[TUHS] On computerese

[segaloco via TUHS]

On Thursday, September 12th, 2024 at 6:01 PM, Luther Johnson <luther.johnson at makerlisp.com> wrote:

> "use case" is a case of the use of both of the words "use" and "case",
> compounding (confounding ?) them, they specify the use of "case" to
> identify (and emphasize) a specific "use" (or set of uses), as distinct
> from other cases in which so much attention has not been paid to which
> uses they serve. I'm having fun with words here but, like test cases can
> be used to isolate (or mix) certain behaviors, use cases might be
> crafted as examples, for the purpose of distilling from them, clearer
> requirements. I think the requirements people were trying to borrow the
> style of language from the test people. But many times it's probably
> just jargon-y technical sounding buzz-wordery meant to make things seem
> more important than they are.
> 
> On 09/12/2024 05:26 PM, Douglas McIlroy wrote:
> 
> > > > I've despaired over the term ever since it wormed its way into
> > > > computer folks' vocabulary. How does a "use case" differ from a "use"?
> > > 
> > > Clarity as to whether one is employing a noun or a verb. Both "use" and
> > > "case" can be either (he said, casing the joint for tomorrow's heist),
> > > but juxtaposing them thus unambiguously makes a noun phrase.
> > 
> > Usually context makes the nominal use of "use" clear : "many uses",
> > "the use",
> > "some uses". I'm not persuaded that "use case" disambiguates any more
> > reliably.
> > 
> > How do supermarkets display their wares?
> > For some use cases they use cases.
> > 
> > Metacomment. While the "use" in "nominal use" above must be a noun,
> > "nominal" isn't compelled to have the intended meaning of "being a
> > noun". It's a game of whac-a-mot. Kill one ambiguity and spawn another.
> > 
> > Doug

I always assumed this was some old crusty project management term that predated modern technology but the Wikipedia sphere says it was coined in the late 80s by Ivar Jacobson of Ericsson in the context of requirements analysis.  Apparently the original Swedish term is "användningsfall".  I've got a coworker that likes to share "fun facts" every Friday...I might have to supplement that bit of our call tomorrow :)

- Matt G.