Why We Need to Change the Word “Porting”

Sep 21, 2023Articles

Have you ever wondered how a word gets into the Websters™ dictionary? I was researching that topic a few weeks ago and ran across this factoid. According to the Merriam-Webster website, a word is updated when it is widely used and has a clear and accurate meaning. As soon as I read this, I had a shocking revelation about the embedded industry.

In the embedded software industry, we need a clear definition for the word “porting™”

I am going to make my case to you now.

Inside the embedded software industry, the word porting is used to describe a larger phrase: embedded software porting. In this context, the word porting is the most slippery, amorphous, and utterly useless word we use as engineers. The meaning of the word has to be determined from the context of the conversation. The meaning can actually take on multiple definitions in the same conversation. It’s crazy.

Here’s what I mean. I jotted down just a few meanings that I could come up with to describe embedded
software porting:

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