Common Sense eCommerce

PEBKAC used to be kind of an insider acronym used only by and between I.T. Professionals. It is meant to refer to ‘user error’. Wikipedia defines it best:

PEBKAC is an acronym which stands for “Problem Exists Between Keyboard And Chair”. Also used is PEBCAC, which stands for “Problem Exists Between Computer And Chair”, or PEBCAK (”Problem Exists Between Chair And Keyboard”). Other variations are PIBKAC (”Problem Is Between Keyboard And Chair”) or EBKAC (”Error Between Keyboard And Chair”). It is most commonly used by experts to describe to one another that the problem was not in the computer but was instead caused by the user operating it.

And all this time, I thought PEBKAC was a well kept secret among I.T. Professionals! I.T. Professionals, after all, seem to love acronyms and this one was commonly giggled over at the conference table. Now Intel is using it in a series of ads. I have not seen TV ads (I don’t watch much TV so I have no idea what kinds of ads are on now), but I see them popping up in news sites and other authority sites.

It certainly made me take notice. I’m not sure if people who do not know what PEBKAC is will appreciate the ads, but at least Intel will attract the geeks!

You can select from their full selection of PEBKACs at the Intel PEBKAC page. Link here.

– Frank Ross

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