PRENTICE HALL'S ILLUSTRATED DICTIONARY OF COMPUTING
(Third Edition)

This book was the world’s first comprehensive and most extensive dictionary on the market. It was also the first to incorporate international standards, and to include a style manual (for improved communication) and market data from IDC.

Following the success of the first and second editions, this fully-revised bestseller was exported internationally, including the United States, Canada, The United Kingdom, South East Asia, India, Japan, and New Zealand.

It was the first dictionary to recognise the need for international standards, and to work closely with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) by including official terms defined by ISO and the International Electrotechnical Commission (both of whom are worldwide standardisation bodies).

Standards from other international bodies have also been taken into account, including the American National Standards Institute (ANSI); the Comité Consultatif International de Téléphonique (CCITT); and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE).

What makes this dictionary unique?

This dictionary differs from others on the market in the following important areas:

• it offers explanations as to why certain abbreviations and acronyms are used
• where appropriate, the book give etymologies, correct abbreviations, acronyms, and contractions, and it shows how certain words should be pronounced
• it is accurate; taking into account current international standards and includes official terms defined by ISO (International Organization for Standardization) and IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) which form the specialised system for worldwide standardisation
• it takes into account Greek, Latin, Arabic, French, and English origins to words; incorporating mathematical and scientific considerations
• it includes hundreds of illustrations, tables, diagrams, and photographs
• it covers a wide cross-section of the industry including hardware, software, connectivity, communications, word processing, desktop publishing, graphics, manufacturing, and robotics
• it does not assume that the reader is a technical expert
• it is enjoyable to read and offers interesting ‘snippets’ of information which make fascinating conversation pieces. Randomly-placed snippets include ‘Play on Words’ and ‘Newsflashes’ and ‘Fun Facts’
• it is enriched with industry analysis provided by IDC (International Data Corporation)
• it contains a special Style Manual to help the writer with usage and grammar.

Style Manual

This was the first (and still is the only) book of its kind to incorporate a Style Manual for correct usage of computer terminology. The Style Manual covers correct grammar, usage, ambiguity, numbers, capitalisation, international preferences, word breaks, currency, punctuation, and layout.

The Style Manual gives clear examples of correct and incorrect usage of computer-related terminology so that a reader can communicate more accurately.

Past, Present, Future

This dictionary covers a wide cross-section of the technology industry — explaining the past and the present, while exploring the future.

From around the world, over 500 people and 600 companies have helped the author to define over 6000 computer terms. This book highlights the historical aspects of the computer industry so that readers can learn about the products, events, discoveries, inventions, and people who have made a major contribution to the industry.

The book offers accurate and current information that will help its readers, whether they be technical experts or beginners. Entries describe the meaning behind the words, phrases, acronyms, and abbreviations used with present-day technology in a wide cross-section of business and industry.

So that readers can better understand the new directions in database management, microchip technology, robotics, fibre optics, and the use of satellites in information technology and communications, the book also explains the directions of technology in the areas of hardware, software, and programming languages and covers the Internet and the World Wide Web.

Jonar Nader calls for stabilisation in IT industry jargon

“There is nothing heroic about inventing one’s own abbreviation.”

At the launch of Prentice Hall’s Illustrated Dictionary of Computing, Jonar Nader, who was also the co-founder and President of the Australian Information Technology Society, called for stabilisation in the jargon used in the information technology industry.

In a plea to editors, Nader said that, for the sake of clarity and accuracy, the industry is now mature enough to stabilise on its style of jargon.

“Stabilisation in jargon does not mean that the language has to lose its colour. Nor does it mean that people cannot continue to develop the language. It simply means that writers, journalists, editors, and publicists ought to pay attention and respect to international standards and to the rules of grammar,” said Nader.

“It is important to realise that computer jargon is not a matter of fashion. It is troublesome enough that consumers are often confused by the jargon. Let’s not make matters worse by each having our own style of writing.

“The best and most controversial example is the ways in which various publications abbreviate the term ‘megabyte’. This term has been around for years, yet the industry still finds it acceptable to use dozens of different abbreviations for this simple term. For example, brochures and publications picked at random will show m; mb; M; mB; MB; MBs; M-byte; M-Bytes; Meg; MEG; M-B; and many other similarly-creative ways – all of which are incorrect. It is a little harder trying to differentiate these from the word ‘megabit’ (binary digit), where mb, mB, MB, and M-B are also used. A leading publication that erroneously uses ‘MB’ for megabyte, also writes ‘MBps’ to mean, quite confusingly, megabits per second.

“I have had many arguments with so-called experts who maintain that the term ‘megabyte’ in reference to software must be abbreviated differently to that which refers to hardware. What a load of nonsense! A kilogram is a kilogram, no matter what it measures,” exclaimed Nader.

Nader believes that industry leaders owe it to their customers to maintain a level of consistency. “Those who argue that the English language is a growing beast are right. However, there is no need to precipitate its deformity by refusing to observe international standards. There is nothing heroic about inventing one’s own abbreviation. There are very definite rules of grammar, Latin, Arabic, Greek, French, and English. These also incorporate mathematical and scientific considerations,” added Nader, whose dictionary makes a point of endorsing international standardisation.