The Computer Contradictionary: Difference between revisions
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'''''The Computer Contradictionary''''' is a [[non-fiction]] book by [[Stan Kelly-Bootle]] that compiles a satirical list of definitions of computer industry terms. It | '''''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]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ercb.com/brief/brief.0026.html|title=The Court Jester of Computerdom|work=[[Dr Dobb's]] Electronic Review of Books|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19970222035805/http://www.ercb.com/brief/brief.0026.html|archive-date=22 February 1997}}</ref> Rather than offering a factual account of usage, its definitions are largely made up by the author.<ref>{{cite book|last=Raymond|first=Eric S|title=The New Hacker's Dictionary - 3rd Edition|year=1996|publisher=MIT Press|pages=534–535}}</ref> | ||
The book was published in May 1995 by [[MIT Press]] and is an update of Kelly-Bootle's ''The Devil's [[data processing|DP]] Dictionary'' which appeared in 1981.<ref name=acm/> | The book was published in May 1995 by [[MIT Press]] and is an update of Kelly-Bootle's ''The Devil's [[data processing|DP]] Dictionary'' which appeared in 1981.<ref name=acm/> | ||
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[[Category:Satirical books]] | [[Category:Satirical books]] | ||
[[Category:MIT Press books]] | [[Category:MIT Press books]] | ||
[[Category:1995 books]] | [[Category:1995 non-fiction books]] | ||
[[Category:Computer humour]] | [[Category:Computer humour]] | ||
{{compu-book-stub}} | {{compu-book-stub}} | ||
Latest revision as of 02:16, 13 January 2026
Template:Short descriptionScript error: No such module "Infobox".Script error: No such module "Check for unknown parameters".Template:Wikidata image 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.[3]
Examples
- Endless loop. See: Loop, endless
- Loop, endless. See: Endless loop
- Recursion. See: Recursion
Reception
The Los Angeles Times, which praised the book, wrote that it was "smartly-titled" but was an "awfully stupid book".[4] ACM Computing Reviews recommended dipping into it because "a dictionary is a difficult read".[3]
References
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