Do you get annoyed when someone uses a term incorrectly? I do, but it can be understandable because I know that I use terms incorrectly all of the time. I am not perfect. But I would think that in the course of business, organizations would be more careful about the terms they use and the meaning they convey. Sometimes, these terms are incorrectly used by business and then begin to corrupt the common everyday usage of this term.
What the heck am I talking about and what does this have to with SQL? At the PASS Summit during the SIG Bowl, a trivia question asked "What state has 3 of the 5 highest peaks in the Continental US?". My first reaction was "Alaska", but the accepted answer was "Colorado". I mentioned to a nearby attendee that the term "Continental" was correctly used; it shold have been "Contiguous". Alaska is part of the Continental US because it is on the North American Continent. Hawaii is the only state NOT on the North American Continent. The attendee mentioned something about "Tell that to UPS and FedEx".
There are many businesses that define "Continental US" as the "Lower 48". That is incorrect when you consult greography books and web sites. The Continental US has 49 states. The Contiguous US has 48. I am surprised that some lawyer who wants to ship something to Alaska hasn't jumped all over this one yet to get a better rate.
I know that I will attempt to use the proper term, but will probably be reminded of Alaska the next time I forget. BTW, Alaska has a bunch of higher peaks than Colorado.