why did software industry pick the word "dongle"

empathy1 · Post by **empathy1** » Fri May 08, 2015 5:17 pm

sorry the twelve year old within me just cannot

Tarekith · Post by **Tarekith** » Fri May 08, 2015 5:33 pm

No worries, that's actually probably the best question ever asked on this forum. I'm curious too now.

empathy1 · Post by **empathy1** » Fri May 08, 2015 6:04 pm

any other skeptics please chime in

Machinesworking · Post by **Machinesworking** » Fri May 08, 2015 6:06 pm

In contrast to electricians and engineers, dongle is hardly an innuendo.
Male and female sockets:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gender_of_ ... _fasteners

With that in mind, dongle was the natural choice.

Dongles are most widely used in the music business, not and industry known for subtle innuendo:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UaEC-lWSlmI

mrgrim3 · Post by **mrgrim3** » Sun May 10, 2015 2:37 am

Styles Bitchly · Post by **Styles Bitchly** » Sun May 10, 2015 5:53 am

Word on the street is that they really wanted to call it a "shpongle" but that name was already in use.