Vote for the best verboticism.
DEFINITION: n. A technological innovation that doesn't work as expected because "normal people" can't figure out how to use it. v. To improve something in a way that makes it much harder to use.
Verboticisms
Click on each verboticism to read the sentences created by the Verbotomy writers, and to see your voting options...
You have two votes. Click on the words to read the details, then vote your favorite.
Wrecknology
Created by: swallowedbyafish
Pronunciation:
Sentence: He had been thwarted by another stupid piece of wrecknology!
Etymology: wreck + technology
Binnovation
Created by: galwaywegian
Pronunciation: binn oh vay shun
Sentence: if innovation was the key to the electronic age, then this latest binnovation must herald the garb age
Etymology: innovation, bin
Complacate
Created by: Nosila
Pronunciation: com plak kayt
Sentence: Initially when you had an IT problem, you just phoned Fred and he'd either tell you how to fix it or come and do it for you. When they installed a new system, they added a voice mail system to log complaints. It was intended to complacate the user. Your complaint was registered, but you had to go through an e-labourate series of "Press this, press that" options. You got nowhere but they figured all that button pushing kept you busy and entertained until they could figure out how you had screwed up their expensive system.
Etymology: Complicate (make more complex, intricate;confusing) & Placate (cause to be more favorably inclined; gain the good will of;lull;mollify)
Nonnovation
Created by: Koekbroer
Pronunciation: non-oh-vay-shin
Sentence: "Blast! This remote control is so complicated. It's a nonnovation."
Etymology: non; innovate
Indautified
Created by: jonobo
Pronunciation: in - doubtified
Sentence: We are surrounded by indautified technology.
Etymology: In as a negative pre-syllable. DAU = German abbreviation for Stupidest Expected User, so SEU in englich. certified. Short: Technology that is not certified for DAUs/SEUs.
Darwinalogical
Created by: chercherlalun
Pronunciation: darwin a logical
Sentence:
Etymology:
Digitknowitall
Created by: Nosila
Pronunciation: dij it no it all
Sentence: Reggie had bought a fancy new digital radio/alarm clock/coffeemaker/toaster. It was designed to be efficient in the morning by waking him up on time and getting his breakfast ready. His new appliance was a digitknowitall. Great in theory, but he could never get the radio station he liked programmed into it, so he had to listen to newscasts in a foreign language. He could also never program in the correct time...it was always an hour behind or so. The coffee tasted like something you would expect would come out of a new computer and the toast was always burned black. His only consolation was that the smoke detector awoke him if the alarm failed, the coffee was a handy extinguisher for the burnt breakfast offerings and his clock was right twice a day.
Etymology: Digital (of a circuit or device that represents magnitudes in digits) & Know-It-All (a person who thinks/behaves as if they know everything, but usually knows less than you would think on a subject).
----------------------------
COMMENTS:
LOL! I'm still laughing, ha ha! Thanks! - splendiction, 2009-10-07: 21:44:00
----------------------------
Stymieware
Created by: artr
Pronunciation: stīmēwər
Sentence: Jerry is proud to own the latest, greatest smart phone. It is apparently smarter than him. Yesterday it automatically downloaded and installed the freshest stymieware. It is supposed to give him all kinds of new state-of-the-art capabilities. He is lucky to figure out how to make a phone call. He tried to text his brother but ended up in a video conference call with some guys in Denmark. It might have been interesting if he understood them.
Etymology: stymie (prevent or hinder the progress of) + software (the programs and other operating information used by a computer)
Defeature
Created by: Discoveria
Pronunciation: Dee-fee-chur
Sentence: The car's inbuilt automatic window-unsteaming feature was nothing but a defeature, because the on/off button was almost under the driver's seat.
Etymology: Defeat + de- + feature. Defeature also happens to be an obsolete word for the noun "defeat" or for a deformity.
----------------------------
COMMENTS:
Badget was taken by someone else...:D - Discoveria, 2007-03-21: 08:42:00
"Defeature" is better anyway. - ErWenn, 2007-03-21: 17:45:00
----------------------------
Ditzmo
Created by: jedijawa
Pronunciation: ditz-mo
Sentence: The ditzmo was such a complicated bit of electronics that Bobbie didn't even try to figure it out.
Etymology: ditz (a scatterbrain) + gizmo (a mechanical device)
----------------------------
COMMENTS:
Perfect! - wordmeister, 2007-03-21: 00:42:00
Simple and cute! Love it! - purpleartichokes, 2007-03-21: 04:39:00
----------------------------
Comments:
Today's definition was suggested by erasmus.
Thank you erasmus! ~ James
Today's definition was suggested by erasmus. Thank you erasmus. ~ James