Have you ever been to a Microsoft conference and listened to them carefully? They make up words.
Now those who know me know that I also make up words all the time-my staff at Zagat use to keep a list on a whiteboard, and then hold contests to see who can figure out what my new words mean. The problem is that since I attend so many Microsoft conferences as a speaker, I start to pick up Microsoftese. What is even worse is that I now use these “words” in every day life. When I am in the hardware store and ask about the “functionality” of the new vacuum cleaner I want to buy. Or when I am buying a new electronic toothbrush I ask if one model is more performant than the other?
Functionality is a word now, even if Microsoft made it up. I decided to start using performant in my new SQL Server book. I got this comment from the editor:
[LF] Steve: I don't think "performant" is a word.
And the tech editor replied:
[JFC] "performant" is one of those classic 'words' that Microsofties use in presentations; techies understand it, but it's not really a word. Please revise, and avoid its use in the future.
I decided to use it anyway. I then emailed Bill and Andrew on the topic hoping they would think it is funny, but got this reply from Andrew:
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From: Andrew Brust
Sent: Monday, October 10, 2005 1:44 PM
To: Zack, William; Stephen Forte; Wzack (E-mail)
Subject: RE: some humor from book hell
I agree with her on that one. It’s not a word, and it should be revised. If you don’t take it out, the copy editors will.
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I decided to challenge Andrew on this one. I looked it up. It is in Webster's New Millennium™ Dictionary of English.
So I guess it is a word after all….