alt Hacker NewsI can't stand the word "incumbent" anymore. I have only ever seen it in election contexts.
Now that Claude is using it as a fancy shortcut to "current", it's everywhere. I even hear people who would never think to use this word say it in face to face conversations.
Replies
simon-b • today at 2:02 PM
It's used all the time in mathematical optimization, referring to the best feasible solution found so far and therefore the "answer" until/unless something better appears. If you work with people in that space, it leaks out to mean anything "current" you're trying to improve upon.
redsocksfan45 • today at 1:40 PM
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During the last quarter of century there has been a huge consolidation by mergers and acquisitions in all markets, so in most of them only 2 or 3 big incumbents have remained, where in the 20th century there were dozens of competitors.
I have nothing with the word "incumbent" but I do not like the incumbents themselves, because unlike during the previous century, today it has become far more difficult for any newcomer to displace an incumbent, due to both dubious laws and unfair business practices that are tolerated now.