9 Techie Terms to Help You Stay Computer-Savvy

Monday, May 102 min read

Language is constantly evolving, but nothing speeds up the addition of new words to the dictionary as technology. Over the past several decades, the internet has introduced plenty of new terms to describe emerging technology and trends, or else updating definitions that are already in the lexicon.  

A few decades ago, "mouse" and "web" meant a rodent and a spider's creation, respectively. However, even the least-tech-savvy among us should know these basic tech terms.

Digerati

Smart, brainy, and tech-savvy folks probably consider themselves part of the digerati — a term referring to the elite of digitalization. Try it out on your company’s IT lead next time you see them. They may even blush at the compliment.

Cybersquatting

Internet domain names are a hot commodity and fetch anywhere from hundreds to tens of thousands of dollars. Savvy investors have snapped up vast libraries of domain names with no intent of building a site with them — instead hoping for an investor to pay big bucks for that perfect dot-com domain.

Nagware

The old adage, “If it seems too good to be true, it probably is” is applicable to the downloading experience. If you’ve ever installed a seemingly free piece of software only to have it incessantly remind you through pop-ups or banners to actually install a paid version of the program, then you’ve encountered nagware. The name comes from the verb "nag" — meaning to bother or implore.

Mouse Potato

Whether it's long work weeks or online shopping sprees, the rise of computer culture keeps us chained to the mouse. Never mind being a couch potato; If you’re equally addicted to your laptop, you might earn the label of "mouse potato" instead.

Meatspace

We’re not talking about your local butcher here. If the virtual world is known as cyberspace, consider this where the rest of us occupy our time when we’re not online. Another word for meatspace — reality.

Screenager

Possibly said with the same tone as "Millennial" or "Gen Z", a "screenager" is a slightly derisive title applied to teens and 20-somethings with a penchant for computers, both in terms of time spent and tech savviness. It's not limited to a specific generation, but a screenager could very well grow into a computer engineer or IT technician.

Vidiot

This slightly rude term combines the words "video" and "idiot" becoming somewhat synonymous with a "couch potato." Today it's associated with YouTube or Netflix binging, but this word isn’t particularly new. It was first used in the 1940s, in reference to the rise of televisions in the home (and the people who became addicted to them).

Hunt and Peck

Unlike the rest of this computer lingo, "hunt and peck" is for the decidedly less tech-savvy people. It refers to a style of typing where only one or two fingers search the keyboard for each letter, rather than placing all fingers in proper touch-typing format.

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