The terminology used in the computer and communications fields adds tremendous confusion not only for the lay person, but for technicians as well. What people outside the field do not realize is that terms are made up by anybody and everybody in a nonchalant, casual manner with little regard or understanding of their future ramifications.
Programmers display error messages that make sense at the moment and never give a thought that people actually have to read them when something goes wrong. Marketing people turn everything upside down, naming things based on how high-tech and sexy they sound. In addition, they change the names of well-known products as a way of introducing something new. Even Worse is naming specific products and technologies with generic words. See
naming fiascos and
technical writer.
A Perfect Example
Following is an example of two protocols that are used to keep network routers up-to-date. IS-IS (Intermediate System to Intermediate System) and OSPF (Open Shortest Path First) do similar things. In fact, OSPF evolved from IS-IS, yet every element associated with it has a different name. This constant changing of names, menus, parameters, etc., is what makes this field seem incomprehensible and discourages many talented people from entering it.
IS-IS OSPF
Subdomain = Area
Level-1 area = Non-backbone area
Level-2 subdomain = Backbone area
L1L2 router = Area Border Router
Intermediate = Autonomous System
System Boundary Router
End system = Host
Intermediate
system = Router
Link = Circuit
Protocol
data unit = Packet
Designated = Designated
Intermediate Router
System
Link-State PDU = Link-State
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IIH PDU = Hello packet
Complete Sequence = Database description
Number PDU