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 was originally published as 'The devil's DP dictionary'. 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.