4 ms·

Its a touchy and pedantic subject. 95% of people will understand what you mean when you say "Ireland", the last 5% will want to start a flame war over it becaus

Its a touchy and pedantic subject. 95% of people will understand what you mean when you say "Ireland", the last 5% will want to start a flame war over it because reasons.

jamiethompson 8y ago
I understand what you're saying, but it's not just pedantry. You do have to be specific about what you mean when you say "Ireland" in any context where it is important that you are understood. "Ireland" can quite correctly either mean the island of Ireland or the country called Ireland (aka The Republic of Ireland). In a political or business context you are likely to be specifically referencing one or the other.
- dmurray 8y ago
  In the context of Internet connections "Ireland" is precise enough, since either normal meaning works.
  - renholder 8y ago
    Since they're geopolitically separate and have their own infrastructures, the distinction is quite apt for understanding the "who" of who is impacted when the specific cables are cut. In other words, based on your assumption that "Ireland" is precise enough and since Belfast (NI) has it's own IX, that would mean that you would have dichotomy where "Ireland" could connect to the internet and "Ireland" could not, yeah?
    - cm2187 8y ago
      Agree, it's like saying Europe. If you ask a geologist, it will include Russia. If you ask Macron, it will not!
- swarnie_ 8y ago
  I think in this context (cables landing on an Island called Ireland) we're ok to use simple terms and be understood.
  - jamiethompson 8y ago
    That wasn't the question ksec asked though was it. "Off Topic: Is the short form (Republic of Ireland) ROI used often?" But also no. Cables landing in ROI would be under completely different regulatory control to cables landing in NI which would be under United Kingdom regulatory control.
notacoward 8y ago
It's easy to remain oblivious and treat any mention as pedantry when you're not among those affected. Even if 95% of people are like that, denying their reality is still a form of soft bigotry. Here's an essay that might help to explain why some people care more than you do, and rightly so. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/18/opinion/england-ireland-border-brexit.html https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/18/opinion/england-ireland-b...
sandworm101 8y ago
Sort of like how people confuse The Republic of China (ROC) with the People's Republic of China (PRC)? No doubt there are a great many other parallel situations out there. My dental hygienist took issue with the Netherlands being called Holland.

Its a touchy and pedantic subject. 95% of people will understand what you mean when you say "Ireland", the last 5% will want to start a flame war over it because reasons.

jamiethompson 8y ago

I understand what you're saying, but it's not just pedantry. You do have to be specific about what you mean when you say "Ireland" in any context where it is important that you are understood. "Ireland" can quite correctly either mean the island of Ireland or the country called Ireland (aka The Republic of Ireland). In a political or business context you are likely to be specifically referencing one or the other.

dmurray 8y ago
In the context of Internet connections "Ireland" is precise enough, since either normal meaning works.
- renholder 8y ago
  Since they're geopolitically separate and have their own infrastructures, the distinction is quite apt for understanding the "who" of who is impacted when the specific cables are cut. In other words, based on your assumption that "Ireland" is precise enough and since Belfast (NI) has it's own IX, that would mean that you would have dichotomy where "Ireland" could connect to the internet and "Ireland" could not, yeah?
  - cm2187 8y ago
    Agree, it's like saying Europe. If you ask a geologist, it will include Russia. If you ask Macron, it will not!
swarnie_ 8y ago
I think in this context (cables landing on an Island called Ireland) we're ok to use simple terms and be understood.
- jamiethompson 8y ago
  That wasn't the question ksec asked though was it. "Off Topic: Is the short form (Republic of Ireland) ROI used often?" But also no. Cables landing in ROI would be under completely different regulatory control to cables landing in NI which would be under United Kingdom regulatory control.

notacoward 8y ago

It's easy to remain oblivious and treat any mention as pedantry when you're not among those affected. Even if 95% of people are like that, denying their reality is still a form of soft bigotry. Here's an essay that might help to explain why some people care more than you do, and rightly so. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/18/opinion/england-ireland-border-brexit.html https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/18/opinion/england-ireland-b...

sandworm101 8y ago

Sort of like how people confuse The Republic of China (ROC) with the People's Republic of China (PRC)? No doubt there are a great many other parallel situations out there. My dental hygienist took issue with the Netherlands being called Holland.