[conspire] Acronym expansion, taking pity on the general reader

[Rick Moen]

I wrote:

> Quoting Michael Paoli (Michael.Paoli at cal.berkeley.edu):
> 
> > Many times, e.g. coworker, will ask me something like:
> > "What's <some acronym>?", and my response is generally:
> > "Context?" ... as often I can think of more than one
> > possible - and even feasible and possibly relevant - match,
> > for the supplied acronym.  So, context matters(/helps).
> 
> A longstanding problem with a standard (and more than adequate)
> solution:  Unless it's an acronym everyone in the likely audience will
> understand implicitly, like "IBM"[1], you pair the acronym with its
> expansion on first use in a piece of writing, and then may politely rely
> on the acronym thereafter.


I checked the archive to see if Deirdre had failed to extend this
courtesy upthread, dropping 'POTS' into discussion without explanation.
Answer:  Yes, though with an almost-saving throw just beforehand.

Michael was reacting to this Deirdre post, where indeed she replies
"Yeah, I don’t have PRES, I have POTS" (with some elaboration but not 
an expansion)in response to contributor Rashmi Nunn.

Rashmi had tried to help Deirdre by furnishing three articles linking
'Dysautonomia and PRES (Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy)' -- leading
Deirdre to basically say 'Thanks, but wrong acronym.'  Deirdre,
Michael's point is valid:  It's polite to explain an acronym on first
use, unless it's one that's highly self-explanatory.

The almost-saving throw was in Deirdre's post immediately prior, that
prompted Rashmi's attempt to help:
http://linuxmafia.com/pipermail/conspire/2020-August/011099.html

In _this_ post, Deirdre provided neither the acronym 'POTS' nor the
expanation Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome, but supplied a URL
that incorporated the term.

  In humans, 70% of our blood volume is below our heart when we’re
  standing, but for quadripeds, 70% of blood volume is at or above heart
  level when they’re standing. So we do have an elevation of heart rate
  normally to compensate for that. It’s just that the signaling is off
  in some people. Which seems to be what’s happening: 

  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Postural_orthostatic_tachycardia_syndrome

  Fancy way of saying my heart rate goes up too much when I stand, as the
  heart tries to compensate for the lack of blood flow to the brain.
  Functionally, I have altitude sickness when I stand up.

Deirdre:  That was clear-as-mud reference to POTS / Postural Orthostatic
Tachycardia Syndrome.  If you're going to throw specialised medical
terminology around, you should probably try to be a little clearer.  TY.