Retronym

[fuzzyjay]

I saw this on the web and was taken aback:

"...the mobile HDDs also demonstrate reduced acoustic noise and are scheduled to ship next quarter, the spokesperson said." (emphasis added)

I guess it's acoustic as opposed to digital noise. It just seemed weird. It's another retronym thanks to the digital age.

Comments

[(Anonymous)]

Isn't it digital as opposed to analog? i'm not sure why they used the word acoustic with noise, as acoustic means relating to sound, and noise of course is sound...

[urbear]

I think they're trying to distinguish between acoustic, audible noise and electronic noise... i.e. static or interference that obscures the original signal. That's not necessarily digital... in fact, it's much more of a problem in analog electronics. "Noise" has been used in the electronic sense for at least 50 years, maybe as far back as the invention of the telegraph.