thistlechaser: (Avatar: Zuko)
thistlechaser ([personal profile] thistlechaser) wrote2016-02-05 11:45 am
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Quick question

I'm a technical writer, and I've inherited a set of documents I have to maintain. Someone else created them, someone else named them. One of the file names is anal_timing. It's about timing analyst, so there's plausible deniability on the name, but every time I have to refer to them to someone else, I'm embarrassed. However, as long-time readers of my LJ know, my humor is kind of out of wack -- if someone brought me a file named anal_timing, I'd have a hard time not snickering out loud. My brain would SO go to the adult meaning first. But would other people?

So help me, friends list! What do you think about having a file at work named anal_timing? While the name could be seen as fitting, there are many other, not-potentially-offensive names that would fit too.

[Poll #2035897]

[identity profile] bacchuslives.livejournal.com 2016-02-05 07:51 pm (UTC)(link)
I can't respond to the poll in the app, but I wouldn't swear it. Although I am in healthcare and I've seen worse work related file names!!

[identity profile] changeling72.livejournal.com 2016-02-05 09:39 pm (UTC)(link)
There's no way I could ever use that file name without laughing or being embarrassed.

[identity profile] ashmedai.livejournal.com 2016-02-05 09:51 pm (UTC)(link)
I admit I'd grin a little too on the inside if I first saw the file name. But hey, is that a bad thing? ;)
hamsterwoman: (Default)

[personal profile] hamsterwoman 2016-02-05 10:06 pm (UTC)(link)
My assumption is that whoever named that did it on purpose/as a joke; I mean, if you were going to shorten ONE of the two words in that phrase, it makes more sense to shorten "timing" or to do something with skipped vowels, like "anlst_tmg" -- and I've never seen "analysis" or "analyst" shortened to "anal", probably for a good reason. Name as it is would make me snicker for sure... but people might be used to it by now and don't notice anymore.
loup_noir: (Default)

[personal profile] loup_noir 2016-02-05 10:07 pm (UTC)(link)
At least change the name to include the date, or maybe even add the name of the last tech writer involved (with LOL) as the last bit of the name.

Yes, still twelve at heart.

[identity profile] thistle-chaser.livejournal.com 2016-02-06 12:21 am (UTC)(link)
Ha! I could imagine the filenames in the healthcare industry...

[identity profile] thistle-chaser.livejournal.com 2016-02-06 12:21 am (UTC)(link)
Yeah, I'm with you on that!

[identity profile] thistle-chaser.livejournal.com 2016-02-06 12:21 am (UTC)(link)
To you and me? No. But to a religious or foreign co-worker? Maybe... That's what I'm worried about.

[identity profile] thistle-chaser.livejournal.com 2016-02-06 12:22 am (UTC)(link)
As it was named by an older man who keeps porn on his work computer... I really do believe it's on purpose.

and I've never seen "analysis" or "analyst" shortened to "anal",

Agreed, probably for a reason, like you said.

[identity profile] thistle-chaser.livejournal.com 2016-02-06 12:25 am (UTC)(link)
HA! I'd LOVE to do that. :D

[identity profile] bacchuslives.livejournal.com 2016-02-06 12:26 am (UTC)(link)
Oops, I meant "sweat" it. The perils of LJ on a phone...

[identity profile] orangerful.livejournal.com 2016-02-06 02:32 am (UTC)(link)
Seriously, we ALL snicker loudly at work when the "Services and Management Team" posts their agenda items because it says on our staff page "S&M" - I mean, COME ON! So yeah, "anal timing" would pretty much kill us.

[identity profile] thistle-chaser.livejournal.com 2016-02-06 02:34 am (UTC)(link)
I figured so. :)

[identity profile] thistle-chaser.livejournal.com 2016-02-06 02:35 am (UTC)(link)
Hahah I'd enjoy seeing S&M, too!

[identity profile] orangerful.livejournal.com 2016-02-06 02:46 am (UTC)(link)
I think they finally changed it after they had to send something to the county executive and someone finally said "We can't call it that anymore"

[identity profile] thistle-chaser.livejournal.com 2016-02-06 03:19 am (UTC)(link)
Ha! Aww. understandable though, I suppose.

[identity profile] jeane nevarez (from livejournal.com) 2016-02-06 03:19 pm (UTC)(link)
That's pretty funny. Why not just add one letter and call it "analy timing" because yeah, my mind goes there too. Similar note- I read an article recently about how elements are named in the periodic table, and it seems the guy who named Plutonium designated it "Pu" on purpose- he could have easily come up with some other abbreviation! but it was a joke.

[identity profile] thistle-chaser.livejournal.com 2016-02-06 09:00 pm (UTC)(link)
Yeah, take a letter out or add one. ana_timing makes it clear, without the anal. :P

Ha! And his Pu joke will live on forever after. What a fun legacy!

[identity profile] coconuthead.livejournal.com 2016-02-07 09:53 pm (UTC)(link)
I shake my head every time I see someone abbreviate Assistant to Ass. It's usually "Ass Secretary."

[identity profile] thistle-chaser.livejournal.com 2016-02-07 10:07 pm (UTC)(link)
Heh, way to insult a secretary...