"program demographics"

[Mike Collier - SSG <MikeCol -at- SBSERVICES -dot- COM>]

In a meeting today the program manager and a consultant tossed about the
term "program demographics" as a category that would describe the
following in a 4GL system: overview, program listing, program testing,
program location, change log.

If they have their way this term would become a major section in a
system manual.

In my never-ending fight to promote clear technical communication and
save the English language from unnecessary obfuscation, I pointed out
that the term "demographics" has plenty more to do with sociology and
marketing than a computer program, yet offense was taken.

Ignoring for a moment that the above listed items may be difficult to
place under one umbrella anyway, whatever it ends up being named, (I
will probably change it to something like Program Overview)  I was
wondering if anyone has ever heard this term used (it's not listed in
the Online Dictionary of Computer
(http://wfn-shop.Princeton.edu/foldoc/)).

Sure was a first hand experience at seeing how useless, meaningless
jargon gets created (unless, of course, you all point out my ignorance
at never having heard the term "program demographics" before!)

Thanks,

Michael Collier
mikecol -at- sbservices -dot- com
SOFTBANK Services Group
Buffalo, NY
http://www.sbservices.com

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