The Computer Contradictionary Explained

The Computer Contradictionary
Author:Stan Kelly-Bootle
Country:United States
Language:English
Release Date:May 1995
Media Type:Print
Pages:256 pages
Isbn:0-262-61112-0

The Computer Contradictionary is a non-fiction book by Stan Kelly-Bootle that compiles a satirical list of definitions of computer industry terms. It is an example of "cynical lexicography" in the tradition of Ambrose Bierce's The Devil's Dictionary.[1] Rather than offering a factual account of usage, its definitions are largely made up by the author.[2]

The book was published in May 1995 by MIT Press and is an update of Kelly-Bootle's The Devil's DP Dictionary which appeared in 1981.

Examples

Endless loop. See: Loop, endless

Loop, endless. See: Endless loop

Recursion. See: Recursion

Reception

The Los Angeles Times panned the book, wrote that it was "smartly-titled" but was an "awfully stupid book".[3] ACM Computing Reviews recommended dipping into it because "a dictionary is a difficult read".[4]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: The Court Jester of Computerdom. Dr Dobb's Electronic Review of Books. https://web.archive.org/web/19970222035805/http://www.ercb.com/brief/brief.0026.html. 22 February 1997.
  2. Book: Raymond, Eric S. The New Hacker's Dictionary - 3rd Edition. 1996. MIT Press. 534–535.
  3. News: Harris. Krissy. Dictionaries to De-Encrypt What the Digerati Are Saying. https://web.archive.org/web/20160305225312/http://articles.latimes.com/1998/jan/26/business/fi-12245/2. dead. March 5, 2016. January 26, 1998. Los Angeles Times. 29 October 2012.
  4. Blackman. A. Review: The computer contradictionary (2nd ed.). ACM Computing Reviews. Mar 1, 1996.