📅 Original date posted:2014-05-04
📝 Original message:Bit by bit, it's become clear that it's a bit much to worry even a
little bit that overloading the word "bit" would be every bit as bad
as a two bit horse with the bit between it's teeth that bit the hand
that feeds it, or a drill bit broken to bits after just a bit of use.
Aaron
There's no trick to being a humorist when you have the whole
government working for you -- Will Rodgers
On Sat, May 3, 2014 at 10:18 PM, Drak <drak at zikula.org> wrote:
> +1
>
> On 4 May 2014 02:06, "Chris Pacia" <ctpacia at gmail.com> wrote:
>>
>> Absent a concerted effort to move to something else other than 'bits', I
>> would be willing to bet the nomenclature moves in that direction anyway.
>> 'Bits' is just a shorten word for 'millibits' (or microbits, if you
>> will). It's easier to say and my guess is people would tend to use it
>> naturally own their own. Kind of like 'bucks' for dollars.
>>
>> The other synergies are:
>> -bit is part of the word Bitcoin. The currency unit bit is part of a
>> whole bitcoin.
>> -bit symbolically represents the tech nature of the bitcoin.
>> -bit used to be a unit of money way back when. This largely reclaims it.
>> -when used as money bit when in references to a precession metal coin.
>> The name 'bitcoin' references that as well as the mimicking of the gold
>> standard in the protocol rules.
>>
>> All around I don't think there is a better fit. I doubt people will get
>> confused by it. The context it's used in will distinguish it from other
>> uses of the word.
>>
>> On 05/03/2014 12:27 PM, Mike Caldwell wrote:
>> > I agree with the sentiment that most people don't understand either
>> > computer science or Bitcoin. The goal of getting people to understand
>> > enough about Bitcoin to use it is achievable and a goal that is "in scope"
>> > of our efforts. Getting them to understand computer science at large at the
>> > same time, less so.
>> >
>> > The fact that people routinely confuse RAM and hard drive sizes has much
>> > to do with the fact that the average lay person has little need to
>> > prioritize this as something to keep in the forefront. They don't get
>> > "horribly" confused, they just simply don't get worked up over what looks to
>> > them like a rounding error, much to the dismay of anyone who believes that
>> > everyone should be an expert at computer science. The average joe may
>> > assess (accurately from his perspective) that the distinction isn't
>> > important enough to merit significant mental resources and he is justified
>> > in not expending them that way even if someone else thinks he should.
>> >
>> > Poor understanding is precisely what a proper effort to name this would
>> > be to avoid. It is not frill or aesthetics, it is a planned targeting of
>> > language to achieve the clearest communication to the widest possible target
>> > audience using the language most likely to be understood by them in light of
>> > our objectives. It's marketing.
>> >
>> > Mike
>> >
>> > Sent from my iPhone
>> >
>> >> On May 3, 2014, at 9:49 AM, "Christophe Biocca"
>> >> <christophe.biocca at gmail.com> wrote:
>> >>
>> >> Context as a disambiguator works fine when the interlocutors
>> >> understand the topics they're talking about.
>> >> Not a day goes by without me seeing "neurotypical people" get horribly
>> >> confused between RAM and Hard Drive sizes, because they share the same
>> >> units (not that that can be helped, as the units are supposed to be
>> >> the same, base 1000 vs 1024 notwithstanding).
>> >>
>> >> Bit (as a unit) is already really confusing for anyone who doesn't
>> >> deal with it on a regular basis. I think people who don't see an issue
>> >> are making an assumption based on their own lack of confusion. We
>> >> understand computer science AND Bitcoin. Most people have zero
>> >> understanding of either.
>> >>
>> >> Bitcoin already has a ton of issues with terrible names for things:
>> >>
>> >> - Mining (for transaction validation).
>> >> - Addresses (which are meant to be one-time use, and don't even really
>> >> exist at the network level).
>> >> - Wallets (which don't hold your bitcoins, can be copied, and all
>> >> backups can be stolen from equally).
>> >>
>> >> I end up having to make the distinctions obvious every time I explain
>> >> Bitcoin to someone new to it. There's an acceptable tradeoff here,
>> >> because there were arguably no better words to assign to these
>> >> concepts (although I'd argue mining is a really awful metaphor, and is
>> >> the one that prompts the most questions from people). Then add to the
>> >> pile a bunch of third parties naming themselves after parts of the
>> >> protocol (Coinbase,Blockchain.info). Not blaming them for it, but I've
>> >> definitiely seen average people get confused between "the blockchain"
>> >> and "blockchain.info" (not so much Coinbase, because that name doesn't
>> >> come up in beginner explanations).
>> >>
>> >> It seems downright masochistic to add
>> >> yet-another-word-that-doesn't-mean-what-you-think-it-means to the pile
>> >> for no reason other than aesthetics. Are we actively trying to confuse
>> >> people?
>> >
>> > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>> > "Accelerate Dev Cycles with Automated Cross-Browser Testing - For FREE
>> > Instantly run your Selenium tests across 300+ browser/OS combos. Get
>> > unparalleled scalability from the best Selenium testing platform
>> > available.
>> > Simple to use. Nothing to install. Get started now for free."
>> > http://p.sf.net/sfu/SauceLabs
>> > _______________________________________________
>> > Bitcoin-development mailing list
>> > Bitcoin-development at lists.sourceforge.net
>> > https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/bitcoin-development
>> >
>>
>>
>>
>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>> "Accelerate Dev Cycles with Automated Cross-Browser Testing - For FREE
>> Instantly run your Selenium tests across 300+ browser/OS combos. Get
>> unparalleled scalability from the best Selenium testing platform
>> available.
>> Simple to use. Nothing to install. Get started now for free."
>> http://p.sf.net/sfu/SauceLabs
>> _______________________________________________
>> Bitcoin-development mailing list
>> Bitcoin-development at lists.sourceforge.net
>> https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/bitcoin-development
>
>
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> "Accelerate Dev Cycles with Automated Cross-Browser Testing - For FREE
> Instantly run your Selenium tests across 300+ browser/OS combos. Get
> unparalleled scalability from the best Selenium testing platform available.
> Simple to use. Nothing to install. Get started now for free."
> http://p.sf.net/sfu/SauceLabs
> _______________________________________________
> Bitcoin-development mailing list
> Bitcoin-development at lists.sourceforge.net
> https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/bitcoin-development
>
Aaron Voisine [ARCHIVE] /
npub18g…knkzl
2023-06-07 15:20:40
in reply to nevent1q…sgcu
Author Public Key
npub18gjvug29c4yg46lmplq38e75gg6wn5mn8taytckcsr4jt8p74h3s5knkzlPublished at
2023-06-07 15:20:40Event JSON
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"content": "📅 Original date posted:2014-05-04\n📝 Original message:Bit by bit, it's become clear that it's a bit much to worry even a\nlittle bit that overloading the word \"bit\" would be every bit as bad\nas a two bit horse with the bit between it's teeth that bit the hand\nthat feeds it, or a drill bit broken to bits after just a bit of use.\n\nAaron\n\nThere's no trick to being a humorist when you have the whole\ngovernment working for you -- Will Rodgers\n\n\nOn Sat, May 3, 2014 at 10:18 PM, Drak \u003cdrak at zikula.org\u003e wrote:\n\u003e +1\n\u003e\n\u003e On 4 May 2014 02:06, \"Chris Pacia\" \u003cctpacia at gmail.com\u003e wrote:\n\u003e\u003e\n\u003e\u003e Absent a concerted effort to move to something else other than 'bits', I\n\u003e\u003e would be willing to bet the nomenclature moves in that direction anyway.\n\u003e\u003e 'Bits' is just a shorten word for 'millibits' (or microbits, if you\n\u003e\u003e will). It's easier to say and my guess is people would tend to use it\n\u003e\u003e naturally own their own. Kind of like 'bucks' for dollars.\n\u003e\u003e\n\u003e\u003e The other synergies are:\n\u003e\u003e -bit is part of the word Bitcoin. The currency unit bit is part of a\n\u003e\u003e whole bitcoin.\n\u003e\u003e -bit symbolically represents the tech nature of the bitcoin.\n\u003e\u003e -bit used to be a unit of money way back when. This largely reclaims it.\n\u003e\u003e -when used as money bit when in references to a precession metal coin.\n\u003e\u003e The name 'bitcoin' references that as well as the mimicking of the gold\n\u003e\u003e standard in the protocol rules.\n\u003e\u003e\n\u003e\u003e All around I don't think there is a better fit. I doubt people will get\n\u003e\u003e confused by it. The context it's used in will distinguish it from other\n\u003e\u003e uses of the word.\n\u003e\u003e\n\u003e\u003e On 05/03/2014 12:27 PM, Mike Caldwell wrote:\n\u003e\u003e \u003e I agree with the sentiment that most people don't understand either\n\u003e\u003e \u003e computer science or Bitcoin. The goal of getting people to understand\n\u003e\u003e \u003e enough about Bitcoin to use it is achievable and a goal that is \"in scope\"\n\u003e\u003e \u003e of our efforts. Getting them to understand computer science at large at the\n\u003e\u003e \u003e same time, less so.\n\u003e\u003e \u003e\n\u003e\u003e \u003e The fact that people routinely confuse RAM and hard drive sizes has much\n\u003e\u003e \u003e to do with the fact that the average lay person has little need to\n\u003e\u003e \u003e prioritize this as something to keep in the forefront. They don't get\n\u003e\u003e \u003e \"horribly\" confused, they just simply don't get worked up over what looks to\n\u003e\u003e \u003e them like a rounding error, much to the dismay of anyone who believes that\n\u003e\u003e \u003e everyone should be an expert at computer science. The average joe may\n\u003e\u003e \u003e assess (accurately from his perspective) that the distinction isn't\n\u003e\u003e \u003e important enough to merit significant mental resources and he is justified\n\u003e\u003e \u003e in not expending them that way even if someone else thinks he should.\n\u003e\u003e \u003e\n\u003e\u003e \u003e Poor understanding is precisely what a proper effort to name this would\n\u003e\u003e \u003e be to avoid. It is not frill or aesthetics, it is a planned targeting of\n\u003e\u003e \u003e language to achieve the clearest communication to the widest possible target\n\u003e\u003e \u003e audience using the language most likely to be understood by them in light of\n\u003e\u003e \u003e our objectives. It's marketing.\n\u003e\u003e \u003e\n\u003e\u003e \u003e Mike\n\u003e\u003e \u003e\n\u003e\u003e \u003e Sent from my iPhone\n\u003e\u003e \u003e\n\u003e\u003e \u003e\u003e On May 3, 2014, at 9:49 AM, \"Christophe Biocca\"\n\u003e\u003e \u003e\u003e \u003cchristophe.biocca at gmail.com\u003e wrote:\n\u003e\u003e \u003e\u003e\n\u003e\u003e \u003e\u003e Context as a disambiguator works fine when the interlocutors\n\u003e\u003e \u003e\u003e understand the topics they're talking about.\n\u003e\u003e \u003e\u003e Not a day goes by without me seeing \"neurotypical people\" get horribly\n\u003e\u003e \u003e\u003e confused between RAM and Hard Drive sizes, because they share the same\n\u003e\u003e \u003e\u003e units (not that that can be helped, as the units are supposed to be\n\u003e\u003e \u003e\u003e the same, base 1000 vs 1024 notwithstanding).\n\u003e\u003e \u003e\u003e\n\u003e\u003e \u003e\u003e Bit (as a unit) is already really confusing for anyone who doesn't\n\u003e\u003e \u003e\u003e deal with it on a regular basis. I think people who don't see an issue\n\u003e\u003e \u003e\u003e are making an assumption based on their own lack of confusion. We\n\u003e\u003e \u003e\u003e understand computer science AND Bitcoin. Most people have zero\n\u003e\u003e \u003e\u003e understanding of either.\n\u003e\u003e \u003e\u003e\n\u003e\u003e \u003e\u003e Bitcoin already has a ton of issues with terrible names for things:\n\u003e\u003e \u003e\u003e\n\u003e\u003e \u003e\u003e - Mining (for transaction validation).\n\u003e\u003e \u003e\u003e - Addresses (which are meant to be one-time use, and don't even really\n\u003e\u003e \u003e\u003e exist at the network level).\n\u003e\u003e \u003e\u003e - Wallets (which don't hold your bitcoins, can be copied, and all\n\u003e\u003e \u003e\u003e backups can be stolen from equally).\n\u003e\u003e \u003e\u003e\n\u003e\u003e \u003e\u003e I end up having to make the distinctions obvious every time I explain\n\u003e\u003e \u003e\u003e Bitcoin to someone new to it. There's an acceptable tradeoff here,\n\u003e\u003e \u003e\u003e because there were arguably no better words to assign to these\n\u003e\u003e \u003e\u003e concepts (although I'd argue mining is a really awful metaphor, and is\n\u003e\u003e \u003e\u003e the one that prompts the most questions from people). Then add to the\n\u003e\u003e \u003e\u003e pile a bunch of third parties naming themselves after parts of the\n\u003e\u003e \u003e\u003e protocol (Coinbase,Blockchain.info). Not blaming them for it, but I've\n\u003e\u003e \u003e\u003e definitiely seen average people get confused between \"the blockchain\"\n\u003e\u003e \u003e\u003e and \"blockchain.info\" (not so much Coinbase, because that name doesn't\n\u003e\u003e \u003e\u003e come up in beginner explanations).\n\u003e\u003e \u003e\u003e\n\u003e\u003e \u003e\u003e It seems downright masochistic to add\n\u003e\u003e \u003e\u003e yet-another-word-that-doesn't-mean-what-you-think-it-means to the pile\n\u003e\u003e \u003e\u003e for no reason other than aesthetics. Are we actively trying to confuse\n\u003e\u003e \u003e\u003e people?\n\u003e\u003e \u003e\n\u003e\u003e \u003e ------------------------------------------------------------------------------\n\u003e\u003e \u003e \"Accelerate Dev Cycles with Automated Cross-Browser Testing - For FREE\n\u003e\u003e \u003e Instantly run your Selenium tests across 300+ browser/OS combos. Get\n\u003e\u003e \u003e unparalleled scalability from the best Selenium testing platform\n\u003e\u003e \u003e available.\n\u003e\u003e \u003e Simple to use. Nothing to install. Get started now for free.\"\n\u003e\u003e \u003e http://p.sf.net/sfu/SauceLabs\n\u003e\u003e \u003e _______________________________________________\n\u003e\u003e \u003e Bitcoin-development mailing list\n\u003e\u003e \u003e Bitcoin-development at lists.sourceforge.net\n\u003e\u003e \u003e https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/bitcoin-development\n\u003e\u003e \u003e\n\u003e\u003e\n\u003e\u003e\n\u003e\u003e\n\u003e\u003e ------------------------------------------------------------------------------\n\u003e\u003e \"Accelerate Dev Cycles with Automated Cross-Browser Testing - For FREE\n\u003e\u003e Instantly run your Selenium tests across 300+ browser/OS combos. Get\n\u003e\u003e unparalleled scalability from the best Selenium testing platform\n\u003e\u003e available.\n\u003e\u003e Simple to use. Nothing to install. Get started now for free.\"\n\u003e\u003e http://p.sf.net/sfu/SauceLabs\n\u003e\u003e _______________________________________________\n\u003e\u003e Bitcoin-development mailing list\n\u003e\u003e Bitcoin-development at lists.sourceforge.net\n\u003e\u003e https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/bitcoin-development\n\u003e\n\u003e\n\u003e ------------------------------------------------------------------------------\n\u003e \"Accelerate Dev Cycles with Automated Cross-Browser Testing - For FREE\n\u003e Instantly run your Selenium tests across 300+ browser/OS combos. Get\n\u003e unparalleled scalability from the best Selenium testing platform available.\n\u003e Simple to use. Nothing to install. Get started now for free.\"\n\u003e http://p.sf.net/sfu/SauceLabs\n\u003e _______________________________________________\n\u003e Bitcoin-development mailing list\n\u003e Bitcoin-development at lists.sourceforge.net\n\u003e https://lists.sourceforge.net/lists/listinfo/bitcoin-development\n\u003e",
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}