Re: Re[8]: Killer Language

[Matt Ion <soundy -at- NEXTLEVEL -dot- COM>]

On Mon, 2 Dec 1996 10:19:00 -0600, Arlen -dot- P -dot- Walker -at- JCI -dot- COM wrote:

>      It is NOT "universally accepted".  I would hesitate to call the female
>      end of a serial cable, a "socket".

>Well, *you* might hesitate. But a quick check of the electronics catalogs in
>our lab shows many electronic supply firms don't share your hesitation. That
>particular designation has found its way to print so often it's become part
>of the designator -- "DB25S," where the "S" means socket -- in the catalogs.

>My unscientific survey turns up pin/socket almost as often as male/female in
>describing the parts. While you might risk bewildering the non-technical
>members of your audience by using pin and socket instead of male and female,
>I don't think you'd even cause an engineer to pause.

Well, I suppose it depends to a degree in which field you're an
engineer.  Dealing with audio and electrical equipment, sockets (aka
"jacks," a far more common term in audio/video gear) are, as mentioned
before, usually (in MOST but not ALL cases) understood to be solidly
mounted to something, while plugs aren't.  Female connectors on cables
are just as often simply called "connectors" as they are "sockets".

FWIW, I don't recall every having seen a local electronic parts catalog
that called a female cable end, a "socket".  Maybe it's partially a
regional thing?



 Your friend and mine,
 Matt
 <insert standard disclaimer here>
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