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by t3rabytes 970 days ago
I find "logs off" as a euphemism for passed away to be quite poor, even in the context of someone who contributed to to the computer industry writ large.
9 comments

I had that initial impression initially, but when I die there probably won't be any multiple page article praising me and listing my achievements. This article is praising his life and achievements, and getting annoyed at the wording (especially now that you are the top rated comment on this thread) is a distraction from that. You are now the main character in the story of his death!
Agreed. Obituaries are one occasion that I'd prefer The Register fully reign in their irreverent style, and play it totally straight.

The article body looks fine to me; only the headline sounded odd, to my US ears.

Agreed, It'd be fitting if it was about a retirement, but using it for someone passing away feels really unpleasant.
Counterpoint, I'm now considering this for my headstone.
I'd suggest just going with SIGTERM - it's much more concise.
Avoiding SIGKILL is probably a good call.
Yeah, no need to patient zero in a zombie apocalypse.
Well a plain and simple

f

should do then. Pretty obvious on a gravestone.

That meme emerged nine years ago if we give it the most generous timeline. It's still quite well and alive but I have reservations about how long it will manage to stick around - already we've seen several once beloved memes fall out of fashion.
Agreed, but consider the source. Didn't they have some inane euphemism for layoffs just a few days ago as well?

It smacks of someone trying to be cute but lacking the wit to do so without inducing eye rolls. I couldn't do any better, but I'm also not trying to.

> It smacks of someone trying to be cute but lacking the wit to do so without inducing eye rolls.

That perfectly sums up the register

It doesn't translate well either, logging off implies you're performing an act.
Not to mention you can usually log back in.
Yes. A process might be a more ontologically appropriate comparison than a computer user.

"So and so has exited with code 0 and his/her resources have been reclaimed by the system"

A human being is more like an event (a fire, a OS process) than like a persisting object.

Once a process (/fire) has ceased running (/burning), you can start a new process (/fire), but it wouldn't be considered an instance of reviving the old process (/fire), which has ended for good.

I don't think strict translation is important for euphemisms. It just has to be "correct enough."
Then maybe "Connection reset by peer"? Or "Broken pipe".
Guru Meditation
Is that not true for every euphemism for death?

Passed on Expired and gone to meet its maker Gone off the twig Kick the bucket Pushing up daisies Shuffled off the mortal coil Run down the curtain Joined the choir invisible

> I find "logs off" as a euphemism for passed away to be quite poor,

Irreverence has been part of the El Reg reading experience since I can remember. Someone always complains about them writing about "boffins."

It also seems no worse to me than "silent key". It's fine. Whatever. It speaks to a connectedness shared.
Yeah, I'd rather just see 'deceased' or 'passes away'
yes, usually when used, it's used as a euphemism for suicide since logging off is an intentional act.
I've never seen it used for that.

I have seen it used when eulogising people that died of natural or medical causes. (And I agree that it's distasteful)