On our ABC television network, you can often hear statements like "...
and if you missed this news bulletin, go to ABC iview, where you can
watch the news across all your devices."

I'm a little uncomfortable about "devices" -- does that include my juice
maker? -- but perhaps no better word is available. The word that really
bothers me, though, is "across". Is that a proper use of that word?

--
Peter Moylan http://www.pmoylan.org
Newcastle, NSW

On 19-Apr-24 23:51, Peter Moylan wrote:
> On our ABC television network, you can often hear statements like "...
> and if you missed this news bulletin, go to ABC iview, where you can
> watch the news across all your devices."
>
> I'm a little uncomfortable about "devices" -- does that include my juice
> maker? -- but perhaps no better word is available. The word that really
> bothers me, though, is "across". Is that a proper use of that word?

It does suggest that you should line them all up, the juice maker next
to the automatic watering device etc. and somehow the information will
appear across them all.

The point which occurred to me was that if you missed the news bulletin,
then you most likely also missed this handy little hint, which makes it
less than useful.

--
Sam Plusnet

Peter Moylan wrote:

> On our ABC television network, you can often hear statements like "...
> and if you missed this news bulletin, go to ABC iview, where you can
> watch the news across all your devices."

A better formulation would be something with "any device capable of
receiving streamed television". On second thoughts I think that I
understand why they just said "device".

> I'm a little uncomfortable about "devices" -- does that include my juice
> maker? -- but perhaps no better word is available. The word that really
> bothers me, though, is "across". Is that a proper use of that word?

No. "On any device" would do the trick. You could insert "relevant" if
you don't like the failing logic.

--
Bertel
Kolt, Denmark

On 20/04/2024 00:51, Peter Moylan wrote:
> On our ABC television network, you can often hear statements like "...
> and if you missed this news bulletin, go to ABC iview, where you can
> watch the news across all your devices."
>
> I'm a little uncomfortable about "devices" -- does that include my juice
> maker? -- but perhaps no better word is available. The word that really
> bothers me, though, is "across". Is that a proper use of that word?
>

I've heard a similar phrase on the BBC. 'iPlayer' is mentioned, as I
suspect it is the equivalent of ABCs 'iView'.

The 'devices' are a short form of whatever is capable of running
iPlayer. My mobile, my laptop or desktop are examples of such devices.

If you use any of these devices, the BBC app asks you to log in via your
(online) account. If you so choose, you can 'sync' across the devices.
So, if you start listening to a program on your laptop, but wish to
continue later on your mobile, the 'tracking' cookies bring you to the
exact place where you left off. (It is a similar concept to that used by
Netflix. I do not have to remember where I stopped watching a film.
Netflix watches you while you are watching it.)

Le 19/04/2024 à 23:51, Peter Moylan a écrit :
>
> On our ABC television network, you can often hear statements like "...
> and if you missed this news bulletin, go to ABC iview, where you can
> watch the news across all your devices."
>
> I'm a little uncomfortable about "devices" -- does that include my juice
> maker? -- but perhaps no better word is available. The word that really
> bothers me, though, is "across". Is that a proper use of that word?

I suppose 'devices' has acquired the appropriate meaning in such
contexts, and its use does not bother me.

I agree that 'across' is unhappy here. "... if you've missed this
bulletin, then you can use ABC iview to watch it on any suitable device."

Full marks to ABC for saying 'bulletin', by the way. Much better than
the upstart 'update'.

On 20/04/24 10:05, Sam Plusnet wrote:
> On 19-Apr-24 23:51, Peter Moylan wrote:

>> On our ABC television network, you can often hear statements like
>> "... and if you missed this news bulletin, go to ABC iview, where
>> you can watch the news across all your devices."
>>
>> I'm a little uncomfortable about "devices" -- does that include my
>> juice maker? -- but perhaps no better word is available. The word
>> that really bothers me, though, is "across". Is that a proper use
>> of that word?
>
> It does suggest that you should line them all up, the juice maker
> next to the automatic watering device etc. and somehow the
> information will appear across them all.
>
> The point which occurred to me was that if you missed the news
> bulletin, then you most likely also missed this handy little hint,
> which makes it less than useful.

It's not entirely useless. I like to watch the news while eating lunch,
and often that means that I enter the news program in the middle, and
get only the unimportant news and the sport but miss the major headlines.

On the other hand, if it's the 24-hour news channel I'm watching then
there will often be another news program immediately after this one.

--
Peter Moylan http://www.pmoylan.org
Newcastle, NSW

Sam Plusnet scribbled something on Friday the 4/19/2024:
> On 19-Apr-24 23:51, Peter Moylan wrote:
>> On our ABC television network, you can often hear statements like "...
>> and if you missed this news bulletin, go to ABC iview, where you can
>> watch the news across all your devices."
>>
>> I'm a little uncomfortable about "devices" -- does that include my juice
>> maker? -- but perhaps no better word is available. The word that really
>> bothers me, though, is "across". Is that a proper use of that word?
>
> It does suggest that you should line them all up, the juice maker next to the
> automatic watering device etc. and somehow the information will appear across
> them all.
>
> The point which occurred to me was that if you missed the news bulletin, then
> you most likely also missed this handy little hint, which makes it less than
> useful.

But if you get the same hint on the next news item, you'll probably get
the idea that you can find out what you missed.

/dps

--
"Inviting people to laugh with you while you are laughing at yourself
is a good thing to do, You may be a fool but you're the fool in
charge." -- Carl Reiner

Friday, Peter Moylan murmurred ...
> On our ABC television network, you can often hear statements like "...
> and if you missed this news bulletin, go to ABC iview, where you can
> watch the news across all your devices."
>
> I'm a little uncomfortable about "devices" -- does that include my juice
> maker? -- but perhaps no better word is available. The word that really
> bothers me, though, is "across". Is that a proper use of that word?

I'm fine with "across all your devices". I'd also be fine with "on all
your devices". I don't remember which one Firefox uses to offer to
synch browser data, and I'm not going to fiddle with Firefox to find
out at this moment.

However, "devices" beyond that context includes not just you juice
maer, but your methods of making something happen ... granted that
that's an old-fashioned sense.

(The threat of streaming devices including your refrigerator is still
present in this connected world.)

/dps

--
I have always been glad we weren't killed that night. I do not know
any particular reason, but I have always been glad.
_Roughing It_, Mark Twain

On 21/04/24 20:35, Snidely wrote:
>
> (The threat of streaming devices including your refrigerator is still
> present in this connected world.)

My refrigerator is a screaming device. My wife has poor hearing, so she
can't hear the "door has been left open" alarm. The other day the alarm
was still going after she had left for work.

--
Peter Moylan http://www.pmoylan.org
Newcastle, NSW

On 21-Apr-24 11:35, Snidely wrote:
> Friday, Peter Moylan murmurred ...
>> On our ABC television network, you can often hear statements like "...
>> and if you missed this news bulletin, go to ABC iview, where you can
>> watch the news across all your devices."
>>
>> I'm a little uncomfortable about "devices" -- does that include my juice
>> maker? -- but perhaps no better word is available. The word that really
>> bothers me, though, is "across". Is that a proper use of that word?
>
> I'm fine with "across all your devices".  I'd also be fine with "on all
> your devices".  I don't remember which one Firefox uses to offer to
> synch browser data, and I'm not going to fiddle with Firefox to find out
> at this moment.
>
> However, "devices" beyond that context includes not just you juice maer,
> but your methods of making something happen ... granted that that's an
> old-fashioned sense.
>
> (The threat of streaming devices including your refrigerator is still
> present in this connected world.)

The only streaming device in our kitchen is the tap (faucet).

--
Sam Plusnet