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I don't think that is necessarily the case. If you use certain words all the time, shortening them makes sense. They might just forget which abbreviations are a
by andruby 9mo ago
I don't think that is necessarily the case. If you use certain words all the time, shortening them makes sense. They might just forget which abbreviations are and aren't common knowledge. You wouldn't get mad if people use PC, CPU, ATM and RAM, right? Even SSD would be fine on HN, but it probably wouldn't be fine outside HN. (neither would using "HN")
- alberto_ol 9mo agoWithout context ATM could be Asynchronous Transfer Mode or automated teller machine.
- deleted 9mo ago[deleted]
- sowbug 9mo agoAt the moment
- codeflo 9mo ago> Even SSD would be fine on HN, but it probably wouldn't be fine outside HN. The set of people who know the term "solid state drive" is likely a strict subset of the people (mostly tech enthusiasts of some shape) who know "SSD". Same for "USB" and many other terms that have entered the mainstream primarily as an abbreviation. So the question is not whether to use an abbreviation or spell out the full term as a matter of principle; the question is whether it's the abbreviation or the full term that's more commonly known. I'd argue that way fewer people recognize "CTA" than know the term "call to action". I personally have done some front-end development, and didn't know the abbreviation either.
- Izkata 9mo agoAnd "ATM machine" tells me most people think the acronym is the name instead of an acronym.
- deleted 9mo ago[deleted]