The Hindu : Does high-technology jargon intimidate you?

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jul 14, 2003

National

National

Does high-technology jargon intimidate you?

By Anand Parthasarathy

Bangalore July 13. Do you understand the language of technology — the jargon that the computers and communication industry throws at you with every new product from personal computer to mobile phone? Are you suspicious that sales persons or advertisements often try to fool you into making a purchase with high-sounding buzzwords? And do you sometimes postpone buying something simply because you can't understand what you are buying?

If the answer is yes to some or all of these questions — you are in good company... most of the world's consumers share your irritation at what the Information Technology industry is doing, jargon-wise.

A study commissioned by the Global Consumer Advisory Board of the U.S.-based chipmaker AMD (formerly known as Advanced Micro Devices) has found that terminology and product complexity is often making people world-wide delay or cancel purchases just because they are intimidated. The report of the study that was carried out with 1,500 consumers in the U.K., the U.S., China and Japan, released a few days ago, says less than 3 per cent scored all correct when they took a simple quiz on current tech jargon. Only 65 per cent knew the meaning of terms such as `megahertz' that the industry bandies about all the time.

And an amber signal for hi-tech product makers: at least 40 per cent said they would delay purchases of items such as personal digital assistants (that's a pocket computer for you and me!) since they think the devices are too complicated.

The Hindu has obtained a copy of the original quiz used for the AMD survey and the company's consent to share it with readers. Here are the 11 questions with multiple choice answers. See how you rate in the tech savvy stakes. The quiz can also be taken on line at www.amdgcab.org, where you will be able to access a full copy of the AMD report or a 21 -page summary, both in PDF format for downloading.

Meanwhile the message that comes out loud and clear for the IT industry in India as elsewhere is: KISS: Keep it simple, stupid!

The Technology Terminology and Complexity Test

Choose one of the following answers:

Question 1: Which of the following is a definition of Megahertz?

a) A data transfer technology that uses fibre optic cable to carry information

b) A unit of measurement equal to 1 million electrical cycles per second, commonly used to compare the clock speeds of microprocessors

c) A computer's random access memory equal to 1 million bytes

Question 2: Which of the following is a definition of Short Messaging Service (SMS)?

a) A messaging service that points out when an e-mail message was not delivered

b) The ability to send and receive text messages (words and or numbers) to and from cellular telephones

c) Service where the computer is installed, instead of having to bring the computer into a shop or ship the computer back to the manufacturer for repairs

Question 3: Which of the following is a definition of WAP?

a) A global standard for developing applications over wireless communication networks

b) A company that provides wireless telecommunications services

c) Transmission of voice or other sound by means of electrical signals sent over wires or radio waves

Question 4: Which of the following is a definition of megapixel?

a) A crime committed using a computer or data stored on a computer

b) A presentation graphics programme that enables you to produce attractive presentations

c) A term used in reference to the resolution of a graphics device such as a scanner, digital camera or monitor

Question 5: What is a Digital Video Recorder or DVR?

a) The same as a VCR/Video Cassette Recorder

b) A box that records and plays television programs

c) A box that makes DVDs

Question 6: What is an MP3?

a) An audio compression technology that is part of the MPEG-1 and MPEG-2 specifications

b) A kind of magnetic tape originally designed for audio format now also used in computers to back up data

c) A box that allows you to watch television programmes without commercials

Question 7: What is a DPI?

a) A measure of the resolution of printers, scanners and monitors

b) A video production made with a desktop computer and home video equipment

c) A file that has been corrupted by a virus, or computer failure

Question 8: What does it mean to download?

a) To connect a computer to the Internet

b) To save a file on your computer from a remote computer

c) To send a computer file to someone else

Question 9: What is Dot Pitch?

a) A special type of television

b) A method for determining how sharp a displayed image can be

c) A company that provides individuals and companies access to the Internet

Question 10: What is a Web browser?

a) A person who likes to look at the Internet

b) A software programme that allows you to view sites on the World Wide Web

c) A computer that stores World Wide Web files

Question 11: What is Bluetooth?

a) A product that can save many photographs in a small space

b) A way to connect products to each other without using wires

c) A programme that searches the Internet for the lowest price available

Answers:

1:b; 2:b; 3:a; 4:c; 5:b; 6:a; 7:a; 8:b; 9:b; 10:b; 11:b

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