Looking for the antonym for enhancement - A SolidWords study.

Perhaps it is time for the users of the newsgroup (newsers) to enhance
their vocabularies a bit. I'll add a few sentences to a few quotes
from dictionaries and thesauri in an effort to augment our
discussions.

Sometimes it is really hard to find the right word. Just what is the
opposite of an enhancement? This is not so easy without using
vulgarity it would seem, because the word enhancement carries with it
a presupposition that the subject is already good and getting better.
Just saying that is not an enhancement is not enough.

=====================
Definition #1
enhance
verb

enhanced, enhancing
1. To improve or increase the value, quality or intensity of
something (especially something already good).

Thesaurus: improve, embellish, better, enrich, expand, augment,
enlarge, lift, raise, magnify, intensify, elevate, augment, boost,
escalate, heighten, amplify;

Antonym: decrease, minimize.

Derivative: enhancement
noun

Etymology: 14c: from French enhauncer, from Latin in in + altus high.

Definition #2
en·hance /ɛnˈhæns, -ˈhɑns/
–verb (used with object), -hanced, -hanc·ing.
1. to raise to a higher degree; intensify; magnify: The candelight
enhanced her beauty.
2. to raise the value or price of: Rarity enhances the worth of old
coins.
[Origin: 1325–75; ME enhauncen < AF enhauncer, appar. for OF enhaucer,
equiv. to en- en-1 + haucer to raise (F hausser) < VL *altiÄre (deriv.
of L altus high, with h- < Gmc; see haughty), though -n- is
unexplained]

—Related forms
en·hance·ment, noun
en·hanc·ive, adjective

—Synonyms 2. See elevate.
—Antonyms 1. diminish. 2. reduce.

Definition #3
enhancement (en′hans·mənt)

(computer science) A substantial increase in the capabilities of
hardware or software.

Definition #4
enhancement
1. A change to a product which is intended to make it better in some
way, e.g. new functions, faster, or occasionally more compatible with
other systems. Enhancements to hardware components, especially
integrated circuits often mean they are smaller and less demanding of
resources. Sadly, this is almost never true of software enhancements.
2. Marketroid-speak for a bug fix. This abuse of language is a popular
and time-tested way to turn incompetence into increased revenue. A
hacker being ironic would instead call the fix a feature, or perhaps
save some effort by declaring "That's not a bug, that's a feature!".
[The Jargon File]
(1998-04-04)

Definition #5
enhancement

n. Common marketroid-speak for a bug fix. This abuse of language is a
popular and time-tested way to turn incompetence into increased
revenue. A hacker being ironic would instead call the fix a feature --
or perhaps save some effort by declaring the bug itself to be a
feature.
====================

Now there is perhaps room for other words to be used to describe
changes made to software. How about augment, complement, supplement,
or embellishment? Let's not over use the word enhancement because the
word itself seems to be getting a bad name. How about improvement,
optimized, efficient, or robust?

A short list of words that can go both ways.

Optimized / average

Efficient / inefficient

Robust / frail | fragile | weak

Augment / diminish

Complement / detract

Supplement / diminish

Embellishment (neat word, it is almost it's own opposite)

Improvement / deterioration

And finally going along with that wonderful word enhancement is
feature.

Definition:

feature

n. 1. [common] A good property or behavior (as of a program). Whether
it was intended or not is immaterial. 2. [common] An intended property
or behavior (as of a program). Whether it is good or not is immaterial
(but if bad, it is also a misfeature). 3. A surprising property or
behavior; in particular, one that is purposely inconsistent because it
works better that way -- such an inconsistency is therefore a feature
and not a bug. This kind of feature is sometimes called a miswart; see
that entry for a classic example. 4. A property or behavior that is
gratuitous or unnecessary, though perhaps also impressive or cute. For
example, one feature of Common LISP's `format' function is the ability
to print numbers in two different Roman-numeral formats (see bells
whistles and gongs). 5. A property or behavior that was put in to help
someone else but that happens to be in your way. 6. [common] A bug
that has been documented. To call something a feature sometimes means
the author of the program did not consider the particular case, and
that the program responded in a way that was unexpected but not
strictly incorrect. A standard joke is that a bug can be turned into a
feature simply by documenting it (then theoretically no one can
complain about it because it's in the manual), or even by simply
declaring it to be good. "That's not a bug, that's a feature!" is a
common catchphrase. See also feetch feetch, creeping featurism, wart,
green lightning.

The relationship among bugs, features, misfeatures, warts, and
miswarts might be clarified by the following hypothetical exchange
between two hackers on an airliner:

A: "This seat doesn't recline."

B: "That's not a bug, that's a feature. There is an emergency exit
door built around the window behind you, and the route has to be kept
clear."

A: "Oh. Then it's a misfeature; they should have increased the spacing
between rows here."

B: "Yes. But if they'd increased spacing in only one section it would
have been a wart -- they would've had to make nonstandard-length
ceiling panels to fit over the displaced seats."

A: "A miswart, actually. If they increased spacing throughout they'd
lose several rows and a chunk out of the profit margin. So unequal
spacing would actually be the Right Thing."

B: "Indeed."

`Undocumented feature' is a common, allegedly humorous euphemism for a
bug. There's a related joke that is sometimes referred to as the "one-
question geek test". You say to someone "I saw a Volkswagen Beetle
today with a vanity license plate that read FEATURE". If he/she
laughs, he/she is a geek (see computer geek, sense 2).

Jargon File 4.2.0

Perhaps SolidWorks is just full of Coleoptera.

TOP

 

TOP,


The word you are looking for is diminution.

Matt Lorono
http://sw.fcsuper.com

 

And the word you need to look for is edit.

You posted a one line response at the bottom of 180 lines of quoted
text. You'll give top posters a good reputation if you keep it up.

please edit quoted text,


===========================================================================
Chris

 

Regression...... this is the word you are looking for.

dv3

 

I use a portal that compresses quoted text to a link, so I didn't
notice that issue.

 

Diminution has a certain ring to it. But it seems to also carry with
it something of a lessening in quantity or size and not quality. For
example I might detail a car to enhance it, but I wouldn't neglect it
to diminish it. Diminution would be a good thing if it happened to be
file size or rebuild time.

Regression seems to refer to returning to a former state. Sometimes
regression would be a good thing and sometimes not. A regression would
also imply that the enhancement was also a progression toward a goal.
Not all enhancements are progressions much less something with a goal
in mind.

Given the implied meaning in enhancement that the already good subject
is becoming better, is an enhancement really an enhancement if it
takes away from that which was originally good in the subject? Then
it would be a tradeoff or a compromise.

TOP

 

With the current proposals on the table, I have to go with fcsuper's
diminution (BTW- nice meeting you in San Jose, if I heard the handle
right when Richard introduced us).

'Regression' implies that there was functionality and then an
'enhancement' caused us to lose it.

Though this certainly happens - often - I think regression doesn't
take into account all of those things that don't work because some
'enhancement' was not put through its paces. For instance (and there
are many others, but this is fresh so I'll go with it) , I spent a
fair bite of time this week on an animation that just went batshit
crazy in spots for no good reason.

Was it a regression? I have no idea - I never tried this particular
animation before in an earlier version.

But it certainly was a diminution of my SolidWorks experience.

So instead of opting for the wordy 'solidworks is producing batshit
crazy results when I try this option because of a lack of quality
control and curiosity on the part of programmers', I prefer the
succinct 'diminution'.

On a practical note, the shorter form 'diminution' is less offensive
to the tech support folks and programmers than the longer version, and
those are ultimatley the folks who are going to fix it so its wise not
to peeve them off

Plus, it's cute and a little hard to say. How can you not secretly
smile when uttering 'f***ing diminution' under your breath when you
run into an issue?
On a bad, frustrating day of struggling with SolidWorks, I will take
any ray of sunlight I can find.

Ed

 

"Disenhancement request":

It worked fine, and now you changed it. Put it back the way it was!

My first vote is for the way SW looks for referenced files and
components. Search path management is truly verbuggert.

 

When referring to untintention not-enhancements, you can't beat "bug",
though Intel and probably others call them "errata" (sing. "erratum", I
think).

Intentional changes that are not helpful are pretty well described by
"misfeature". "Degradation" is better english, but is not nearly
prejorative enough. It may serve though.

For example: allowing dimension values to be overridden without enforcing
not-to-scale notifications such as underlining the value on the drawing.
Enhancement or degradation?

 

Today the D's have it. I threw this out during the Monday morning
football discussion and the consensus was degradation. Another google
search landed detraction. And a further discovery led to degeneration
and dwindlement.

I will list detraction first. It is too close to other related words
like detractor and detractress and many times has to do with taking
away reputation. That certainly does not seem to fit. The other
problem with detraction is that in the case of slandering or
belittling there is a sense that the thing being brought down is being
taken down with words and not necessarily in fact. As far as
enhancements are concerned we are speaking of a lessening in fact of
some ability, not with detraction for detractions sake.

I kind of take a shine to degeneration because generation carries the
connotation of becoming something that didn't exist before and so
degeneration carries the opposite connotation of undoing something
that was created.

And for the niche market there is dwindlement. A dwindlement is an
unused enhancement that disappears after years of disuse.

TOP

detract
verb

intr
detracted, detracting
1. To take away from it or lessen it.
Thesaurus: lessen, reduce, diminish, devaluate,
depreciate, lower, negate, nullify.
Form: detract from something (chiefly)

Derivative: detraction
noun

Derivative: detractor
noun

A person who criticizes or belittles someone
Thesaurus: slanderer, critic, scandalmonger, defamer,
backbiter, muck-raker, traducer, reviler, vilifier;

Antonym: flatterer, supporter.

Etymology: 15c: from Latin detrahere, detractum to pull away.

Detraction (n.) A taking away or withdrawing.


degradation

degradation
noun

1. Moral deterioration.
Thesaurus: deterioration, decline, destitution.
2. chem.
Reduction of a substance to a simpler structure.
3. Being degraded; disgrace.
Thesaurus: disgrace, dishonour, shame, mortification,
humiliation, debasement, ignominy.
4. Erosion.

Etymology: 16c.

Degradation (n.) Diminution or reduction of strength, efficacy, or
value; degeneration; deterioration.

Degeneration (n.) The act or state of growing worse, or the state of
having become worse; decline; degradation; debasement; degeneracy;
deterioration.


Dwindle (v. i.) To diminish; to become less; to shrink; to waste or
consume away; to become degenerate; to fall away.

Dwindle (n.) The process of dwindling; dwindlement; decline;
degeneracy.

Dwindlement (n.) The act or process of dwindling; a dwindling.