Grep as a verb


 
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The Lounge What is on Your Mind? Grep as a verb
# 1  
Old 03-20-2013
Grep as a verb

More and more often I find grep used as a generic word. Instead of asking "how do I transform this into this", they ask "how do I grep" and expect us to understand the question and their needs. Even when grep obviously wouldn't be involved.

Am I just being churlish, or is this problem as frequent as it looks to me?
# 2  
Old 03-20-2013
As a matter of fact in December 2003, the Oxford English Dictionary Online added draft entries for "grep" as both a noun and a verb.
# 3  
Old 03-20-2013
Yes, grep can be used as a verb.

Yes, it is misused a fair amount. I recently read a book on epub where the author used it incorrectly. The author equated grepping with transforming. But grep is really about finding, especially finding based on a pattern.
# 4  
Old 03-20-2013
I agree that it's difficult to help people when it's difficult to grok the lingo.
# 5  
Old 03-21-2013
It's not that they don't grok the lingo. It's that they use it as a catch-all to fill in blank spots. They might as well be asking 'How do I computering', but try to sound smarter by shoving in grep instead.
# 6  
Old 03-21-2013
I would only use "grep" to mean "using the grep command". I agree any other use is just a silly attempt to sound smarter.

IMO, grep was one of the first "killer apps" for UNIX. It still remains one of my favorite utilities. It's so incredibly powerful and simple at the same time.
# 7  
Old 03-21-2013
To grep, or not to grep, that is the question:
Whether 'tis Nobler in the mind to suffer
Greppers gladly or aquire outrageous grepability,
Or take grepping, against a ocean of grepped troubles.........

;o)
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