With mouthfuls like Application Service Providers and SQL Server Reporting Services (thank you, Microsoft) floating around the tech blogosphere, it’s no wonder why we want to shorten these phrases. We just want to try to make our lives a little easier, save a few precious moments, increase our productivity. But are we really making it easier to understand or just muddying the waters?

Here’s my beef with acronyms. I don’t like them. If I could avoid acronyms at all costs, I would. Why the disdain, you ask? Why pick up the battle cry and lead the charge against these meant-to-be-helpful shorteners? Simple. Because they’re not helpful. They’re downright confusing.

1. You have multiple groups using different phrases for the same acronym. And most of the time people using these acronyms provide no context, no frame of reference for what they’re talking about. They just throw in the acronym in to the abyss hoping it sticks.
2. It takes time to decipher these meanings. The time and energy it takes to figure out what in the world people are trying to communicate voids any time you saved tweeting, posting, texting the message because your audience did not get it, or it took several more texts, tweets, and posts to hash(tag) out the exact meaning.

Here’s a fun test. What do the following acronyms stand for?

SQL, SaaS, MIS

Did you answer Structured Query Language, Software as a Service, and Management Information System? Well, you would be correct. But if you answered Sender Que Low, Storage as a Service, and Mobile information Server you would also be correct.

Shane O’Neill from CIO investigated 10 New Ridiculous Tech Acronyms, letting me know I’m not the only one with these frustrations. Not surprisingly, enterprise software companies were the biggest offenders. Among the listed ridiculous acronyms Continue reading My Beef with Tech Acronyms →