By using tdwi.org website you agree to our use of cookies as described in our cookie policy. Learn More

TDWI Blog

TDWI Blog: Data 360

Blog archive

Premises vs. Premise in the Cloud

With all of the research I’ve been doing around cloud computing over the past few years, I’ve noticed something very disturbing about how people use the word premises.  I’ve blogged about this before but it merits repeating on my TDWI blog.  Maybe it’s because I come from a telecommunications background that this bothers me so much – but has anyone else noticed that people are misusing the words premise/premises when describing aspects of the cloud?  The proper term is generally premises, people, as in – on your premises (see below).

From Dictionary.com

Premise:  a proposition supporting or helping to support a conclusion, a statement considered to be true.

Premises:  a tract of land including its buildings.

Therefore, when discussing where servers, services, etc. are located, for instance, you should use the term premises.

Even vendors in the space make this mistake and I cringe every time I hear it.  I used to correct them, but I’ve given up doing that.  I could list hundreds, if not thousands, of examples of this error.  Has the definition of the word changed and I’m missing something?  Or, has the word been used incorrectly so many times that it doesn’t matter anymore?  My POV:  It still matters. 


Posted by Fern Halper, Ph.D. on April 17, 2013


Comments

Average Rating

Add your Comment

Your Name:(optional)
Your Email:(optional)
Your Location:(optional)
Rating:
 
Comment:
Please type the letters/numbers you see above.