• axh@lemmy.world
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    1 day ago

    I am old enough and geek enough to be bothered by the use of the word “WiFi” instead of the Internet or just network.

    It’s only WiFi if you connect the wireless router at the end.

    Edit: just noticed mention of the “antenna at the roof” on the page, but I still don’t think it’s WiFi, “WiFi” is a name of the technology that allows wireless access by multiple devices. I think it’s rather radio communication between the router and the access point. They basically use radio waves instead of the cable, it was often used in rural areas in my country, where putting cables would be too expensive.

    • frezik@midwest.social
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      1 day ago

      WiFi is a specific protocol, IEEE 802.11 (with a lower case letter at the end for the version). There have long been hobbyist and commercial methods for using it with point-to-point links. There are some other wireless methods for this, like LoRa/Meshtastc, but they tend to be slower and less developed. Everyone prefers using WiFi.

      So, yes, they are using WiFi in a point-to-point way. The antenna is directional to give it (potentially) several miles of range.

      • Hawke@lemmy.world
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        1 day ago

        That I cut a bit of slack for, because prior to the minicomputer let alone the microcomputer, the CPU would likely have been a large component like the whole system is for a desktop PC.

    • Drusas@fedia.io
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      1 day ago

      I’m old enough and nerd enough to be slightly peeved that “community built” isn’t hyphenated (“community-built”).

    • throwawayacc0430@sh.itjust.works
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      1 day ago

      Language is so weird these days…

      Everything is “app” nowaways

      A .exe install on windows is “app”

      A reddit account is “app”

      Buying a phone plan and inserting a sim card into a phone is “activation” of a phone

      Lol

      Its a windows program or software

      Reddit is not an “app”, its a platform.

      You’re not “activating” your phone, your phone is already usable, all you did was purchase a voice/data plan and inserted a sim card. “Activation” is a apple internet lock thing, totally separate.

      • Jimmycrackcrack@lemmy.ml
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        12 hours ago

        I noticed the gradual shift from program to app over time since the iPhone took the world by storm, but then again it was never incorrect. Applications are synonymous with programs so an executable on your windows desktop is an app as much as it is a program.

        I’ve never come across anyone referring to a Reddit account as an app but I can definitely see someone who interacts with Reddit exclusively using the Reddit app referring to both the platform and a means of accessing as the same thing both out of a conscious choice for convenience or ignorance and actually they’d be right either way except in the latter case only accidentally since it you say “I really love using that app Reddit to look at memes and talk to people” despite not actually knowing the app isn’t the platform, your sentence would still be correct.

        The activating thing, I jimmycrackcrack declare that I will allow it. Look it’s a sneaky hardware manufacturer and provider term to imply the device doesn’t work until you give them money but then, as a piece of language with utility, well… your phone doesn’t work without a sim, at least in the common understanding of what “work” means here. Since a phone of any stripe, dumb or smart is pretty useless without a sim card, getting that message across to consumers that you have to do something to make it functional, to “activate” it is necessary. You could choose to frame it as unlocking but then again if you’re selling these things you probably don’t want people thinking you locked them up and then sold them the keys and in fact, the manufacturers kinda didn’t, it’s the service provider that doesn’t provide service to a functioning device until they’re given money, who are doing that and given they’re a business, that’s sorta how they have to operate.