Wi do technical writers keep doing this?

[Ichinisan]

- ...
-A secure Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity) broadband connection for Wi-Fi enabled devices on your network, such as your cellular telephone, laptops, printers, PDAs, and desktops.
- ...

Ugh. I don't know why we still see this absurd misinformation, even today.

"Hi-Fi" means "High Fidelity."
"Wi-Fi" means...NOTHING.

Why don't tech writers understand this? "Wi-Fi(tm)" exists only as a certification of inter-operability. It's a trademark-able name. It doesn't actually MEAN anything.

Would these statements make any sense?

"I have a wireless fidelity router at home."
"You can use a wireless fidelity USB adapter with your desktop PC."
"Laptops usually have built-in wireless fidelity capability."

/rant

[edit]
...and, yes. I know there was some confusion based on early press releases from the firm that came up with "WiFi." However, is not useful to tell someone " 'WiFi' means 'Wireless Fidelity.' "

 

[AstroManLuca]

i agree

 

[Blackjack200]

I always thought "Wi-Fi" was a stupid thing to call wireless internet. I guess Wi-LAN just isn't as catchy.

 

[MiniDoom]

wlan

 

[M0oG0oGaiPan]

Because you have to call out all acronyms the first time you use them for management even though they probably don't even care. Also the tech writer doesn't have to be very technical at all at least from what I've seen.

 

[Wyndru]

Interbrand came up with a handful of names, and Wi-Fi was quickly determined to be the best. It is important to note that this brand wasn't originally supposed to mean anything, except to be a pun on the term Hi-Fi (High Fidelity).

Interesting, I didn't know what it meant, but I didn't think it meant nothing.

 

[Perknose]

"Wi-Fi" means...NOTHING.
It doesn't actually MEAN anything.

While I understand the legitimate basis for your towering disdain, and at the risk of incurring your righteous wrath, I disagree.

The term is out there in widespread use, so it's simply not useful or productive to pretend it means NOTHING, no matter how correct you may be in your strictly defined but absurdly counter-productive sense.

PC magazine agrees:

Definition of: Wi-Fi

A wireless local area network (WLAN) technology that conforms to the IEEE 802.11 standard. Wi-Fi is the wireless counterpart to the wired Ethernet network, which is the ubiquitous local area network (LAN) technology used in companies and homes worldwide. A Wi-Fi logo from the Wi-Fi Alliance certifies that network devices comply with the IEEE 802.11 standards.

And a long list of other tech sites on the web also agree. Here are just two from the first page of Google search. I don't know how far you'd have to go to find a site that agrees with your rather extreme position. Perhaps you'd like to furnish us with one?

Wi-Fi

The name of a popular wireless networking technology that uses radio waves to provide wireless high-speed Internet and network connections. The Wi-Fi Alliance, the organization that owns the Wi-Fi (registered trademark) term specifically defines Wi-Fi as any "wireless local area network (WLAN) products that are based on the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers' (IEEE) 802.11 standards."

Short for "Wireless Fidelity." Wi-Fi refers to wireless networking technology that allows computers and other devices to communicate over a wireless signal. It describes all network components that are based on one of the 802.11 standards, including 802.11a, 802.11b, 802.11g, and 802.11n. These standards were developed by the IEEE and adopted by the Wi-Fi Alliance, which trademarked the name "Wi-Fi".

OP, perhaps now you can feel my pain in re the English language in general. The barbarians are not just at the gate, they're upstairs in your bed having their way with your wife while ringing a little bell and demanding room service from you. :biggrin:

 

[sao123]

Ugh. I don't know why we still see this absurd misinformation, even today.

"Hi-Fi" means "High Fidelity."
"Wi-Fi" means...NOTHING.

Why don't tech writers understand this? "Wi-Fi(tm)" exists only as a certification of inter-operability. It's a trademark-able name. It doesn't actually MEAN anything.

Would these statements make any sense?

"I have a wireless fidelity router at home."
"You can use a wireless fidelity USB adapter with your desktop PC."
"Laptops usually have built-in wireless fidelity."

/rant

[edit]
...and, yes. I know there was some confusion based on early press releases from the firm that came up with "WiFi." However, is not useful to tell someone "' WiFi' means 'Wireless Fidelity.' "

well actually since fidelity means loyalty or or being part of or membership...
Wifi would technically mean wireless networking, or wireless internet...

 

[spidey07]

Umm, Wi-Fi does mean "wireless fidelity"

 

[guyver01]

Actually.. Wi-Fi isn't a "shorthand" ... it's a brand certification.
Just like DOCSIS doesn't mean cable modem, it's a brand certification for modems matching a specification..

Wi-Fi CERTIFIED is a program for testing products to the 802.11 industry standards for interoperability, security, easy installation, and reliability. The Wi-Fi CERTIFIED logo is an assurance that the Wi-Fi Alliance has tested a product in numerous configurations and with a diverse sampling of other devices to ensure compatibility with other Wi-Fi CERTIFIED equipment that operates in the same frequency band. The Wi-Fi Alliance network of independent test labs conducts interoperability testing programs to ensure that wireless devices work together and support secure connections.

Wi-Fi CERTIFIED devices carry the Wi-Fi CERTIFIED logo and are available through major electronics retailers. Choosing Wi-Fi CERTIFIED products allows you to mix and match devices from different manufacturers, makes setting up your network quick and easy and lets you choose the latest and greatest features and applications

 

[spidey07]

Also, folks in the industry never call it "Wi-Fi". It's simply "wireless".

 

[Wyndru]

Also, folks in the industry never call it "Wi-Fi". It's simply "wireless".

Not sure what industry you are referring to, but our network consultants have used the term "Wi-Fi" on numerous occasions, and cisco's website states Wi-Fi quite a bit in it's product descriptions.

 

[Ichinisan]

...

To be clear, I don't mind the use of "WiFi" at all. I only mind when people say it means "Wireless Fidelity" like that's some kind of useful fact.

 

[Ichinisan]

Umm, Wi-Fi does mean "wireless fidelity"

...to distinguish from wired fidelity?

It may as well mean "Wireless Fireless". (just as much nonsense)

 

[CZroe]

Also, folks in the industry never call it "Wi-Fi". It's simply "wireless".

You know how I know you are wrong? Because that also refers to cellular technologies. While they may often call it simply "wireless," how do you think they distinguish which when necessary? By calling it something a bit more specific, like Wi-Fi or 802.11b. Duh.

 

[CZroe]

While I understand the legitimate basis for your towering disdain, and at the risk of incurring your righteous wrath, I disagree.

The term is out there in widespread use, so it's simply not useful or productive to pretend it means NOTHING, no matter how correct you may be in your strictly defined but absurdly counter-productive sense.

PC magazine agrees:

And a long list of other tech sites on the web also agree. Here are just two from the first page of Google search. I don't know how far you'd have to go to find a site that agrees with your rather extreme position. Perhaps you'd like to furnish us with one?
OP, perhaps now you can feel my pain in re the English language in general. The barbarians are not just at the gate, they're upstairs in your bed having their way with your wife while ringing a little bell and demanding room service from you. :biggrin:

Of course he knows that it means something and even said exactly that. He's saying that the letters themselves aren't short for Wireless-Fidelity or anything else for that matter. It's a name, like Toyota Prius or Alienware M11x. Well, it's a service name, and not a physical product name, but it's a name just the same.

 

[herm0016]

The Wi-Fi logo serves as the "seal of interoperability" for IEEE 802.11b High Rate (HR) wireless LAN products that have successfully completed stringent interoperability testing. Wi-Fi (which stands for "wireless fidelity") certification gives consumer and business buyers assurance that wireless LAN products bearing the Wi-Fi logo will be compatible and work together right out of the box - even when manufactured by different vendors.

a quote from a Wi-Fi alliance press release.

http://www.wi-fi.org/news_articles.php?f=media_news&news_id=64

 

[Drako]

Also, folks in the industry never call it "Wi-Fi". It's simply "wireless".

Interesting :biggrin:

I'm in "the industry", and I've never heard anyone confuse Wi-Fi with Wireless. Wireless refers to cell phones.

 

[Mike Gayner]

Umm, Wi-Fi does mean "wireless fidelity"

LOL spidey is talking again.

 

[Atomic Playboy]

a quote from a Wi-Fi alliance press release.

http://www.wi-fi.org/news_articles.php?f=media_news&news_id=64

That press release is from 2000. The Wi-Fi Alliance no longer refers to Wi-Fi as "wireless fidelity" and the founder admits that the acronym was chosen because it sounded like "Hi-Fi," but not because it was actually intended to be short for "wireless fidelity."

 

[JulesMaximus]

You're all wrong, it stands for "wireless fisting" Everyone knows this.

 

[spidey07]

Interesting :biggrin:

I'm in "the industry", and I've never heard anyone confuse Wi-Fi with Wireless. Wireless refers to cell phones.

It's us old timers who call it wireless. Cellular is called "cellular".

Been doing wireless LANs since like 2000 when intermec was the big player.

 

[nublikescake]

Not sure what industry you are referring to, but our network consultants have used the term "Wi-Fi" on numerous occasions, and cisco's website states Wi-Fi quite a bit in it's product descriptions.

This. "Wireless" usually refers to cellular among professionals when "wi-fi" is present in the same setting. As for the term "wi-fi" itself, even if its latter half is meaningless, it's universally used to denote WLAN.

 

[MotionMan]

That press release is from 2000. The Wi-Fi Alliance no longer refers to Wi-Fi as "wireless fidelity" and the founder admits that the acronym was chosen because it sounded like "Hi-Fi," but not because it was actually intended to be short for "wireless fidelity."

Someone better go tell Korea:

http://www.bernama.com/bernama/v5/newsworld.php?id=593981

http://www.koreaherald.com/business/Detail.jsp?newsMLId=20110614000885

http://www.koreaherald.com/national/Detail.jsp?newsMLId=20110602001016

And Canada:

http://www.stalbertgazette.com/arti...306119965/wi-fi-levels-in-schools-deemed-safe

And Ghana (sorry for the picture):

http://gbcghana.com/index.php?id=1.358615.1.404154



MotionMan

 

[Atomic Playboy]

The meaning of the abbreviation is completely unnecessary as long as people realize what it is referencing. It's irrelevant whether Wi-Fi is short for "wireless fidelity" as long as everyone realizes it describes a wireless networking technology. Most people I know think DVD stands for "digital video disc," but the V is actually short for "versatile." Does that mean they don't know what a DVD is? BD is the accepted abbreviation for Blu-ray, but that doesn't mean that people who use BR don't know what the technology is. It's a semantic debate, and it's largely meaningless.

That said, if someone factually states that "Wi-Fi" stands for "wireless fidelity," it is worth pointing out that the history of the term does not back up that factual claim. We all know what Wi-Fi is and what it refers to; misrepresenting the history of the abbreviation in a matter-of-fact way doesn't change anything. Ultimately, it's a trivial point.

But yes, someone probably should tell those various publications that "wireless fidelity" has fallen out of favor. Doesn't anyone do any fact-checking any more?