I was attending the SQL Nexus and SQL Bits conferences recently in Europe. These were launch events for SQL Server 2016, and the keynotes given by Microsoft included the overload of yet another SQL Server term. This time ACID was taken to be: Algorithms, Computer/Cloud, IoT, and Data. While I appreciate someone trying to be memorable or interesting in a keynote, to me, this creates confusion when we try to discuss the importance and positioning of SQL Server. ACID is a core term for relational databases, having nothing to do with the future. While some marketing people probably enjoyed this, I would have preferred they spent a little more time coming up with a term that describes a creative look at the future.

There have been plenty of "overloaded" terms from the SQL Server platform. DAC, is that a connection or part of a database schema package? Snapshots? We have a few of them. When we talk about logs, is this meaning transaction logs or logs for the SQL Server process? Or even Agent logs. Are clusters meant to be FCIs or traditional shared storage clusters? At least that last one is close to same meaning for both terms.

There are others, which creates confusion and could result in problems if two of think we're discussing the same topic, but we're not. I'd hope we'd realize there are ambiguity in a few minutes, but what if we're dealing with a crisis? Clear meaning and understanding are important.

I don't mean to be pedantic, but I don't think it's too much to ask that new features, new concepts be given new names. While marketing might think there's a neat sound to an old acronym, for us technical people it's annoying, and potentially a liability. If we will continue to have marketing people influence the ever growing platform, the least we can have is creative marketing individuals that can come up with new ways to describe the hard work completed by the SQL Server development team.