[TUHS] Re: On computerese

"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