IT Jargon

Cloud computing

This is a classic example of an IT term that very few people can explain. Even company directors whose entire business model depends on cloud computing would struggle.

It becomes even more confusing when we refer to 'the cloud' as if it is some magical place in the sky. The cloud is basically a metaphor for the internet, so why not call it that?

That would essentially make cloud computing internet computing. Put it that way, and it may be easier to explain how it all works and prevent people from gazing expectantly at the heavens. 

XaaS

The term XaaS is used to describe something that is provided as a service over the internet. A cloud-based service, to use the jargon referred to above.

We have SaaS (Software as a Service), PaaS (Platform as a Service), IaaS (Infrastructure as a Service) and many more, and each acronym basically describes something that has traditionally been provided locally that is now provided via the web on a subscription or pay-per-use basis.

So it's cloud computing, right? Or internet computing as we've established? Well, yes, when you think about it. So perhaps we could just use the term internet-based services instead of adding all the a's and S's.

Big data

When we say big data, we essentially mean lots of data. In fact, it's a vast amount of structured and unstructured data that is coming from a huge array of different sources.

It's called big data, not because there's anything inherently new or different about it, but because it is now much more available to us, it's much more varied than ever before, and because we now have the technical capabilities to store it and to analyse it effectively.

In this sense, all data is big data. So why don't we just call it data? Of course it's not just the term big data itself that causes confusion, but the huge amount of jargon that's been invented around it, from NoSQL databases to acid tests and massively parallel processing. Now we're really confused.

Gamification

This is one we're hearing a lot at the moment, and it is used to describe the use of game elements in non-gaming applications to make them more engaging to users. It's about breaking things down into simple steps with rewards at the completion of each one, like a game.

It's become something of a buzz word - one of those that makes you sound really intelligent if you can throw it into a conversation. But it essentially means turning something that can be pretty boring into something fun.

Of course, the word gamification is used in other industries, but it crops up frequently in the IT sector because, let's face it, there's a lot about IT applications that is less than thrilling to those who don't have an innate passion for technology.

Digital disruptors

Who are these people? They sound like villains out to destroy our world. Well, this is and is not true. If you're a business owner, then perhaps they are, but if you're a consumer then the opposite is true. The digital disruptors can be the heroes, using technology to make everyone's lives that bit easier.

They are simply individuals or companies who employ technology to create better products and services than the non-digital versions that have come before. An example? The makers of the diet and fitness apps that are slowly eating away at subscriptions to traditional weight loss clubs.

In this sense, they are in fact disrupting traditional business models. But we live in a digital age, so of course technology is going to challenge what has come before. It's called moving with the times. If we didn't, we'd still be sending telegrams. So let's just call them rivals, shall we?