Re: filmscanners: dither vs haltoning (was File sizes, file formats, etc. for printing 8.5 x 11and 13 x 17...

[Arthur Entlich <artistic@ampsc.com>]

Austin Franklin wrote:

>  I do find
> it fascinating that some people have adopted a, in my book, 'new' term for
> 'this'.  Kind of like changing the word CPU...

I'm unfamiliar with the "word" CPU... It isn't in my dictionary either. 
There is a C.P.U., an acronym for a central processing unit, is that 
what you refer to?

See, people can nitpick about just about anything.  Language is about 
transferring thoughts, and ideas, and as long as there is enough 
agreement to do so, I could care less about dictionary definitions.

When I'm in court, or writing a legal contract, then it sometimes 
matters, but in my day to day communications, I attempt to find enough 
common ground to transfer my ideas, and hear others. We get so hung up 
on technical terminology that truly important issues get lost in the 
process.  Anyone who has "read' me for a while, will know that I often 
write little essays on these lists to try to explain complex or 
confusing concepts in simple terms.  I find technical jargon, especially 
in this kind of mixed audience does more to alienate that to further 
enlighten.  It is also a form of elitism, that really rubs me the wrong way.

There are literally hundreds of languages spoken on this planet alone, 
and thousands of dialects. Rather going into the micro, people might 
benefit more from going to the macro... like learning a second or third 
language; that can really open up doors.  Our society is becoming more 
and more small-minded with specialization.  Few see the big picture 
anymore.  As Lazarus Long put it in R. Heinlien's novel "specialization 
is for insects".  I'd rather live a broad interesting life, knowing a 
little about a lot than to be able to claim that I inhabited the planet 
longer than most other species, living in dark corners and scurrying 
when the lights get turned on. ;-)

Art