12 Words You Can Never Say in the Office… If Your Office is Really Uptight and Weird About Everything

Thank you, Carolyn Duffy Marsan.  I read your article earlier this week on Network World entitled "12 Words You Can Never Say in the Office" and it left me deeply pondering the question… What the heck kind of office does Carolyn Duffy Marsan work in?!

Firstly, Ms. Marsan suggests we no longer use the term "Intranet" lest we embarrass ourselves in front of our coworkers.  As she points out, "Today, every private network runs IP.  So you can just use the term virtual private network or VPN to describe a private IP-based network."

Ohhh… because here's the thing: In my office, if you were to say that last part you just said, you'd probably be having lunch by yourself for awhile since no one would ever want to listen to you speak again.

She also suggests the phrase "Web Surfing" is passe.  "When is the last time you heard someone talk about surfing the Web?" she wrote, probably with one hand so she could use the other to pat herself on the back.

I used it just moments ago, actually.  A coworker asked me, "How did you find that terrible Carolyn Duffy Marsan article?!"  And I replied, "By surfing the Web!"

To conclude her list, Marsan proclaims, "Nobody talks about the 'World Wide Web' anymore, or the 'Information Superhighway,' for that matter.  It?s just the Internet….  Nothing dates you more than pulling out one of those old-fashioned ways of referring to the Internet."

Little piece of advice, Carolyn…  Nothing makes you seem more arrogant than telling people what words they can and cannot use.  Lay off those of us who still like our WWWs, okay?

Here's a recent tech word I'm sure Ms. Marsan would find acceptable: Digg Bait.  Because apparently that's all this article was.  I hope the traffic it drove to your page gave you a strong CTR.

Am I allowed to say that, Network World, or do I sound dated?!?!