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> On 24 May 96 at 11:43, Susan Self @ignite wrote:
> > No one seems to have noticed the fact that products for software
> > developers often contain many "functions" that can be called,
> > such as runtime routines. A product with such functions as well as other
> > features therefore has many capabilities. I think that the word
> > "functionality" may have evolved to refer to this collection of
> > functions and features.
> Since this thread started, I've made the effort to check the way in
> which functionality has been used. The context in 329 uses of the
> word (mainly in computer science abstracts) indicates that
> "functionality" is used in the sense of "the range or breadth of
> functions that [something] has". In 40% of these
> cases, the word was used in reference to additional or reduced
> "functionality".
> It is therefore a very useful word for which there appears to be no
> substitute.
> I think we should always remember that a word is introduced to a
> language because one person (usually) felt a need for it; it remains
> in the language because many people find it useful. So it is with
> "functionality".
> Mike Mellody
> 100076 -dot- 3716 -at- dcompuserve -dot- com
> mike -dot- mellody -at- pixie -dot- co -dot- za
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Mike,
Any chance you can give a few of the best examples where functionality
seemed to be the best word. I've rarely, if ever, seen it used and would
like to see the word in context before I venture onto the field of
battle.
Thanks,
Greg Taggart
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