How to coverage your leverage [LWN.net]

How to coverage your leverage

Posted Dec 19, 2002 20:33 UTC (Thu) by laccata (guest, #3856)
Parent article: Businesses Leverage Mainframe Hardware, Software To Run Linux Apps (TechWeb)

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.

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

How to coverage your leverage

How to coverage your leverage

leverage is a verb

How to coverage your leverage