Businesses Leverage Mainframe Hardware, Software To Run Linux Apps (TechWeb) [LWN.net]

TechWeb covers two businesses that have successfully moved their operations to Linux. "[Boscov's] had spent some time considering Linux as a potential alternative to client/server systems, but "got religion" when CIO Harry Roberts saw an IBM demonstration of Linux running on the mainframe first-hand at an industry conference."

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How to coverage your leverage

Posted Dec 19, 2002 20:33 UTC (Thu) by laccata (guest, #3856) [Link] (2 responses)

Has anyone noticed that 'leverage' has become the IT industry's favourite word?

Just look at the press release for any new piece of hardware or software and I'll guarantee that it leverages your company's potential.

I first heard it nearly a decade ago when Big Lou of Big Blue started to use it (everywhere). It's driven me crazy ever since, and tonight it has driven me over the edge.

Why?

Leverage is not a verb. Just like coverage is not a verb ("our paint coverages more surface area than any other ...". No, it doesn't work, we'll have to leverage our knowledge and find something else).

It wouldn't be so bad if it cropped up once in a while, but the damned thing appears in every IT article.

Please, please, please find another word or at least start to lever things.

Nurse, nurse ... I want to go back in now.

leverage is a verb

Posted Dec 20, 2002 14:47 UTC (Fri) by brokeninside (guest, #8722) [Link]

Per the Oxford English Dictionary, leverage can properly be used as a verb. Its earliest known recorded use as such was in Harper's Magazine in 1937.

How to coverage your leverage

Posted Dec 23, 2002 13:18 UTC (Mon) by jdthood (guest, #4157) [Link]

I agree with the spirit of your posting: it is
better (style) to lever than to leverage, just
as it is better to press than to pressure.

However, "lever" stands in the same situation as
"leverage": it is a noun that gets used as a verb.
Too bad English doesn't have the verb "to lev".
(It has the verb "to pry", but companies are not
going to tell you that their products help you to
pry money out of your customers.)

It may calm your grated nerves if you understand
the annoying uses of "leverage" as ellipses:
"leverage your assets" means "employ your
assets in a configuration from which you can
derive greater leverage".

--
Thomas Hood

Businesses Leverage Mainframe Hardware, Software To Run Linux Apps (TechWeb)

Posted Dec 20, 2002 4:04 UTC (Fri) by gctaylor (guest, #8714) [Link]

I wish we could retire the Winnebago story. I've seen it so many times already. I'm glad when Linux does well anywhere, but this story is old news. Again.