Words seem to have a way of changing their meaning. Remeber our discussion of the word, "posh?"
It reminds me of something I heard years ago: "If racing is the sport of kings, is dragging the sport of queens?"
All sorts of double entendres in there...whichseems to be what you're railing against.
Just to toss another spanner (or would that be a wrench, with or without monkey?) into the works, www.dictionary.com defines gaming this way:
1. gambling.2. the playing of games, esp. those developed to teach something or to help solve a problem, as in a military or business situation.
This is what Meriam-Webster has to day about it: Function: noun Date: 1501 1 : the practice of gambling2 a : the playing of games that simulate actual conditions (as of business or war) especially for training or testing purposes b : the playing of video games
And in case you should reject those and demand the use of Webster's lexicon here's that definition (which includes "play") and as it says, is an umbrella term including computer game usage.
Gaming Noun1. The act of playing for stakes in the hope of winning (including the payment of a price for a chance to win a prize); "his gambling cost him a fortune"; "there was heavy play at the blackjack table".
Source: <http://www.websters-online-dictionary.org/credits/wordnet.html#>WordNet 1.7.1 Copyright © 2001 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
Date "gaming" was first used in popular English literature: sometime before 1350. (<http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/external-search?tag=icongroupinterna&keyword=Word+origins&mode=books>references)
Synonyms: GamingSynonyms: gambling (n), play (n). (<http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/external-search?tag=icongroupinterna&keyword=synonyms&mode=books>additional references)
Specialty Definition: Gaming Gaming is an umbrella term that includes a number of special hobby game types: * Role-playing games * Live-action roleplaying games * Wargaming * Board games * Computer- and video gamesIt is increasingly used by casinos and the gambling industry as a euphemism for gambling.
I find it interesting that the last entry in Webster's is a circular reference to the 16th century origin of the word.
Take it with a grain of salt flats. r At 01:44 PM 2/6/2010, you wrote:
In Ray's writeup on building his Supercomputer he was discussing his video board and used the word "gaming". Since I am an author words are very important to me. Their meanings should not be blurred. Sigh. I am like a fish swimming against the overwhelming current of inanity."Gaming" means gambling. Nothing more and nothing less. Any tack on current meanings will probably be lost in a few years.But for now, if you are playing games perhaps you should just say "Playing games".Rick Draganowski The old curmudgeon (Soli Deo Gloria)
