Downtime

Beginner 💻 Tech / IT

Definition

When a website, app, or service stops working, causing customers to panic and post angry tweets while support teams pretend it's 'scheduled maintenance.'

Example Usage

We experienced a 4-hour downtime that definitely wasn't related to our sloppy deployment procedure, definitely.

Source: IT terminology

Related Terms

Intermediate

lossless

A compression method that preserves every single bit of original data, like photocopying without any degradation, which sounds great until you see the file sizes. This format ensures perfect quality by refusing to throw away any information, making audiophiles and photographers very happy and storage administrators very sad. The digital equivalent of refusing to edit your manuscript because every word is precious.

💻 Tech / IT
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56k

The prehistoric dial-up internet connection speed that made downloading a single song feel like a spiritual journey. While some rural folks have legitimate infrastructure excuses, others are clinging to 56k through sheer stubbornness or a nostalgic love of hearing that screaming modem sound.

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NoSQL

A category of databases that don't use traditional SQL and relational tables, originally meaning 'No SQL' but rebranded to 'Not Only SQL' when developers realized they might still need SQL occasionally. It's for when you want to scale fast and define schemas never.

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typewriter

A mechanical or electric writing machine with individual keys that, when pressed, cause metal type-faces or ribbons to strike paper, leaving characters. It was the standard tool for producing typed documents from the 1870s until computers and word processors became widespread.

💻 Tech / IT
Intermediate

Containerize

To package an application and all its dependencies into a neat little box so it runs the same everywhere, solving the ancient developer prayer of "but it works on my machine." Now it doesn't work on anyone's machine equally.

💻 Tech / IT
Beginner

verification

The process of confirming that something is accurate, authentic, or meets specified requirements—essentially checking your work before submitting. In tech, it's ensuring code does what it's supposed to do; in business, it's confirming data accuracy; in social media, it's that blue checkmark proving you're actually famous. The adult equivalent of "double-check your answers" from school tests.

💻 Tech / IT

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