80 Foods Named After Other Foods

Most of the foods listed below are fruits or vegetables named after other fruits or vegetables. I find this form of naming to be very confusing. The cherry tomato may have been the first example of this I ever noticed. The chicken fried steak sounded great until I found out it had no chicken.

While compiling this list I imagined that somewhere in the world of high-finance vegetables, someone is chanting the mantra, "If we can name it strawberry, we will."

Thanks to Jean Atrill who let me eyeball her seed catalogs where I found some of the most outrageous examples.


1. Acorn Squash

2. Almond Potato

3. Apple Green Eggplant

4. Asparagus Pea

5. Banana Melon

6. Banana Pepper

7. Beefsteak Tomato

8. Beer Banana

9. Black Cherry Tomato

10. Black Pear Tomato

11. Black Plum Tomato

12. Brandywine Tomato

13. Brown Turkey Hardy Fig

14. Butter and Sugar Corn

15. Buttercup Squash

16. Butternut Squash

17. Canary Melon

18. Cherry Bomb Pepper

19. Cherry Orange

20. Chicken Fried Steak

21. Currant Tomato

22. Curry Banana

23. Deer Tongue Lettuce

24. Dwarf Orange Quince

25. Early White Bush Scallop Squash

26. Easter Egg Radish

27. Fish Pepper

28. Garden Peach Tomato

29. German Red Strawberry Tomato

30. Golden Cross Bantam Corn

31. Golden Orange Apple

32. Goose Berry

33. Grape Tomato

34. Green Grape Tomato

35. Green Nutmeg Melon

36. Green Pineapple Tomato

37. Hawaiian Pineapple Tomato

38. Honey and Cream Corn

39. Honey Garlic

40. Husk Cherry Tomato

41. Lemon Cherry Tomato

42. Lemon Drop Pepper

43. Long Island Cheese Pumpkin

44. Miniature Chocolate Bell Pepper

45. Myrtle Blueberry

46. Nectarine Tomato

47. Orange Banana Tomato

48. Orange Sun Bell Pepper

49. Oregon Honey Fig

50. Peaches and Cream Corn

51. Pineapple Quince

52. Pink Banana Squash

53. Plum Cherry

54. Plum Purple Radish

55. Plum Tomato

56. Potato Onion

57. Red Cherry Hot Pepper

58. Red Grape Sugar Plum Tomato

59. Red Pear Tomato

60. Red Plum Tomato

61. Rose Finn Apple Fingerling Potato

62. Royal Acorn Squash

63. Sausage Cream Tomato

64. Sausage Tomato

65. Sheep Berry

66. Spaghetti Squash

67. Squash Berry

68. Strawberry Corn

69. Strawberry Spinach

70. Sun Cherry Tomato

71. Sweet Dumpling Squash

72. Sweet Pea Currant Tomato

73. Sweet Pickle Pepper

74. Sweet Potato Squash

75. Vegetable Spaghetti Squash

76. Wapsipinicon Peach Tomato

77. Watermelon Beefsteak Tomato

78. Yellow Currant Tomato

79. Yellow Pear Tomato

80. Yellow Plum Tomato

---0---

Browse new and used books on foods and cooking or any other topic at TomFolio.com, where 200 reputable, independent used bookdealers offer their inventories and personalized service.
Visit my humble used-book store.

---0---

250 Words for Groups of People

. . . I started this list ages ago because I was trying to come up with a cute name for a group or club or something that was being formed at the time. I don't remember anything about the actual group, but the list I created eventually grew to be enormous.

This is just a bare-bones list. I have only included a few definitions here and there, and they are as concise as I can make them.

Most of these terms could go anywhere in a club name, but some of them only sound good at the end of a name (and some have strict legal definitions). They are: incorporated, limited, unlimited, combined, congolmerated amalgamated, associated, assembled, affiliated, aggregated, allied, collected, concerned, consolidated, delegated, federated.

The usefulness of this list is, after you have come up with the best name for your club, you can use this list to help you come up with a phrase that works out as an acronym for the name of your club. (Example: Take the name Moses; build it up into Metropolitan Organizing Strategy Enabling Strength.) (Yes, Moses is a real interfaith urban renewal organization in Detroit, Michigan.)

Here, then, is the list.


1. action

2. adjutancy

3. administration

4. affiliated, affiliation

5. agency

6. aggregated, aggregate, aggregation

7. allied, alliance

8. amalgam, amalgamated, amalgamation

9. anonymous

10. argosy. a fleet of ships.

11. aristocracy

12. arm

13. armada

14. army

15. assembled, assembly, assemblage

16. associated, association

17. authority

18. band

19. base

20. bastion

21. battalion, battery, battle group

22. bevy

23. bloc, block

24. board

25. body

26. branch

27. brotherhood, brothers, brethren, sons

28. brigade

29. bunch

30. bureau

31. business, business group

32. cabal. a secret group.

33. cabinet

34. cadre

35. cahoot

36. camp

37. campaign

38. cartel. a group of competing companies or business entities.

39. cast

40. caste

41. caucus

42. cavalry

43. century

44. chamber, chambers

45. chapter

46. choir, chorale, chorus

47. chosen

48. church

49. circle

50. clan

51. class

52. clique

53. cloister

54. club

55. cluster

56. clutch

57. coalition

58. cohort

59. collected, collection, collective

60. colony

61. column

62. combat team

63. combined, combine, combination

64. command, commandery

65. commission

66. committee

67. common interest group

68. commonweal, commonwealth

69. commune

70. communion

71. community

72. companionship

73. company

74. complement

75. concern, concerned

76. condominium, condo

77. confederated, confederate, confederation, confederacy

78. conference

79. confraternity

80. congolmerated, conglomerate, conglomeration

81. congregation

82. congress

83. consolidated, consolidation

84. consortium

85. constabulary

86. constituency

87. contingent

88. cooperating, cooperation, cooperative, co-op, coop

89. copartnership

90. corporation

91. corps

92. coterie

93. council

94. court

95. crew

96. crowd

97. cult

98. delegated, delegate, delegation

99. den. Boy Scout term for local group.

100. denomination

101. department

102. deputation

103. detachment

104. detail

105. directorate

106. division

107. duo, duet. group of two.

108. echelon

109. electorate

110. elite

111. ensemblage, ensemble

112. entourage

113. escadrille. a group of aircraft.

114. establishment

115. exchange

116. extended family

117. faction

118. family

119. fathers, brothers, brotherhood, brethren, sons

120. federated, federacy, federation

121. fellowship

122. file, rank and file

123. firm

124. fleet

125. flight

126. flock

127. flotilla. a fleet of ships.

128. force

129. formation

130. forum

131. foundation

132. fraternity, frat

133. friends

134. fringe

135. gaggle

136. gang

137. garrison

138. genos. ancient Athenian term for a clan.

139. genus. a group of species with many common characteristics.

140. government

141. grand jury

142. group

143. guild

144. harem. a group of wives in one household with one husband.

145. horde

146. house

147. incorporated, incorporation

148. infantry

149. institute, institution

150. interest group

151. jamboree. Boy Scout term for a large combined gathering.

152. joint concern

153. junket

154. junta. a military government.

155. junto. a club.

156. jury, grand jury, petit jury

157. kaper group. Girl Scout term for small group assigned to do chores together.

158. kingdom

159. knights

160. knot

161. league

162. legion

163. legislature

164. limited

165. local

166. lodge

167. lunatic fringe

168. maniple. an ancient Roman military division.

169. meeting

170. ministry

171. mission

172. mob

173. moiety. a subdivision of a tribe.

174. mothers, daughters, sisters, sisterhood

175. nation, national, nationality

176. neighborhood

177. nonet. a group of nine.

180. nuclear family

181. obe. ancient Athenian term for a village and the people who inhabit it.

182. octet. a group of eight.

183. orchestra

184. order

185. organizing, organized, organization

186. outfit

187. outpost

188. pack. Boy Scout term for a group of dens.

189. pair. a group of two.

190. panel

191. parliament

192. partnership

193. party

194. patrol

195. petit jury

196. phalanx. a tactical formation of a military unit.

197. phraty. a group of related tribes or clans.

198. phylum. biological term for one of the main divisions of species.

199. platoon

200. pocket

201. posse

202. post

203. quartet. a group of four.

204. quintet. a group of five.

205. rabble

206. race

207. rally

208. rank, rank and file

209. regiment

210. religion

211. ring

212. secretariat

213. sect

214. section

215. senate

216. sept. 1. a subdivision of a clan; 2. one family within a clan.

217. septet. a goup of seven.

218. seraglio. 1. a harem; 2. the residence of a harem.

219. set

220. sextet, sestet. a group of six.

221. side

222. sisterhood, sisters, mothers, daughters

223. society

224. solo. a group of one.

225. sons, brothers, brotherhood, brethren, fathers

226. sorority

227. special interest group, SIG. term used by members of Mensa for a small group of members with a common interest.

228. squad

229. squadron

230. station

231. subdivision, sub. 1. a plot of land with a group of single-family homes laid out along several streets; 2. the group who live in a sub.

232. sub-unit

233. support group

234. symphony orchestra, symphony

235. task force

236. team

237. temple

238. tontine. a group of mutual investors.

239. touch group, T-group. youth camp term for a small group of campers who do activities together.

240. tribe

241. trio. a group of three.

242. troop. Girl Scout term for local group.

243. troupe. group of actors.

244. trust

245. umbrella, umbrella group

246. unit, united

247. unlimited

248. wing

249. working group, WG

250. wungwa. Hopi term for a clan (Native Americans of southwestern US).

---0---

Browse used books on movements and organizations or used reference books from reputable independent dealers at TomFolio.com

Help a starving bookdealer

---0---

33 Academic Ranks and Titles used at Universities

. . . Listed in approximate order from highest to lowest. Not every university has every rank and some may use different terms or titles. Many universities outside the US also use the term docent as a university rank: in some places it is a high rank, in others it is low; in the US it mainly refers to a volunteer museum tour guide who has specialized training in that museum's exhibits.


1. university professor / institute professor / distinguished professor

2. presidents' professor / regents' professor

3. teaching professor

4. professor emerita / professor emeritus

5. dean / department chair / provost

6. professor / full professor

7. professorial fellow

8. associate professor

9. adjunct professor

10. affiliated professor

11. assistant professor

12. visiting professor / nonresident professor

13. visiting assistant professor

14. research professor / research fellow

15. associate research professor

16. assistant research professor

17. collegiate professor

18. post-doctoral fellow

19. senior lecturer

20. lecturer

21. assistant lecturer

22. post-doctoral research assistant

23. research assistant

24. instructor

25. visiting instructor

26. adjunct instructor

27. teaching fellow

28. graduate student

29. graduate teaching assistant (GTA)

30. teaching assistant (TA) / undergraduate teaching assistant (UTA)

31. proctor

32. tutor

33. artist in residence

---0---

Browse books about education at TomFolio.com

Help a starving bookdealer

---0---

92 Feminine and Masculine Word Pairs

. . . I have collected hundreds of these word pairs but only 92 are listed below.

The separation and exclusion of women by men has led to the creation of countless words which are defined (by men) as the feminine version of some masculine job. Thus was born this list.

Without writing a full-on essay about the truly pointless and offensive phenomenon of sexism and all its social implications, I'll just say that, while I do not accept the notion that either sex should be treated as inferior to the other, I am fascinated by some of the very ridiculous gender-specific words that have been invented to perpetuate this notion. Of particular interest are the examples in which the feminine form carries a negative or lower-class connotation as compared to the masculine form (for example: governess / governor) and the examples in which a word has been given an unnecessary suffix or has been twisted into a nearly unpronounceable shape in order to change its gender (for example: chauffeurette / chauffeur).

For this list, I have listed the feminine version of each word first, followed by its masculine equivalent, separated by a slash. If there are multiple forms of one gender, they are listed together, separated by a comma. If there is a commonly accepted gender-inclusive or gender-neutral term, it is listed last, after a triple slash. Comments and definitions follow (in parentheses). Terms that are slang or recently coined are marked with an asterisk (*).


Feminine term / Masculine term /// neutral or inclusive term

1. abbess / abba, abbas, abbot

2. accoucheuse / accocheur /// midwife

3. alumna / alumnus /// alum

4. amicular* / avuncular

5. ancestress / ancestor

6. anglerette / angler /// fisher

7. authoress / author /// author

8. aviatrix, aviatress / aviator

9. bachelorette / bachelor /// single

10. beach bunny / beach bum

11. best woman / best man (see also bridesmaid, bride's attendant)

12. birth / beget

13. bitchma* / dogma

14. bitchmatic* / dogmatic

15. bride / bridegroom, groom

16. bridesmaid, maid of honor, matron of honor / best man, groomsman (see also best woman, bride's attendant)

17. bride's attendant / groom's attendant

18. cateress / caterer

19. centaurette / centaur /// rider (see also equestrienne)

20. chauffeurette, chauffeuse / chauffeur

21. coed / student /// student

22. coiffeuse / coiffeur

23. comedienne / comedian

24. courtesan / courtier

25. creatrix / creator

26. cujette* / cujine* (US slang, from Italian: homegirl / homeboy)

27. czaritsa, czarina / czar

28. danseuse / danseur

29. divorcée / divorcé

30. doctoress / doctor /// doctor

31. doyenne / doyen

32. dudette* / dude

33. dweebette* / dweeb

34. editrix / editor

35. eldress / elder

36. electress / elector

37. emerita / emeritus

38. equestrienne, equestriette / equestrian /// rider (see also centaurette)

39. executrix / executor

40. farmerette / farmer /// farmer

41. femcee* / emcee

42. feminization / guy-ization*

43. fiancée / fiancé

44. gal, doll, guyette* / guy

45. geekess* / geek

46. giantess / giant

47. governess / governor

48. grumpette* / grump

49. guardess / guard

50. gynocentric* / androcentric*

51. heroine, shero*, hera* / hero /// protagonist

52. herstory* / history

53. homegirl, homette* / homeboy, homey

54. housewife / househusband*

55. inheritrix, inheritress / inheritor

56. institutrix / institutor

57. Latina / Latino

58. lumberjill / lumberjack

59. maestra / maestro

60. maid, maidservant / servant, manservant

61. majorette / major

62. manageress / manager

63. matrimony / patrimony

64. matron, patroness / patron

65. mayoress / mayor /// mayor

66. mediatrix, mediatress / mediator

67. misandrist / misogynist

68. mistress / master

69. murderess / murderer

70. Negress / Negro

71. neif / serf

72. ogress / ogre

73. procuress / procurer

74. paintress / painter /// painter

75. prima ballerina / premier danseur

76. prioress / prior

77. protectress, protectrice / protector

78. protégée / protégé

79. seamstress / seamster, tailor

80. servitress / servitor

81. scripteuse / scriptwriter

82. shrewdom / dronedom* (coined by author Mary Daly)

83. starlet / star /// star

84. stewardess / steward /// flight attendant

85. temptress / temptor

86. treasuress / treasurer

87. tsaritsa, tsarina / tsar

88. usherette / usher

89. waitress / waiter /// waitperson, waitron, server

90. wifey, hussy / hubby

91. wimpette* / wimp

92. yankette / yankee /// yank

---0---

Find new and use books on words and wordlore at TomFolio.com

Visit my online bookstore

---0---

28 Nicknames for Detroit Neighborhoods

. . . I grew up in the suburbs of Detroit and we suburban kids didn't seem to actually go into Detroit all that much, so I never learned these names or places. Now I do business in Detroit and go to church in Detroit and I hear these names in conversation quite a lot.

People were sometimes aghast when I told them that I didn't know what part of Detroit they were talking about when they said things like "Boston-Edison" or "Rosedale Park." So, of course, I started a list. I learned that there are in fact over 50 nicknames for various Detroit neighborhoods. I have listed just the ones I hear the most, or find the most interesting, along with their main intersections or border streets.

1. Art Center -- Woodward and Warren; includes Detroit Institute of Arts, Library, several large museums

2. Bagley -- bounded by West Outer Drive to the north, Livernois to the east, 6 Mile Road to the south, and Wyoming to the west

3. Black Bottom (destroyed 1960s) -- bounded by Gratiot Avenue, Brush Street, Vernor Highway, and the Grand Trunk railroad

4. Boston-Edison -- four streets: Boston, Chicago, Longfellow, and Edison; stretching from Woodward Avenue on the east to Linwood on the west; ritzy homes built 1905-1925, no two alike

5. Brick Town -- Larned and Brush, between Greektown and the Renaissance Center

6. Brightmoor -- from Puritan and Schoolcraft Roads between Telegraph and Evergreen

7. Brush Park -- 24-block area bounded by Mack on the north, Woodward on the west, Beaubien on the east, and the Fisher Freeway on the south.

8. Cass Corridor -- along Cass Avenue from I-75 (south end) to Wayne State University (north end) between Woodward and 3rd Street

9. Chaldean Town -- runs along 7 Mile Road from Woodward Avenue east to John R.

10. Chinatown -- Peterboro and 2nd Street

11. Corktown -- Michigan Avenue and 6th Street

12. Cultural Center -- Warren and Woodward

13. Eastern Market -- Gratiot and Russell

14. Foxtown -- about one mile north of the Renaissance Center, with Grand Circus Park located at its hub, and encompassing the Kales Building, Comerica Park, and Ford Field

15. Greektown -- Monroe and Saint Antoine

16. Indian Village -- bounded on the north and south by Mack and East Jefferson, respectively, along the streets of Burns, Iroquois, and Seminole

17. Medical Center -- Mack and Woodward

18. Mexicantown -- Porter and Bagley, one block north of the Ambassador Bridge

19. Midtown -- new name applied by city, to improve its image, to a large section encompassing Brush Park, Cass Corridor, Medical Center, Art Center; it is bounded by the Ford, Chrysler, Fisher, and Lodge Freeways

20. New Center -- West Grand Boulevard and 2nd Street

21. North End -- bounded by Woodward to the west, the city of Highland Park to the north, the Chrysler Freeway to the east, and East Grand Boulevard to the south

22. Old Redford -- stretches from Five Points east to Greenfield Road and from 8 Mile Road to Schoolcraft; annexed by Detroit in 1926; center is Grand River and Lahser

23. Palmer Woods -- bounded by 7 Mile Road, 8 Mile Road, Woodward, and the Sherwood Forest neighborhood

24. Poletown (destroyed 1981) -- bordered on Hamtramck

25. Renaissance Center -- tallest building in Detroit, headquarters of General Motors, although this fact is not on GM's website or in their marketing

26. Rivertown -- East Jefferson and Rivard

27. Rosedale Park -- 5 Mile Road and Southfield in northwest Detroit

28. Warrendale -- bounded by Joy Road to the north, Ford Road to the south, Greenfield to the east and the River Rouge to the west.

---0---

Let me know what you want me to blog about next

Help a starving bookdealer

---0---

24 Interfaith Season's Greetings, 2009 Edition

1. To my Christian friends, Merry Christmas!

2. To my Catholic friends, Happy St. Stephen's Day!

3. To my Jewish friends, Happy Chanukah!

4. To my Muslim friends, Eid Mubarak!

5. To my African American friends, Good Kwanzaa!

6. To my Zoroastrian friends, Happy Mithra's Birthday!

7. To my Pagan friends, Blessed Solstice!

8. To my Malaysian friends, Selamat Hari Raya!

9. To my Hindu friends, a belated Shubh Diwali!

10. To my friends in the British Commonwealth: Happy Boxing Day early!

11. To my Universalist Unitarian friends, Happy Thomas Starr King's Birthday!

12. To my interfaith friends, Happy Whichever!

13. To my chorister friends: Throw the Yule Log on Uncle John!

14. To my scientist friends: Enjoy the Perihelion!

15. To my websurfing friends, eGreetings!

16. To my folklore-loving friends: Merry Generic Winter Festival!

17. To my friends in retail: Happy Non-Specific Holiday!

To everyone I haven't mentioned yet, 18. Happy Saturnalia! 19. Happy Brumalia! 20. Oneg Shabbat! 21. Yuletide Greetings! 22. Merry Festivus! 23. Season's Greetings!

24. To my Atheist friends, damn it's cold outside!

And a Kickass New Year to all.

---0---

23 Handy Substitutes for Old Used Book Terms that are Not Correctly Handled by Modern Search Engines and Might Not be Understood by the General Public Either

. . . Since the used book business went out onto the internet, some dealers have discarded some treasured old bits of jargon due to their embarrassing sound, their potentially misunderstood meaning, or their tendency to get flagged by search engines for the wrong reasons. Here's a small collection. (Please note: In places where a color would generally be indicated I have used blue as an example.)

Old Term > New Term

1. appendices > appendixes

2. bastard title > half title
Some books have both a bastard title and a half title, but the term bastard title is often avoided, for obvious reasons.

3. cocked > slanted or askew

4. cutline > caption
The old term cutline literally means caption, but since it could be taken to mean the book has been cut up, it is often avoided.

5. first or 1st

Any use of the word "first," in any context, will be flagged as a "first edition" and will be returned in a search for a first edition. Thus, where the dealer needs to use the word "first," a number of workarounds have been invented. Examples:

index of first lines > index of f*rst lines

first volume in series > volume one in series

author's first book > author's inaugural book

facsimile reprint of first edition > facsimile reprint of original edition

textbook for first-year chemistry students > textbook for freshman chemistry students

The word "first" should never be used in the description of any used book unless the copy in hand is a true first edition.

6. foxed > spotted or discolored
The term "foxed" or "foxing" is still in wide use but may not always be understood.

7. half bound > cloth over spine, blue boards
"Half bound" will be understood by serious book collectors but the general public will be completely in the dark.

8. indices > indexes

9. inscription > gift note or penned note
Any use of the word "inscription" or "inscribed," in any context, will be flagged as a "signed book" and will be returned in a search for a signed edition. Therefore the word should never be used in the online description of any used book unless it is in fact signed by the author or by a notable person.

10. paste-on > label or overlay
Having a paste-on generally indicates quality workmanship, but you don't want the buyer thinking the book has been abused by a six-year-old with too much time on their hands.

11. quarter bound > leather over spine, blue boards
"Quarter bound" will be understood by serious book collectors but the general public will be completely in the dark.

12. rag paper > cotton paper
Rag paper was common in the 1700s and 1800s but was pushed out of the market by high-acid wood-pulp paper. Rag paper is much more durable than paper made of wood pulp, does not normally turn brown like wood-pulp paper, and does not become brittle over time. However, the term rag paper can potentially evoke an image of a book printed on dirty rags.

13. recto > front
No comment.

14. saddle stitch > fold-and-staple binding or stapleback binding
This term could easily be misunderstood as some kind of fancy binding when in fact it is one of the cheapest.

15. stabbed or side stitched > side stapled
Saying a book has been stabbed or stitched when in fact it has been stapled (bound with staples near the folded edge) will be misunderstood by a large portion of the general public.

16. suede > brushed leather
Let's face it, "brushed leather" just sounds a whole lot fancier than "suede."

17. three-quarter bound or 3/4 bound > leather spine and tips
Refers to a binding in which the spine is covered in leather, and there is also leather over the corners of the boards, usually placed diagonally, and also that the central parts of the boards are covered in cloth or paper.

18. thumb index > thumb notch

19. topstain, as in:
blue topstain > top edge blue
Some books have colored top edges, with the most common colors being black, blue, or red. The correct term is topstain, but this word can be mistaken as a description of an accidental stain.

20. unfoliated or unpaginated > unnumbered pages
Seriously, who but a bookdealer knows that foliation refers to page numbers?

21. verso > back

22. vicesimo-quarto or 24mo > [size given in centimeters]
There are a number of wacky old terms for book sizes, although, technically, these terms do not refer to sizes but to the number of times the original paper stock was folded during the process of printing and manufacturing the book. In any case, the modern method of indicating size is simply to give the height of the book in centimeters, rounded up. Click here for a detailed list of these old size terms.

23. wraps, wrappers, paperwraps or stiffwraps > paperback or softcover
Few today understand the old term "wraps" and its variants.

---0---

Check out a complete Glossary of arcane terms for new, used and antiquarian books

Browse used books, periodicals and paper ephemera for sale at TomFolio.com, an international cooperative of reputable independent dealers

Visit my humble online used-book store and thanks for stopping by!

---0---

55 Unusual Names of Ancient and Medieval Hand Weapons

. . . Seriously, I'm not into weapons, but I am fascinated by their interesting and often beautiful names. Here's a smattering from my collection (of words, not weapons).


1. adze or adz. form of ax with blade mounted perpendicular to haft, like a hoe; technically a carpenter's tool.

2. baculus. heavy club with knotted hardwood business end.

3. ballista. giant crossbow, usually mounted on a cart or sledge.

4. bec-de-corbin. a form of war hammer having a pick-like head and a spear-like tip projecting straight up from the end of the shaft.

5. biliong. Malaysian ax with large handle.

6. bisacuta. double pointed pick.

7. bouzdykan. Polish mace made entirely of metal.

8. bulawa. Russian mace made entirely of metal.

9. chemeti. fighting whip of Java.

10. claymore. giant two-handed Scottish sword.

11. cumber-jung. flail used in India, having a wooden handle and two short chains each ending in a heavy metal ring.

12. dabus. wooden mace studded with nails, used in Arabia.

13. dolabra. Roman Legionnaire's battle ax.

14. falcata ("fall-KAH-tah"). Celtic sword, circa 100 CE, with a short, inward-curving blade.

15. fauchard. polearm with a long, narrow, curved blade, sharpened on one side only, having a curved parrying spike on the back of the blade.

16. flagellum. Roman three-pronged whip.

17. flamberge. giant two-handed German sword.

18. francisca. heavy throwing ax with metal blade and wooden handle, used by Franks of 6th to 8th centuries.

19. ganjing. iron club of Java, Indonesia.

20. gargaz. six- to ten-bladed mace of India.

21. glaive. polearm with a rear-projecting knob or spike.

22. goupillon. European three-pronged steel flail used by mounted warriors.

23. hoeroa. whalebone club used by the Maori of New Zealand.

24. hurlbat. European throwing axe made entirely of metal.

25. hunga-munga. African curved-bladed throwing knife with projecting points or hooks on either side of the handle, such that it will pierce its victim no matter which way it impacts.

26. i-wata-jinga. stone-headed club used by North American Plains Indians.

27. jo. Japanese wooden staff. The English name is a quarterstaff.

28. kadjo. Australian stone-headed club.

29. kalus. Malaysian fighting whip.

30. kamcha. Turkish whip having a wooden handle and a leather or cord business end.

31. katana. classic Samurai sword with a long, slightly curved blade that does not taper.

32. kujerong. heavy wooden Australian club with a rounded end.

33. kukri. national sword of the Gurkha warriors of Nepal, having a small, curved blade. The sword itself is often called a Gurkha.

34. mabobo. Australian club with rounded head and square handle.

35. mace. general term for any metal club designed for crushing armor; some maces also have knobs, spikes or blades.

36. mugdar. club used by Sepoy warriors of India, wooden with lead weights.

37. novacula. ancient sickle-like weapon of Cyprus.

38. nunchaku. Japanese type of flail consisting of two short sticks or rods joined by a short chain or rope. English term is nunchucks.

39. partizan. a polearm with a single broad blade surrounded by shorter points.

40. pike. long-handled thrusting weapon with short blade, used by foot soldiers against charging cavalry.

41. plombee ("plom-BAY"). European lead-weighted mace with a wooden handle.

42. polearm ("POLE-arm"). general term for any weapon mounted on a pole.

43. qama ("KAH-mah"). national weapon of Soviet Georgia, being a dagger with a straight, double-edged blade.

44. quadrelle. small metal mace with four flanges or blades.

45. rante. Malasian chain whip used to entangle an opponent's arms or legs; some have metal star-shaped weights on the ends of the chain.

46. sai ("SY"). Japanese parrying baton with two side hooks. Often the warrior holds one in each hand.

47. scimitar ("SIM-it-ar"). sword with long, sweeping, slightly curved blade, 1500s, used for slashing rather than thrusting.

48. scramasax. short-bladed sword used by Saxons, Franks, Vikings and Gauls.

49. shuriken. Japanese throwing star: a small, flat metal disc with points protruding around the entire edge.

50. skain. ancient Irish dagger.

51. spontoon. small pike.

52. trebuchet ("TREB-yoo-shay"). giant hurling mechanism, usually mounted on a wheeled platform or sledge.

53. verutum. light Roman infantry javelin with a back-pointing barb on each side of the blade.

54. voulge or vouge. European polearm having a broad axe-like blade used for slashing and a projecting spike used for thrusting.

55. war witch. thin-bladed battle axe on a four-foot pole, originated in Denmark.

(Some of these terms were found in Palladium Books Presents the Compendium of Weapons, Armour and Castles, for Use with all Role Playing Games, by Matthew Balent. Detroit, Mich: Palladium Books, 1981, 1989)

---0---

Looking for inexpensive gifts? Check out the Bargain Books at TomFolio.com

Browse books on weapons, firearms, and other antiques and collectibles

Browse my online bookstore

---0---

30 Terms for Packing Peanuts

. . . Ghost poop is the term I grew up on. Here's a whole bunch more.

1. anti-static packing peanuts

2. biodegradable peanuts

3. bio-peanuts

4. cellulose packing peanuts

5. cornstarch peanuts, cornstarch packing peanuts (made of biodegradable material, safe for pets to eat)

6. eco-fill

7. elephant poo

8. fill, filler

9. foam cushioning

10. foam peanuts

11. ghost poop, ghost poo

12. ghost turds

13. loose fill, loosefill

14. nerdlies, styrofoam nerdlies

15. packing peanuts, packaging peanuts

16. peanuts

17. penauts (sic)

18. plastic loosefill

19. polystyrene-based packing peanuts

20. polystyrene filler

21. popcorn, polystyrene popcorn

22. Puffy Stuff (brand name)

23. shipping peanuts

24. starch-based peanuts, starch-based foam peanuts

25. starch packing peanuts

26. styro snow (term for broken bits that fly around the room)

27. styro-demons (so named due to their propensity of sticking to everything)

28. styrofoam filler

29. styrofoam popcorn

30. void fill

---0---

Running low on packing peanuts? Order a stack of used books!

Browse my online bookstore

Browse TomFolio.com, where the world's friendliest independent used bookdealers display their wares

---0---

58 Unusual Names of Fairies, Demons, and Other Mythical and Imaginary Beings

. . . Happy Turkey Day to all! Here's a few of the more interesting fairies and demons from my large collection.

1. Abeyoyo (ah-bay-YO-yo). a ferocious giant. Africa.

2. Aughisky. a water spirit that preys on cattle. Ireland.

3. Balkin. a mountain spirit. Orkney Islands, Scotland.

4. banshee (BAN-she) a wailing, female spirit attached to a specific family: she wails just prior to the death of a family member. Celtic, Scottish and Irish.

5. the Baobhan Sith. a type of monster or malevolent spirit, often appearing as a beautiful woman, known to suck blood. Highland Scotland.

6. bargus. a frightening ghost draped in clanking chains. Yorkshire and South Lancashire, England

7. Bodachan Sabhaill (Scottish: little old man of the barn). a friendly fairy who threshes corn and binds straw for old men. Highland Scotland.

8. boggart. a mischievous fairy, known for making noise, throwing objects about and like behavior. Yorkshire and northern England. Called a bwca in Wales, a bogle in Scotland, a poltergeist in Germany. (In the Harry Potter books by J. K. Rowling, a boggart appears in the form of whatever its victim fears most. See clutterbumph.)

9. Brollachan (Gaelic: shapeless thing). a monster born of a fuath.

10. brownie. a small, rag-clothed fairy or spirit that haunts a specific place; to give a brownie clothes is bad luck. Northern England and Scotland.

11. Ca Sith (Scottish: fairy dog). a monstrous spirit dog, the size of a bull, with a green coat. Scotland.

12. Cait Sith (Scottish: fairy cat). a monstrous black cat owned by the fairies. Scotland.

13. clutterbumph. a scary thing that is not there until you imagine it: whatever is just above the worst thing you can think of, that is what a clutterbumph looks like. (From the book Manxmouse by Paul Gallico, a book which J. K. Rowling said was one of her favorites, which possibly inspired her version of a boggart in the Harry Potter books.)

14. Coblynau (Welsh: goblins). friendly beings who inhabit mines: they stand about two feet tall, dress like miners and are helpful to miners. Wales.

15. Deva (DAY-vah) (India: shining one). general term for any type of nature spirit.

16. dvergr. Norse word for dwarf: they were believed to live in rocks and were skilled in metalworking.

17. Ellylldan (Welsh: will o' the wisp). local name for friendly fairies. Wales.

18. Fear Dearg. (Irish: red man). a red-clothed spirit whose visit brings good luck. Munster, Ireland.

19. Fenodyree / Phynoderee / Phynnodderee. name for a local fairy similar to a brownie. Isle of Man.

20. fetch. a double of a living man; when seen it means death. Ireland.

21. Firbolg. a non-cannibal giant. Ireland.

22. Fomorian. a giant known for throwing huge stones, blamed for the boulders seen scattered about Scotland.

23. fuath (FOO-ah). a group of malignant water spirits. Sutherland, Scotland.

24. Gally-Trot. a spirit in the shape of a large white dog, known for chasing anyone who runs from it. Suffolk, England.

25. Ghillie Dhu (Scottish: black servant). a friendly, domestic, solitary fairy who is helpful in finding lost children. Scotland.

26. the Glaistig. a fairy woman, clothed in green, known for being kind to children but also for misleading travelers. Highland Scotland.

27. the Glashtin. a mischievous fairy. Isle of Man.

28. Grindylow (GRIN-dee-loh). a malevolent water spirit. Yorkshire. (J. K. Rowling included these in the Harry Potter books; they live in the lake near Hogwarts School.)

29. the Grogan. the brownie as it is known in Ireland.

30. the Gwragedd Annwn. beautiful, friendly female spirits who inhabit lakes. Wales. The singular is Gwraig (Welsh: lady of the lake).

31. Gwydion. the wizard king of the fairies. North Wales.

32. Habetrot. queen of the spinning fairies, patroness of human spinners, generally described as very industrious and friendly but not too attractive. Scottish Borderlands.

33. the Hag of Winter. a spirit woman, the personification of winter, she is fearsome, withered, and has only one eye. Called Gentle Annie in Leicester, Black Annis in northern England, and the Cailleach Bheur in the Scottish Highlands. (John Milton called her the Blue Meagre Hag.)

34. the Hedley Kow. a monster that haunts the village of Hedley, Northumberland, England, known for transforming itself into the shape of a man, woman, horse or other beast, and for causing harm to the unwary.

35. Hraesvelger (corpse swallower). in Norse mythology, a giant wearing eagle plumage who produces the wind.

36. incubus. (ING-kyoo-bus). a male demon that preys on young women in their sleep.

37. Jenny Greenteeth. a female water spirit known for dragging people under the water to their deaths. A green scum on the surface of the water indicates her presence. Lancashire, England.

38. Jötunn. (Anglo-Saxon: eoten). in Norse mythology, a giant.

39. Kadaicha Man (Aborigine tribe Luritja: retribution man). a fearful being who chases wrongdoers to deliver justice. He walks without leaving tracks. Australia.

40. Kobold. a mining spirit. Germany.

41. Kooshd'aa K'aa. (land otter or land otter man). A malignant being who can change himself into a human being, another animal, or anything. Children who might wander off alone are warned that the Kooshd'aa K'aa would wait from them, put them in a trance and take them away. Tlingit Indians of Alaska.

42. Llamhigyn y Dwr (Welsh: the water leaper). a malevolent water spirit known for stealing fishermen's bait and for dragging sheep into the water to eat.

43. the Loireag. a female spirit, patroness of weavers and fullers (ones who beat or press cloth to increase its bulk). Highland Scotland.

44. merfolk. water spirits, including mermaids and mermen, said to very beautiful and playful, with fishtails in the place of legs.

45. the Muileartach. a hideous, one-eyed water hag of enormous size. Highland Scotland.

46. Nuckelavee. a mythical water monster, half horse and half man. Scotland.

47. the Peallaidh (Scottish: the shaggy one). chief of the Urisks. Perthshire, Scotland.

48. peerie. local term for fairy. Shetland Isles.

49. the Pellings. a race of half-human fairies, children of a fairy mother (Penelope) and human father, who dwell in Corwrion Lake. Wales.

50. pooka. a type of fairy or spirit that always appears in animal form. Ireland. (Make famous as a six foot tall invisible rabbit in the movie and play "Harvey.")

51. the Ratchet. a demonic hound, known for hunting in packs in the sky and howling before the death of a human.

52. silkie / silky / selkie / selky. a seal-like water spirit able to change his form into a man. Scotland.

53. spriggan. the ghost of a giant, usually found guarding the giant's buried treasure, usually tiny but able to grow enormous, considered to be very dangerous. Cornwall, England.

54. Tom Tit Tot. name of a particularly mischievous fairy in England. Known in Scotland as Whuppity Stoorie, in Wales as Trwtyn a Trotyn, in Cornwall as the Devil Terrytop, in Germany as Rumpelstiltzkin.

55. Tylwyth Teg (Welsh: Fair Family). local name for a group of fair-haired, larger-than-human-sized fairies.

56. the Urisk. a group of hobgoblins. Perthshire, Scotland.

57. Valkyrie (VAL-kee-ree) (chooser of the slain). in Norse mythology, one of a troop of goddesses who serve in Valhalla, land of fallen heroes, and carry out errands for Odin, king of the gods.

58. worm. general term for monstrous being akin to a dragon. England.

---0---

Select bibliography:

The Personnel of Fairyland: A Short Account of the Fairy People of Great Britain for Those Who Tell Stories to Children, by K. M. Briggs. Detroit: Singing Tree Press, 1971, reprint of Oxford: Alden Press, 1953.

The Kingdom of Faerie, by Geoffrey Hodson. London: Theosophical Publishing House, 1927, and, Fairies at Work and at Play, Observed by Geoffrey Hodson. London: Theosophical Publishing House, 1947.

Norse Mythology, Or, the Religion of our Forefathers, by Rasmus Bjorn Anderson. Chicago, S. C. Griggs & Company, 2nd edition, 1876.

Tlingit Stories, by Marie Ackerman. Anchorage, Alaska: AMU Press, 1975.

---0---

Visit my used bookstore at gwenfoss.com

Find used books on fairies, folklore, mythology, or any other topic from reputable independent dealers at TomFolio.com

---0---

92 Types of Payment

. . . "First, I charge a retainer; then I charge a reminder; next I charge a refresher; and then I charge a finisher." — attorney Judah P. Benjamin (1811–1884)

Who knows why we have special words for all these different things? They are all payments. English is strange and fun.


1. account. a pool of money, such as that belonging to one person and held by a bank on that person's behalf.

2. ad valorem or advalorem duty. an import duty proportional to the value assessed by customs.

3. agio. fee for currency exchange.

4. allowance. a small amount of spending money given weekly by parents to their children.

5. alms. money given to the poor.

6. amercement. a legal fine or penalty. Feudal era.

7. auction scrip. Originated in the 1930s by Donald F. Cochrane of Hartford, Michigan as a "newspaper stunt" in which the scrip was given out by merchants to customers who made purchases, then it was announced that the scrip would be the only legal tender for a public auction on Christmas Eve of merchandise from participating merchants. A successful scheme which was then copied elsewhere.

8. balance. amount remaining in a specific fund, or amount of a debt yet to be paid off.

9. banalities. fees paid to a lord for use of his gristmill, winepress, or similar equipment. Feudal era.

10. bribe. money paid secretly or illegally, often involving a government official, for secret or illegal services.

11. capital gains tax. percentage paid to government on profit made by buying and selling stocks or other valuables.

12. charge card. similar to a credit card but the bearer is not allowed to have a balance and must pay the full amount due each month. For example, American Express is a charge card, not a credit card.

13. check card. similar to a credit card but the money is deducted immediately from the bearer's checking account rather than being loaned to the bearer.

14. chevage. tax collected by the lord of a manor from peasants who lived outside the manor. Feudal era.

15. chit. general term for a piece of paper or card holding some value for exchange.

16. collection. term in the Roman Catholic church for money taken up by the church from worshipers during a worship service.

17. commission. 1) fee for services rendered, taken out of money gained. 2) euphemism for bribe.

18. contribution. 1) donation. 2) euphemism for bribe paid by a company to a government official.

19. coordinated deductible. deductible that is not paid until a separate company ponies up some of the money.

20. corrody. payment in the form of food and drink, and sometimes a room or other goods, paid by an abbot (church official) for services rendered.

21. credit card. card used in a system by which the bearer borrows money from a credit company in order to make purchases. Credit companies issue cards to consumers, set their interest rates, and charge fees to merchants who accept credit card payments.

22. damages. fee paid by person found guilty of a crime.

23. Danegeld. tax levied to fight off Danish invasion of England. Anglo-Saxon era.

24. deductible. a term in the insurance business; it is the amount of money the customer must first pay on a claim before the insurance company will pay.

25. deposit. 1) amount of money one puts into one's bank account. 2) amount of money less than the price of the item, paid to a merchant in order for the merchant to hold the item for the customer.

26. ding. slang term for any fee, deductible, surcharge, etc, forced on an innocent consumer by a corporation such as a bank, credit card company, or merchant account service. (Example: The bank dinged me for two overdraft fees.)

27. distraint. seizure of goods for nonpayment of rent (UK); also called forfeiture.

28. distress. another word for distraint.

29. dividend. a percentage of money invested paid to the investor.

30. donation. money given freely to an organization that performs public services or good works. Also called a charitable donation.

31. duty. fee paid on an item when moving it across the border from one country into another; it supposedly takes the place of the tax you would have paid if you had purchased the item within the country.

32. entry fee. payment by a tenant for admission to a holding. Feudal era.

33. expense or expenses. general term for money that must be paid out to keep the company running: expenses include office rent, worker salaries, cost of paper clips, etc.

34. farm bureau issue. a highly successful form of emergency currency issued and hand signed by the president and secretary of the farm bureau of Millington, Michigan, in 1933.

35. fee. general term for any additional payment required by a government, a merchant, an organizations, etc.

36. forfeiture. seizure of goods for nonpayment of rent (US); also called distraint.

37. fund. general term for an amount of money held for a specific purpose.

38. geldum. another term for tax. Pre-Norman England.

39. gersuma. fee paid to a lord on entering a holding. Feudal era.

40. guerdon. reward.

41. heriot. payment, usually in the form of the best specimen of livestock, made to a manor-lord at the time of death of a tenant, paid by the family of the tenant. Compare mortuary. Feudal era.

42. income tax. taxes paid to the government based on a person's income. Became part of the US Constitution with the 16th Amendment.

43. interest. 1) additional amount paid on a loan, over and above the value of the loan. 2) money earned on an investment.

44. jeton (French: jeter = to push). a small coin-like item used as a counter in making calculations. Called Rechenpfennig (REKH-en-pfen-ikh, reckoning pennies) in Germany. Made of bone, glass, metal, etc. In olden days, metal ones were struck like coins, usually decorated with an ownership mark, coat of arms, religious symbol, etc, but never with a denomination (value) or date. They were large and flat enough to stack well.

45. kola. bribe.

46. levy. 1) a tax. 2) a seizure of property taken to recover back taxes.

47. loan. money given from an individual or lending institution, to another individual or organization, who agrees to pay it back over time, with or without interest.

48. medkniche. fee paid by the haymaker to the lord of the manor, determined by how much hay the hayward (official in charge of haying) can lift to his knees with his middle finger. Feudal era.

49. millage. a type of property tax increase that goes to pay for schools, libraries, or other public services. A "mill" is one-thousandth of a dollar, or one-tenth of a penny; a "millage" is usually an increase of a very small percentage.

50. mortuary. gift given to the parish priest from the estate of a deceased parishioner, usually being the second best specimen of livestock. Compare heriot. Feudal era.

51. minimum order fee. amount added to your order to meet the minimum order amount.

52. mita. payment in the form of public service. Inca empire.

53. multure. gristmill tax. Scotland and feudal England.

54. offering or offertory. term used in most Protestant churches for money taken up by the church from worshipers during a worship service.

55. overhead. euphemism for business expenses.

56. overplus. extra amount over the base or balance.

57. pannage. payment made to a lord for the right of feeding livestock in the lord's forest. Feudal era.

58. payoff. 1) bribe. 2) payment.

59. payola. bribe paid to DJs for playing certain bands or songs on their radio programs. 1960s-1970s term.

60. payout. money spent from a fund.

61. pension. monthly amount paid by a company to retired workers who completed certain qualifications, such as 20 years with the company.

62. pittance. 1) donation to a religious community that has taken vows of poverty. 2) any amount so small it is useless.

63. presentations. payment for fishing rights. Pre-Norman England.

64. profit. general term for any amount of money achieved by buying low and selling high: for example, buying a used LP record for $1 and selling it for $5 results in a net profit of $4. (Gross profit is total profit regardless of expenses; net profit is profit after subtracting expenses.)

65. promissory note. a card or slip of paper written by one individual to the person s/he has borrowed money from, promising to pay the amount back. Also called an I.O.U.

66. prosperity certificate or prosperity scrip. a form of scrip issued by the federal treasury, similar to the trade dollars issued in Howell, Michigan.

67. protection. a type of bribe in which the victim pays a bully, gangster, or thug an amount of money rather than getting beaten up.

68. rate. general term for an amount.

69. reimbursement. money paid after the fact when an amount is necessarily paid out to obtain a specific item or service.

70. relief. a type of death tax: a fee paid by the heir of a vassal to his lord for the privilege of inheriting the vassal's estate. Feudal era.

71. rent. amount paid to a landlord for the privilege of living in his/her property.

72. replevin. recovery by legal mean of goods unlawfully taken from a person.

73. revenue. income; often refers to money collected via taxes.

74. salary. amount earned by a worker regardless of hours worked. Most executive jobs are salaried jobs. The opposite is a wage.

75. scale. general term for wage and/or salary amounts designated by a union. To be paid scale means to be paid the lowest possible amount on the scale according to the job you are doing.

76. scrip. a certificate representing currency, issued in lieu of government currency. Most often used in emergency situations for temporary payment.

77. scutage. fee paid by a knight in order to be excused from military service. Also called a shield tax.

78. settlement. general term for the end result of a lawsuit or legal proceeding; some settlements involve payment of some form.

79. shield tax. another name for scutage.

80. simony. amount paid for the purchase of a religious benefice or indulgence.

81. surcharge. general term for a fee added onto an existing fee.

82. surtax. 1) general term for a tax added onto an existing tax. 2) income tax.

83. tallage. tax paid by serfs to their manorial lord. Feudal era.

84. tariff. a tax paid by merchants who import goods.

85. tax. general term for any money required by the government, usually relating to specific goods or services, and usually determined by a percentage. Types include sales tax, income tax, property tax, television tax, estate tax, and capital gains tax.

86. toll. 1) fee for the privilege of using a private road. 2) fee paid to one's lord for the privilege of selling one's livestock. Feudal era.

87. trade dollar / trade scrip / stamp scrip / stamp money / prosperity scrip. a form of emergency currency invented by the Chamber of Commerce of Howell, Michigan in 1933. The unique feature was that the scrip lost value if it was not spent. Dollars were given away free at first, by participating merchants, who gave out one trade dollar for every $5 worth of goods purchased. If the individual who received it did not spend it within 3 days, s/he had to purchase a 2-cent stamp (also issued by the Chamber of Commerce) and affix it to the scrip. After one trade dollar had been spent 52 times, it had collected $1.04 in stamps and was redeemed for $1.00 in cash. The scheme doubled commerce in Howell and was soon copied by small towns all over Michigan.

88. tranche. a portion of something, usually money. Example: "We're lowering the lowest tranche fee (i.e. for items with a starting price of $0.01 to $0.99) from a quarter to twenty cents." -- eBay, Feb 2006

89. wage. amount earned by a worker who gets paid by the hour. Most jobs requiring little specialized knowledge or skills are wage jobs. The opposite is salary.

90. windfall. government term for any amount of money that comes into one's possession unexpectedly, such as from winning the lottery or having a rich relative die and leave you piles of money.

91. withdrawal. amount of money one takes out of one's bank account.

92. writ of replevin. see replevin.


(Information on auction scrip, farm bureau scrip, prosperity certificates and trade dollars came from Michigan Depression Scrip of the 1930s, by James J. Curto. Reprinted from 'The Numismatist,' copyright 1949. Published by the author, Grosse Pointe, Mich., no date (circa 1960-1970).

---0---

Visit my used book store and get 25% off any order of $50.00 or more (just type 25% in the comments field when you order; your discount will be calculated by me before payment is charged)

Find used books on business, banking, coin collecting or any other topic at TomFolio.com

---0---

50 Types of "Computerware"

. . . Silly, cute, and standard terms for types of hardware and software. My one rule for collecting terms for this list is that the term must end -ware.

1. abandonware. another name for orphanware.

2. adware. 1) any software that includes, as part of its function, displays of advertising. For example, some freeware includes ads, with the option of upgrading to a paid version in order to rid yourself of the ads. In such packages the ads typically update themselves via automatic download. 2) any program that secretly downloads, installs, and displays advertising on your computer. Compare annoyware, guiltware, nagware.

3. ageware. video game originally developed for an early game console but which has been converted for play on a contemporary game console. (Term found at Wiktionary as a "protologism" or coined word.)

4. annoyware. any shareware that pops up a lot with ads or requests for payment.

5. betaware. version of a software package that is nearly ready for general release and is currently undergoing one final round of testing and debugging, called "beta testing." Also called a beta version. (During this phase of development, software companies often invite members of the general public to use the software free and to report bugs which are then fixed by the designers before final release; such users are called "beta testers.")

6. bloatware. general term for any software that uses up an enormous amount of diskspace and memory, far out of proportion with its functionality.

7. brochureware. any vaporware that is accompanied by aggressive marketing including brochures.

8. cardware. any type of freeware for which the designer requests that the user only need send a him/her postcard as payment, sometimes with a request for a certain type of postcard. Also called postcardware. Compare mailware.

9. careware. 1) charityware. 2) freeware for which the designer requests that the user do a "good deed" as payment.

10. CDware. 1) promotional software given away free on a compact disk, such as AOL software. 2) freeware for which the designer requests that if the user likes it, s/he sends the designer a CD.

11. censorware. software designed to block certain websites from being downloaded.

12. charityware. shareware that requests a donation to a charity for use of the software. Also called careware, char-ware, donateware.

13. crimeware. general term for any malware that is designed to extort money or other liquid assets from computer users.

14. crippleware. general term for any software that has been deliberately disabled by the manufacturer or distributor by the removal of a major component, so as to encourage users to purchase the full version.

15. crudware. virtually useless software; a general term for most of the freeware circulated by hackers.

16. demo-ware. simplified version of a software product, missing one or more of the main features, intended to allow prospective purchasers a chance to "try out" the program before buying it. Also called liteware, crippleware.

17. donationware. 1) software given away ostensibly for free, but including a request from the designer for a freewill donation. Also called donateware. 2) charityware.

18. firmware. software embedded in a hardware device. Modems, for example, contain firmware, as do many modern cars, phones, television sets, etc.

19. freeware. software given away free. There are many types, including shareware. (Term was trademarked by author and programmer Andrew Fluegelman.)

20. fritterware. software with capabilities that serve no useful purpose, and that usually manage to get users to waste huge amounts of time using it with no noticeable gain.

21. guiltware. general term for any freeware that includes text giving a long sob story about how horrible the user is if s/he does not send the designer some money. Compare adware.

22. hardware. 1) general term for durable goods. 2) general term for building supplies and fixtures. 3) general term for computer machinery and parts; the opposite of software.

23. liteware. another term for demo-ware.

24. liveware. 1) human beings, specifically the ones using computers. 2) another term for wetware: the human brain.

25. mailware. a type of freeware for which the designer requests the user to mail him/her a letter. Compare cardware.

26. malware (Latin: mal = bad). any software that contains malicious programming, such as stealthware, or a computer virus. Also called slimewear.

27. meatware. another word for wetware: the human brain

28. nagware. 1) adware. 2) annoyware. 3) any software that opens with a popup asking you to purchase the software; you have to click through this screen to use the program.

29. oppressionware. software, hardware, or mechanisms in an operating system, used to oppress a co-user, such as restricting programs, capabilities, and features. (Term found at Wiktionary as a "protologism" or coined word.)

30. orphanware. any software that has been discontinued and is no longer available for commercial purchase; either the original designers cannot be located or the company has gone out of business. Users of orphanware are thus unable to get help or support for the product. Also called abandonware.

31. payware. software that must be paid for. Most software is payware. The opposite is freeware or shareware.

32. postcardware. another name for cardware.

33. psychedelicware. software designed only for making pretty pictures, often in a kaleidoscope fashion. Also called a "display hack."

34. registerware. software that requires the user to register, usually for free, in order to use the software. Registration is usually via internet and usually includes personal information.

35. requestware. software in which the designers request users to do something voluntarily as "payment" for the software. Examples include charityware and postcardware.

36. rogue adware. a software product that claims to be an anti-adware fix, but is actually spyware.

37. rogue spyware. a software product that claims to be an anti-spyware fix, but is actually spyware. Some rogue spyware actually attacks your computer's other protections.

38. scumware. any software that intrudes upon the user, or the user's computer, by stealth, in order to further the aims of the software company.

39. scuttleware. general term for any software, including freeware or shareware, that has a time limit built in and self destructs or ceases to function after the time limit has been reached. (Term found at Wiktionary as a "protologism" or coined word.) Also called trialware.

40. shareware. 1. any software that is given away free, but the user has to pay a fee to get support or to get all the features. 2. any free software for which the user is expected to pay a fee after they have decided to keep it; otherwise it will expire. Also called trialware. 3. any commercial software that can be downloaded from the internet; most also require payment via the company's website before the software can be used.

41. sisterware. software, usually freeware, in which the designer requests that you send him "photos or lingerie of your lovely sister!" (sic)

42. shelfware. 1. software that ends up on the shelf; that is, it is never used. 2. software that is developed but never released; it is "shelved" instead.

43. slimewear. another term for malware.

44. software. computer instructions; information directing the operation of a computer. Software packages are written in many different computer languages and are designed for doing many different tasks, from simple typing to designing magazine layouts, cataloging collections, paying bills, tracking sales, operating industrial robots, etc. (In the early days of computers, programming was built into the machine and could not be changed. If you wanted a computer to play chess, you built one to play chess. If you wanted one to do calculus, you built another one to do calculus. It was a breakthrough when software was invented, allowing one computer to be able to do more than one task.)

45. spamware. software used for sending out spam. (Spam is an internet term for unwanted advertisements, usually found in email form, that are sent all over the internet by unscrupulous persons. The term reportedly comes from a Monty Python sketch in which customers at an eatery are unable to order anything that doesn't have Spam in it.)

46. spyware. software that secretly installs files on the user's computer, or secretly collects data on the user, such as financial info or websurfing history, and secretly sends it to the manufacturer or a third party when the user connects to the internet. (This activity is called "covert monitoring.")

47. trialware. software that has a limit on time or number of uses, and will cease to run properly after the limit expires. Trialware often gives you the option to purchase it after it expires. Also called scuttleware. See also shareware.

48. vampireware. general term for any project capable of sucking the lifeblood out of anyone unfortunate enough to be assigned to it; a project which never actually sees the light of day but nonetheless refuses to die. Not necessarily related to computers. (Term found at Wiktionary as a "protologism" or coined word.)

49. vaporware. software that is announced as "coming soon" but is never released; that is, it "vaporizes." In many cases vaporware is not even developed; it is announced merely to generate interest in the company or some other product. Also spelled vapourware. See also brochureware.

50. wetware. humorous term for the human brain. Also called liveware, meatware.

---0---

Visit my used book store and get 25% off any order of $50.00 or more (just type 25% in the comments field when you order; your discount will be calculated by me before payment is charged)

Find used books on computers, programming, or any other topic at TomFolio.com

---0---