Is there a better term for this?
March 16, 2023 5:55 AM
In recent years certain phrases in fields like computers and electronics etc have gone through some name changes. Hard-drives being referred to primary and secondary, gears being sun and moon (that might be older) are examples. Do we have a commonly used alternative to male and female connectors and headers?
I say innies and outies when working with younger people, but I am wondering if there's a known, professional term.
I say innies and outies when working with younger people, but I am wondering if there's a known, professional term.
When discussing jigsaw puzzle pieces I use innie and outie.
posted by Winnie the Proust at 6:05 AM on March 16, 2023
posted by Winnie the Proust at 6:05 AM on March 16, 2023
Plug and socket is another commonly used one. There's also a change to get away from master/slave and use controller/peripheral, but in terms of physical connectors it's not that obvious any more.
posted by JoeZydeco at 6:08 AM on March 16, 2023
posted by JoeZydeco at 6:08 AM on March 16, 2023
Pretty comprehensive Wikipedia article on the topic.
(What were gears before?)
posted by staggernation at 6:09 AM on March 16, 2023
(What were gears before?)
posted by staggernation at 6:09 AM on March 16, 2023
Plugs and jacks is good for connection, as is socket etc, but i am looking to replace specifically phrases that include male and female. You don't way a female socket for example, it's implied. But headed, specially are almost always referred as make or female
posted by Iteki at 6:43 AM on March 16, 2023
posted by Iteki at 6:43 AM on March 16, 2023
Please see Rose Eveleth's “A Modest Proposal for Re-Naming Connectors and Fasteners” which, while light-hearted, is completely sincere. I've used muffin and pan, via Lee Cyborg using it and introducing me to Rose's article.
(the article is complete with guys commenting and missing the point entirely. Of course.)
posted by scruss at 6:48 AM on March 16, 2023
(the article is complete with guys commenting and missing the point entirely. Of course.)
posted by scruss at 6:48 AM on March 16, 2023
Plug/prong and socket/receptacle are pretty common terms.
Apropos, I've found naming conventions around JST connectors in particular perplexing, because a JST connector's two parts are an enclosure containing pins and an enclosed-part with hollow conductors inside. Which part is "prongy" and which part is "sheathy" depends entirely on whether you're talking about the electrical components or the external housing.
posted by jackbishop at 7:50 AM on March 16, 2023
Apropos, I've found naming conventions around JST connectors in particular perplexing, because a JST connector's two parts are an enclosure containing pins and an enclosed-part with hollow conductors inside. Which part is "prongy" and which part is "sheathy" depends entirely on whether you're talking about the electrical components or the external housing.
posted by jackbishop at 7:50 AM on March 16, 2023
Agree with plug / socket.
Less serious alternatives: pins / holes, presenter / receiver, or my personal favorite stabby / grabby.
posted by Greg_Ace at 9:08 AM on March 16, 2023
Less serious alternatives: pins / holes, presenter / receiver, or my personal favorite stabby / grabby.
posted by Greg_Ace at 9:08 AM on March 16, 2023
Plugs are literally called blades, so blade/ sheath is reasonable. Innie/Outie works well.
great question.
posted by theora55 at 9:21 AM on March 16, 2023
great question.
posted by theora55 at 9:21 AM on March 16, 2023
Blade/Sheath gets us right back to penis and vagina. The euphemism ladder goes full circle.
posted by zengargoyle at 10:13 AM on March 16, 2023
posted by zengargoyle at 10:13 AM on March 16, 2023
Yeah various sheath examples are less useful, pin and hole are good, stabby and grabby are astounding. Blade I have only heard referring to US electrical plugs fwiw, prongs in my English. Since I am not working in English, hole-header and pin-header will translate nicely. I'm also likely going to go on a wiki raid and change all the penetrative language to enveloping language just to start a fight.
posted by Iteki at 10:19 AM on March 16, 2023
posted by Iteki at 10:19 AM on March 16, 2023
You might be interested to look at the USITT document (PDF) of Recommended Practice for the Use of Inclusive Terminology in Entertainment Technology, Design, and Management Fields.
It too recommends "plug" for male, and "socket" or "receptacle" for female.
There's also a long list of other problematic theater terms in there as well, some of which I think are fairly obscure and odd-- personally I had never heard that particular slang for "gloves", for example.
posted by hovey at 5:52 PM on March 16, 2023
It too recommends "plug" for male, and "socket" or "receptacle" for female.
There's also a long list of other problematic theater terms in there as well, some of which I think are fairly obscure and odd-- personally I had never heard that particular slang for "gloves", for example.
posted by hovey at 5:52 PM on March 16, 2023
I don't know what a moon gear is but the sun and planet gear was patented in 1781. There is also an epicyclic gear also commonly called a planetary gear.
It's possible that there is some sort of offensive name some people might use to refer to such gears but I don't think it's commonly known. It seems like you are trying to encourage people to use modern professional language, and looking for examples of other language changes to share as a way of persuading others, so there are probably other examples that might make your point better.
I've heard the gold plated connectors on boards that are meant to plug into a header socket called "fingers", or if there are pins going into a socket they are just called pins.
posted by yohko at 11:22 PM on March 16, 2023
It's possible that there is some sort of offensive name some people might use to refer to such gears but I don't think it's commonly known. It seems like you are trying to encourage people to use modern professional language, and looking for examples of other language changes to share as a way of persuading others, so there are probably other examples that might make your point better.
I've heard the gold plated connectors on boards that are meant to plug into a header socket called "fingers", or if there are pins going into a socket they are just called pins.
posted by yohko at 11:22 PM on March 16, 2023
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posted by noloveforned at 6:03 AM on March 16, 2023