Series 4

Computer Ease
Series 4
web site

nicknames

I call my Psion many affectionate names... Other people have curious nicknames for their "baby."

• "poisson"
• "pee-brain"
• simply, "my brain"
  or, "Oh, that's just my brain [squeak]," said in best Stimpy voice
• "The Little Brain" (Gerry Thorpe, Toronto)
• "It's not a toy!"
• "the palmtop"
• "the thingy"
• "tse hong," said in Chinese voice, pronounced "see on", drawing out the "on" (Dorian Winer, Toronto)
• "sIy UNGH!" said in loud Klingon voice, like you're being punched in the gut (Gerry, again)
• "my life..."
• "Psiggy," after computer in Quantum Leap (Angus Marshall, U.K.)
• "The Geek Device" (Gerry), or simply,
  "The Device"
• Oh! I almost forgot: "The Little Big One", an affectionate name used in a German web site Klein & Clever - Die Seite zum Psion which translates to "Small and Clever"
• "poison," another name I don't use all that often (although my Psion has certainly gotten under my skin...)
• "my baby" (Brent Craig used this, reminded me that I do occasionally)
• "portable brain" or my "external brain" (more from Brent)
• "minders," from David Potter "the boss," Psion plc chairman
• "zion?" asked Edna (I'm not touching that one)
• "Zhel" Jason Savage's (Winnipeg) sister who always reminded him to do things
• "What's on?" (Darren Sager says he gets this a lot when describing his Psion)
• "the beast" (Hugh Gunz, Toronto, former PEAT v.p.)
• "Nerdometer" (Mike Jalland, co-worker of Hugh)
• "Nerdoscope" (Hugh's rebuttal, since the Nerdometer suggests something to measure nerds... Hmmm.)
• "FRED (f****ing ridiculous electronic device)" (Grover)
• "Tinkerbell" (Federico Heinz, U.S.)
• "Poseidon" (Lisa d. Tunney, Toronto)
• "orgasmatron" or
  "the orb" (Lisa reminded me I used to use these Woody Allen favs)
• "pita" (Craig Tilford of London, Ontario says this is what it sounds like if you say "PDA" fast)
• "Pie Zon" (Pysith Hay)
• "slinky" (Lisa d. Tunney, Toronto)
• "fish" (from poisson...)
  and finally...
• "piss-on" *

* I don't usually call my Psion this. But I heard this story once about this company that wanted to purchase a fleet of handheld units. It was down to the Psion and some other brand, maybe Sharp. Anyway, the evaluators presented their findings to the president of the company: Psion was clearly the best choice. But the president said, "Nope, we're not buying those." The evaluators argued but to no avail. They asked the president's reason to which he replied, "We're not buying anything called Piss-On." They tried to explain to him the proper pronounciation but his mind was made up. Sadly...

last edited on 17 November 1999