• merc@sh.itjust.works
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    1 day ago

    That’s true, but it’s also true that within a small community sometimes acronyms are necessary. Like, imagine NASA:

    “Jones exited the AL in his AES but the C4ISP flagged an error either in the LSPG or WFCA.”

    vs.

    “Jones exited the air lock in his Anthropometric Extra Vehicular Activity Suit but the Command, Control, Communications, Computers and Information Systems Protection system flagged an error in the Life Support Power Generation System or Water Flow Control Assembly”

    Insiders can use the acronyms to be much more efficient. Outsiders probably wouldn’t even understand what they’re talking about even if they did spell things out fully.

    The only problem is when acronyms leak and what’s a well known and clear acronym in one group becomes a confusing one to another group, or worse is confused for a different acronym from a different group.

    • Mr. Satan@lemmy.zip
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      1 day ago

      If the intended reader is a regular person just use normal words, even if it’s not 100 % accurate.

      Jones exited the air lock in his space suit but the control system flagged an error with life support or water flow

      All three ways don’t mean much to me as an outsider, but the last one at least paints a somewhat understandable picture.