Words that have changed meaning during your lifetime...

[lxskllr]

Not quite a 'word', but it seems to me that "CPU" has changed its meaning somewhere along the way. I swear it used to be used for what I guess one would now call the "system box", rather than for just one chip in it. You'd have CPU, a VDU and a keyboard and that's your computer. Or am I imagining that?

I've read about that online, but never heard it in person that I recall. If I heard the tower referred to as a cpu, I'd assume the speaker wasn't particularly savvy. We always called the unit a computer, or monitor depending on what was being referenced.

 

[pmv]

Seems funny calling a computer a computer when I think of a computer as a room full of wires and switches used to compute and calculating.

The first 'computers' were people, of course. I think the word referred to human beings who performed arthmetical calculations, at least up till WW2 (during WW2 I think they were usually women).

Not during my lifetime, granted, but during my parents at least.

 

[RaistlinZ]

Text
Ping
Troll
Brazillian

 

[Soundmanred]

volunteer

 

[tynopik]

I swear it used to be used for what I guess one would now call the "system box", rather than for just one chip in it.

Only by idiots

 

[pmv]

Only by idiots

I'm talking about 30 years ago or more. Prior to microprocessors the CPU would have been a large cabinet of multiple circuit boards and different componants. The CPU would thus have been an entire box, not just one chip. You'd have that box, a VDU, and disk/tape storage. That's presumably why my ancient 1970s era high school text book labelled computers that way.

I guess the word has sort of changed meaning because technology has changed the reality. CPUs are now just one chip.

 

[BUTCH1]

"Apply liberally to infested area"

 

[Sonikku]

Patriotism.

 

[Puppies04]

"turned around"

Used to mean to turn in the opposite direction, now it's kinda like...

Yeah so I turned around to him and said "what's yo beef bro" and he turned around to me and was all like "whatever" so I turned around to him..... (hold on when did you turn away)

 

[Train]

I'm talking about 30 years ago or more. Prior to microprocessors the CPU would have been a large cabinet of multiple circuit boards and different componants. The CPU would thus have been an entire box, not just one chip. You'd have that box, a VDU, and disk/tape storage. That's presumably why my ancient 1970s era high school text book labelled computers that way.

I guess the word has sort of changed meaning because technology has changed the reality. CPUs are now just one chip.

No, even 30 years ago, CPU meant a specific chip.

Anyone who referred to a box as a CPU was using it wrong.

 

[BoomerD]

Your brave and principled linguistic stance embiggens us all.

Prezactly.

 

[IEC]

Racist.

Seriously. People play the race card entirely too much once they start losing an argument, or a legitimate point is being made by the opposing side(s).

Before you call me a racist, I'm 0% white.

 

[OCGuy]

Before you call me a racist, I'm 0% white.

This statement makes you racist. And ignorant.