Monday, January 14, 2008

Computers are not temperamental...they just act that way

Today I wrote "Computers are not temperamental...they just act that way".

Then I read the following in the Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary:

Main Entry: tem·per·a·men·tal
Pronunciation: \ˌtem-p(ə-)rə-ˈmen-təl, ˌtem-pər-ˈ\
Function: adjective
Date: 1646

1: of, relating to, or arising from temperament : constitutional "temperamental peculiarities"
2 a: marked by excessive sensitivity and impulsive mood changes "a temperamental child"
2 b: unpredictable in behavior or performance "a temperamental computer"

http://www.merriam-webster.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?va=temperamental

Was the example for 2b written in 1646? :)

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