[off topic] setup

Duane Morin dmorin at morinfamily.com
Sat Jun 16 12:42:04 EDT 2001


> The word "setup" does exist in the English language, but it is a NOUN,
> meaning, "the way in which something is arranged," or "a hoax or
> fraud."  Many people lately have been using it as a verb, meaning, "to
> assemble or erect, establish, configure, or to cause."  In this form,
> it is a two-word phrase, "set up."

You're bringing this up the same week we learn that "doh" is now officially
recognized as a word by the OED.  Language changes.  That is the way it has
always been, and will always be.  Soon, "setup" will be "officially recognized"
as a verb, for whatever that is worth.

> I blame Microsoft for this, given that the install program for all
> Microsoft apps is called setup.exe, which does the action described by
> the phrase "set up."  This probably explains or at least contributes

I think that's an unfair stretch, especially given that MS filenames never 
traditionally supported spaces!  Unix supports spaces in filenames, and yet
I don't see people asking why files aren't called "Read Me" instead of 
"README".

Duane

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