresponsive. To print such a blasphemy would be tantamount to
> admitting that the product is _less than perfect_. But, if we must,
> consider the context of the situation being addressed and select a
> descriptive phase that _minimizes_ the psychological impact for the
> "uninitiated user." As a test, read some samples out loud to a
> sales-type and watch his/her face (especially the eyes).

> >
> > This, of course, is to be distinguished from when one is "kicked out" of an
> > application--when it quits unexpectedly.
> >
> Such things only happen to the competition's products, right?

> Dan Azlin ** WORD ENGINEERS, Technical Writing & Publishing **
> Ph/Fax: 508-921-8908 18 School Street
> Internet: dazlin -at- shore -dot- net Beverly, MA 01915-4851


^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Jane Bergen
Technical Writer
janeb -at- iadfw -dot- net or janeb -at- answersoft -dot- com

"The difference between the right word and the almost
right word is the difference between lightning and the
lightning bug." - Mark Twain
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^


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