What does the term boiler plate mean?

Specifically do you know what it means? I just got off the phone with a project manager that is just starting a project for me. And, I told him his boilerplate was incorrect. He didn't know what I was talking about.

Before I summarily fire him I just want to be sure this is a common term in business now days. (I've been using the term for a very long time, but maybe I'm just old.)

 

To me, the term 'boiler plate' refers to standardized text/information in a document. "The liability release was standard boiler plate."

 

Which definition do you want?

One is about cold rolled steel

The other is climbing reference to smoother under cuts of rock

The last is text used in contracts and instructions.

Still very much used today, just younger folks don’t really know the definition of anything anymore.

 

Lunch, if you heat your lunch up using a plate left on a boiler.

I don't think that's what you are saying when you say boiler plate.

 

Do you “burn” a Zerox? “Dial” somebody on the phone? Use any “man machine interface”. Then yes, you are old.

 

Without the context, if someone tells me "hey, your boilerplate is off" I wouldn't know what the heck you were trying to say, mainly cuz I work in finance not legal or contracts. If we were discussing a purchase / selling contract, etc and you said "this isn't the standard boilerplate" I would.

I'm sure you summarized for TW, but if you fire a PM solely for not knowing a common but starting to fade word and unrelated to his work product, thats kind of a dick move.

 

And It took me 3 tries to get my 59 y/o boss to understand that he was trying to use an incompatible file type on one of our business software suites.

How bout we focus on the fact that times (and words) change and not "those damn millenials!".

 

Nowadays you also need to be aware of national origins. The common terms used, even between native English speakers, differ.

 

Hear hear!

 

Yeet

 

Let's see if I pass the "old" test - Xerox something - nope make a copy or better yet email it. "Dial" someone - maybe rarely mostly call so and so. And if I really want their attention I'll text them because no sane person answers a call from an unknown number. "Man machine interface" - nope, never used that terminology, ever. And I'm in IT so I probably could have used it back in the day.

 

That's why I asked before I did anything, but part of his work product is the paperwork/boilerplate/contract. The other problem was he is busy giving me assignments. That's not going to fly. I'm the executive sponsor, and I'm hiring his company to do the job. If I wanted to fix boilerplate and track all the moving pieces why do I need to pay them?

 

Agreed. I was just surprised when talking about his documents, that he sent me, and were clearly (fill in the word here that is more clear and concise than boilerplate), and were incorrect on several aspects of the project. Having had boilerplate documents come back and bite me in the ass, I actually read them. In my organization the term boilerplate is very commonly used. Some of our departments seem to exist only to create it. (I'm talking to you legal and purchasing )

My suspicion is his company assigned me the wet behind the ears guy. (oops does anybody know what wet behind the ears means?) Sorry, the inexperienced and poorly trained guy.

 

I'm older than your boss and have 20 millennials reporting to me. My observation after working with them for many years is 99% of the negative comments have no basis in fact. They're just people trying to make their way in a world fucked up by baby boomers. But, I remember my dad yelling at me that "cool" isn't a thing it is a temperature. And, if "boilerplate" is the new "groovy" then what do people call prewritten documents that don't change from project to project.

 

^^^^^^^ This guy gets it

 

I used to work for a contract pharmaceutical R&D firm, and they had hot plates all over the place. They may have even called them boiler plates. (did my best to stay out of the labs) Brings back some good memories. And, so true about being savvy to the jargon of the industry.

 

Much ado about nothing, communication is everyone’s responsibility. Just straighten it out. English is easy to fuck up even for those that claim to know it well and it can still be misunderstood even when spoken or written correctly. Throw out random jargon and you’ll get random results. Break his balls next time if you still get the wrong contract after showing him the correct one.

 

One of my favorite episodes. Charlie and the lawyer are both hilarious.

 

I'm a PM that deals with contracts daily and I can't remember the last time I used the term "boilerplate".