Re: on the fly

[Phillip Wilkerson <phillipw -at- ALLENSYSGROUP -dot- COM>]

The answer sort of depends on who and what is doing the action.

If a * program * is doing some action automatically "on the fly" then
"dynamically" might be the perfect word: For example: Product XYZ will
dynamically allocate additional DASD as database size increases.

If a * person * is doing the action, then "dynamically" might or might not suit
the situation. Generally, in this context, "on the fly" means the user has the
freedom to perform some action at will, impromptu, whenever they want or choose
to do so. For example: Using Product's XYZ report generator you can create new
report templates whenever you customize the database.

Phil

Phillip C. Wilkerson
Technical Communications Manager
Allen Systems Group, Inc.
Naples, Florida
1-800-932-5536, ext. 2247
phillipw -at- allensysgroup -dot- com
http://www.allensysgroup.com
http://www.asg.net/docweb/index.htm

----------
> From: Parks, Beverly <ParksB -at- EMH1 -dot- HQISEC -dot- ARMY -dot- MIL>
> To: TECHWR-L -at- LISTSERV -dot- OKSTATE -dot- EDU
> Subject: Re: on the fly
> Date: Thursday, May 15, 1997 12:00 PM
>
> Kris (and several others previously) wrote:
> >"On the fly"  =  "dynamically" much of the time. Other possibilities are
> >"real-time," "automatically," etc.
> >------------------------
> A Friday morning ramble follows. (I'm taking tomorrow off, so today is
> my Friday).
>
> First, my disclaimer  8-) --I have only a small, electronic dictionary
> at my disposal right now.
>
> None of the definitions given for "dynamic" apply to what I think of
> when I hear "on the fly". (This dictionary doesn't list "on the fly".)
> Dynamic has to do with energy, force, and motion. There is nothing in
> the definition that matches the "nowness" of on the fly.
>
> Even "automatically" does not implicitly mean that something happens
> *now*.
>
> "Real time" is the closest, but it is computer jargon. For a general-use
> word, my original suggestion of "concurrently" -- which means "happening
> at the same time" -- comes closer to the meaning of "on the fly".
> Although, technically, that's not quite right either because it can't be
> concurrent if you have to complete a trigger action first.
>
> Another possibility is that the concept of "now" is not really what is
> needed. Take 4-wheel drive vehicles, for instance. On-the-fly 4WD simply
> means that you don't have to stop what you are doing (driving) in order
> to engage 4WD. Old 4WD systems required you to stop the vehicle, get
> out, and manually lock the hubs. So, in this sense, "automatically" may
> be the closer word.
>
> In any case, I think automatically is a better choice than dynamically
> to describe something that happens on the fly.
>
> Bev Parks
> parksb -at- emh1 -dot- hqisec -dot- army -dot- mil
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