Jargon Watch
Blendo The combining of different media from a variety of sources (type, computer graphics, scanned images, animation, video). Similar to multimedia, but more often used to describe a collage/ kitchen-sink approach. Can also refer to static images that have these combined elements. Also: meltomedia.
Chops Very impressive musical technique. Originally referred to skill on instruments played by mouth, now used to describe virtuosity on any instrument, or technical skill in any art form: "The Dizz had monster chops," or "Dig his programming chops."
Ear Candy Sickly sweet strings or other musical "additives," lacking substance, meant to make a piece of music more palatable. "This piece is a little heavy on the ear candy." In visual art: eye candy.
Intel (from the novel _Snow Crash_). Describes any useful information found in cyberspace. "Just got some cool intel on Unix shortcuts from FringeWare."
Muchomedia Variation on multimedia.
Techno-Hippies Term of derision often used by young hackers who fancy themselves the legitimate residents of cyberspace and see the older generation of hackers and personal computer developers as parental party crashers. Also: techno-wimps and cyber-yuppies.
Toasternet Cheap Internet routers made with old PCs. May have been inspired by the Video Toaster desktop editing device for the Amiga, or by that ubiquitous home appliance. "Grunge Computing" has been proposed as a general term for the re-purposing of old PCs and other trashed digital technology.
Train Wreck A mistake among a group of musicians when two or more people play conflicting parts at the same time, resulting in a few seconds of musical chaos. Making its way into the general vernacular as an expression for any creative catastrophe.
Vulcan Nerve Pinch Keyboard commands that tax the hand's ability to reach all the appropriate keys. For instance, the warm boot for a Mac II involves simultaneously pressing both Control keys, the Command key, and the Power On key.
