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Subject:Technical meaning for autonomous? From:LDurway -at- pav -dot- com To:"TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com> Date:Thu, 14 Nov 2002 14:51:23 -0600
Does anyone use the word "autonomous" in any computer-related sense?
It seems to be an example of too much sophistication: writing beyond the
reader's ability to appreciate nuance.
I was just running the RoboHelp Office demos, and one of them used the
word "autonomous" in a manner similar to "automatic."
If I recall correctly, the context was batch mode: RoboHelp can run in
batch
mode & compile your help for multiple output formats while you shampoo
the rug.
I imagine they intend for the word to convey more than the common
(vague, superfluous) meaning of automatic: the software doesn't just do
something, it also does it at length without requiring any direction from
the
user. Rather like autonomous epileptic behavior, where someone zones out
and later comes to in the next town, having driven there without any
conscious awareness that the trip occurred or even that one had considered
making the trip.
Can anyone give me a sentence where the word "automatic" is necessary?
Besids "automatic transmission," I mean.
Lindsey
--
Lindsey Durway
Software Documentation
Pavilion Technologies
(512) 438-1521
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