Yet more censorship

[RandomGrinch]

As a relative newcomer to this forum, I have found it a massive learning experience. The combined knowledge available here is remarkable.

However, I may not gain any friends for saying this; to be fair to Winston1, I'm sure some of you enjoy his interjections and are just waiting for the next argument!

I posted a comment recently, that after a while thinking about it, I knew it was incorrect. I left the comment in to see what would happen.

Eventually the inevitable, Winston1 replied. The comment was fair and constructive (...although a later comment did misinterpret me).

The interesting point for me, was that several had seen my comment and didn't attempt to correct me, instead waiting to see what Winston1 would say.

It's a bit like yin and yang, is Winston1 the contrary voice that actually compliments the rest of you?

For all we know in this anonymous world of the internet forum, whose to say Winston1 isn't an alter ego of another well-respected member?

As someone who has felt the force of Winston's comments and others misinterpretations, I wish there was occasionaly more patience and less attitude. But this is a great forum, don't ruin it!

 

[SUNRAY]

The term fuse may have been used for a long time but we have moved on and fuse boxes are no longer fitted.

I had never heard the term plug top before coming on this forum and none of my family nor non tech friends knows what it appears to mean. They all know what a plug is however.

Perhaps you and your associates ought to get out into the real world sometimes.

 

[Swwils]

Aviation has it worse.

Takeoff power or take off power?

 

[SUNRAY]

I posted a comment recently, that after a while thinking about it, I knew it was incorrect. I left the comment in to see what would happen.

Eventually the inevitable, Winston1 replied. The comment was fair and constructive (...although a later comment did misinterpret me).

The interesting point for me, was that several had seen my comment and didn't attempt to correct me, instead waiting to see what Winston1 would say.

I don't know what comment you're referring to but perhaps it was one of those 'inconsistancies' that the majority of us know are either incorrect (such as calling a socket a plug) or out dated and are content to accept.

 

[JohnW2]

I don't know what comment you're referring to but perhaps it was one of those 'inconsistancies' that the majority of us know are either incorrect (such as calling a socket a plug) or out dated and are content to accept.

Yes, I only saw this comment from you 'just in time', because I was on the verge of typing something almost identical.

Kind Regards, John

 

[Lectrician]

The term fuse may have been used for a long time but we have moved on and fuse boxes are no longer fitted.

I had never heard the term plug top before coming on this forum and none of my family nor non tech friends knows what it appears to mean. They all know what a plug is however.

I was taught the term plugtop in my training at college and while an apprentice. Shall I disregard this, just to satisfy you? The only person to ever comment or become confused by this is you .

 

[EFLImpudence]

I was taught the term plugtop in my training at college and while an apprentice. Shall I disregard this, just to satisfy you?

Not just to satisfy Winston but common sense and logic.

The only person to ever comment or become confused by this is you .

That's not true.

We have discussed it more than once and decided it is, as I implied above, daft.

 

[JohnW2]

I had never heard the term plug top before coming on this forum and none of my family nor non tech friends knows what it appears to mean. They all know what a plug is however.

My experience is similar. I am also just as 'irritated' as you appear to be when I see the term used, but I don't "go on about it", given that I know exactly what people mean when they use the term.

However, a lot of people (as we've seen, including some electrical wholesalers) appear to also 'know what it means' (even if none of your family and friends don't), and Mr Google appears to know of 'about 962,000' instances of people having written the term on-line' (note the quotes around my search term) ...

 

[JohnW2]

We have discussed it more than once and decided it is, as I implied above, daft.

It is, indeed, very daft - but I wonder what criteria we (you) should utilise to decide whether the fact that a term is 'daft' means that it should not be used?

Although you seem to happily use the term, do you not agree that it is fairly (I would say very!) daft to use the term "lamp" to refer to something that one inserts into a lamp?

Kind Regards, John

 

[EFLImpudence]

Yes but that has evolved - which I believe you like - from when the 'lamp' (whole thing) would only work when all the parts were present. You might equally say that the electric 'bulb' is the 'lamp' and what ever it fits in is not the lamp; be it 'standard lamp' or 'head lamp'. Perhaps it is these things that are misnamed.

I know you don't like "lamp" in the way it is used but the comparison is not really appropriate because it is not as if we/I needlessly call it a 'lamptop'.

 

[SUNRAY]

Not just to satisfy Winston but common sense and logic.


That's not true.

We have discussed it more than once and decided it is, as I implied above, daft.

Well daft or not, wrong or right, sensical or not the term plug top has been in use for at least 50 years, I believe it was introduced by electricians due to an extremely prevalent misuse of the word 'plug'. I have been told wall sockets used to be listed in wiring regs as plugs, but never seen it myself and personally I find it hard it hard to believe. However a very high percentage of the general public have called sockets (especially wall mounted) plugs and the general thing was to supply a plug for every socket installed (in the old days when appliances came with no fitted plug) and quotes/estimates would state 'socket and plug top' to differentiate it from 'plug' which the customer would very likely take to mean socket. One of the 'old boys' I knew from yesteryear once explained he eventually went back to snag a completed job to add more sockets FOC to avoid conflict for this confused reason.

So Electricians introduced the term into the trade because it clarified things for the public, it has been adopted by manufacturers, vendors etcetera and everyone knows exactly what it means.

It's called progress, actually perhaps more correctly evolution of language.

Do I use the term 'plug top'? An emphatic NO... unless I have to to clarify what I'm talking about to a customer who doesn't know the correct term.

Equally I do not use the term 'coupler' for a cable mounted socket like an extention lead but that term seems to have also become common usage along with all the confusion it causes. One only has to google for 'electrical coupler' to see the problem.

Do I like language changing? No. Do I use changes to language? Hell yes, I have to, especially those from many years back, like the word 'Gay' which no longer seems to mean happy etc or 'botch' which these days seems to only apply to the medical trade but even that has changed from describing a tradesman to a poor job.

All of the discussion about winston1 in this thread is simply crazy, in one instance he is refusing to use an evolved term and the other he is insisting on using the new term (albeit on a product that has evolded)

 

[JohnW2]

Yes but that has evolved - which I believe you like ...

I'm not sure that 'like' is the right word, but I do accept that it happens, and that there is no point in my 'complaining' or trying to persuade people to ignore or reverse that evolution.

However, I thought that you were the one who didn't 'like' evolution of language/terminology, and feel that it is wrong (since it inevitably starts by someone using an 'incorrect' term/word), aren't you? If so, why are you accepting this particular 'evolution', and seemingly happily using the evolved term yourself?

I know you don't like "lamp" in the way it is used but the comparison is not really appropriate because it is not as if we/I needlessly call it a 'lamptop'.

I didn't suggest that we/I do - but I was saying that I regarded it as daft to use the word "lamp" to refer to something which one "puts into a lamp".

Indeed, if you approve of "something which is put into X" being called "an X", then myabe the things we insert into sockets should be called "sockets", rather than 'plugs' ?

Kind Regards, John

 

[Lectrician]

Not just to satisfy Winston but common sense and logic.


That's not true.

We have discussed it more than once and decided it is, as I implied above, daft.

The term is used daily by electricians. We all know what is meant. Common sense? I have plenty. Those who cant read between the lines are missing some.

 

[EFLImpudence]

The term is used daily by electricians. We all know what is meant. Common sense? I have plenty. Those who cant read between the lines are missing some.

Nonsense.

"Would of" is used daily.

Just because we know what is meant is no reason to continue using it.

 

[SUNRAY]

Indeed, if you approve of "something which is put into X" being called "an X", then myabe the things we insert into sockets should be called "sockets", rather than 'plugs' ?

Kind Regards, John

Or use the term 'Plug'.

In which case we'd be putting a plug into a plug... Ah we've been there before...

Annnnnnd if my understanding is correct it gave birth to another term.