Techie Terminology Explained: A Primer on Tech Speak
Posted by craigB | The Lighter Side of IT, Totally Useful Tips | 08-03-2009
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It’s time to recognize that techies really are using their own language. Heck, sometimes it seems like they aren’t even human anymore. The following table includes a number of terms often employed by support centers and IT Professionals alike. Familiarize yourself with these terms in order to avoid any embarrassment or to catch your tech support in the act:
| Term | Translation | Solution |
| Luser | Actually just means “local user,” but often used in reference to a user perceived as painfully annoying, stupid, or irritating | Tell the IT guy to stop being condescending |
| LART | “Luser Attitude Readjustment Tool,” usually means turning off the user’s access to computer resources | Tell the IT guy you’ve “readjusted” his pay check |
| GWF | “Goober With Firewall” – the user has created a hypersensitive firewall and believes everything detected is a hacker | Why didn’t the IT guy configure the firewall? What are you paying him for again? |
| PLOKTA | “Press Lots Of Keys To Abort” | Your IT “Pro” has no idea what he’s doing; fire him |
| ID-Ten-T Error / ID10T Error | The user is being an idiot | Fire the IT guy |
| PEBKAC | “Problem Exists Between Keyboard And Chair” | Fire the IT guy |
| IUE | “Incompetent User Error” | Fire the IT guy |
| UBD | “User Brain Damage” | Fire the IT guy |
Don’t get caught off guard – if your tech support says something you don’t understand, ask for clarification.
