Google's parent company is trying to make complex tech jargon easier to understand.
Alphabet's Jigsaw group launched a new project called Sideways Dictionary, which uses wacky analogies to explain tech and cybersecurity jargon.
SEE ALSO:Google pledges $11.5 million to racial justice innovators across the U.S.Meant to be a "platform for finding and sharing helpful analogies to explain technological ideas," the project consists of a Chrome extension and website. When the Chrome extension is installed, words that have entries in the Sideways Dictionary are highlighted in blue. Hovering over them will show the relevant analogy.
Here's what it looks like in action while browsing security researcher Brian Krebs' blog.
They are intentionally written to be offbeat and "colorful," according to Jigsaw, and each term can have several accompanying analogies. A few more examples:
Open source"It’s like baking a cake for a friend, then giving them the recipe."
DDoS attack"It’s like a high school prank, where you post the details of your friend’s house party all over town, so instead of 20 people, 900 show up."
Encryption"It’s like sending a sealed letter instead of a postcard."
Phishing"It’s like a fake ATM that prints out an error message when you try to use it, but in the meantime has taken your credit card details and pin number.
Oversimplifying things? Perhaps, but Jigsaw says that's kind of the point. "Technical jargon makes it harder to understand the tools and technologies shaping our daily lives," the group writes in a post on Medium.
A partnership between Jigsaw and The Washington Post,the initial set of analogies were created by a handful of people, including Alphabet Chairman Eric Schmidt, but anyone can now contribute their own analogies to the effort. (The Washington Posteditors are moderating submissions.)
They might just help someone understand key tech and cybersecurity terms a little better.
TopicsGoogle
(责任编辑：百科)
U.S. government issues warning on McDonald's recalled wearable devices
Apple is working on a 20
How to get screenshots from PS5 or Xbox to your phone
Ukraine is legalising the cryptocurrency marketFake news reports from the Newseum are infinitely better than actual newsWe asked linguists if Donald Trump speaks like that on purpose
Donald Trump may do a good "drunk uncle at Thanksgiving" impersonation at his rallies, but amid all
...[详细]Apple Store workers at the Grand Central location are working to unionize
The labor movement has officially come to Apple.Workers at the Grand Central Apple Store are working
...[详细]Apple might be working on a large, foldable device – though it may take years before we can ac
...[详细]Wordle today: Here's the answer, hints for April 21
It's time to Wordle! A new puzzle is here for you to figure out and, as always, we're also here to p
...[详细]17 questions you can answer if you're a good communicator
Whether you regularly speak in public and write online, or you mostly express yourself over email, b
...[详细]The 8 best athletes to follow on Twitter
For decades, professional athletes were just little guys and gals who appeared primarily on our TV s
...[详细]Twitter asks: Are books just an aesthetic?
In a viral clip from this year's Oscars, Julia Fox (of Uncut Gems(/TikTok) fame), spoke to Variety a
...[详细]'Horizon Forbidden West' has its own Lego set
If you're counting down the hours until you can get stuck into Horizon Forbidden West, you might wan
...[详细]WhatsApp announces plans to share user data with Facebook
Big changes are coming to WhatsApp. 。On Thursday, WhatsApp announced in a blog post it will begin sha
...[详细]Russia cracks down on Zello walkie
First Facebook, then Twitter, then Facebook again, and now... Zello?On Sunday, Roskomnadzor, the Rus
...[详细]Two states took big steps this week to get rid of the tampon tax
NASA Artemis rocket launch rehearsal delayed
