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Functionality is Not a Word…
By Larry Hendrick | December 18, 2005
One of the worst examples of the language of technology is the use of a made up word, functionality. Otherwise intelligent humans take a very good word, rich with meaning, and destroy it with three letters: ity.
As an example, these quotes are from a good article on Mozilla Thunderbird, which I linked to with del.icio.us yesterday. To prove my point, read the following sentences, but instead of functionality, substitute the word, FUNCTION or its plural, FUNCTIONS.
…On a longer acquaintance, however, problems such as poor search functionality and memory leaks tarnished its reputation…
…I also found that Thunderbird’s search functionality, which I had eventually abandoned in 1.0x in favor of Google Desktop on Windows and Beagle on Linux, is finally dependable…
…In the past, once a mail folder held more than 500 messages, I had found that Thunderbird’s search functionality was simply no longer reliable…
…Typically, this functionality is used to automatically send messages to an appropriate mail folder…
…So, if you need groupware functionality with your e-mail, you should still look to Microsoft Corp.’s Outlook/Exchange, IBM’s Lotus Notes, or Novell Inc.’s Evolution client on Linux, with either Exchange or Novell GroupWise in the back room…
“I also found that Thunderbird’s search function, which…”
Now isn’t that better. It doesn’t grate on the ear or hurt the senses like the other word. Make sure and try them all and see how clarity is restored to what the author is trying to say (and he’s having a hard time).
NOW STOP IT!
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