meaning - Definitions of the word "delete" vs. public understanding of the word?


I just asked a question on User Experience SE, involving the word delete. This English question is based on that UX question, so its motive can be understood better by reading both questions.


It seems to me that the word delete has a twofold meaning in English. I found this on Wiktionary:




  1. To remove, get rid of or erase, especially written or printed material, or data on a computer.

  2. (computing) To hide, conceal



#1 seems to suggest that the information is permanently destroyed, while #2 suggests the data is only concealed.


How do strict definitions of the word in computing and non-computing contexts differ from the way the general public typically understands the word?


How is the word typically understood by common, non-technical people, in a personal computing context?


As for the message quoted on UX SE, if anyone has a suggestion for it, I encourage them to head over there and post it. :)



Answer



For some reason the idea of deleting in computing is based on the notion that a text or else can be later recovered in case of need. That is a very different concept from the more common notion we have of deleting something, that is destroy something so that it cannot be recovered.




  • In general, delete or remove refers to the act of eliminating a file, text, or other object from the computer hard drive or other media. Files deleted in Microsoft Windows are sent to the Recycling Bin. On Apple computers, deleted files are sent to the Trash. In most operating systems, when files are deleted, they are only marked as such, but still exist on the hard drive until they are overwritten by other data. This condition is what makes data recovery possible.



(computerhope.com/jargon)


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