Talk:On the fly

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Should it say "...server side include" or should "include" be deleted?

The term 'on the fly' is also used describe changes or repairs made to machines or processes while they are running. In machine controls, parameters are generally divided into those that can be changed safely while running (speeds, temperature set points, ect.) and those that require the machine to stop before they can take effect. 70.61.121.162 16:28, 11 June 2007 (UTC)Isaac Brown

[edit] Probably Copyright Violation

Hey all, knowing me I'm probably wrong, but the one to one copy from whatis.com appears to be in violation of whatis.coms copyright policy:

Note: All content on whatis.com, unless otherwise designated, is solely owned and copyrighted by TechTarget, Inc. Unless there is a prior arrangement, contributors to whatis.com agree to share information, ideas, and suggestions voluntarily and without compensation.

(from: http://whatis.techtarget.com/wcreditsUS/0,290007,sid9,00.html)

So I marked it with a copyvio tag, no hard feelings meant anywhere.

Themania 10:16, 27 August 2007 (UTC)

[edit] In haste, or not in haste?

I've just edited the first paragraph to refocus it away from the implication that (in general use) 'on the fly' implies haste and carelessness. I see from a quick look at the history that the entry seems to have fluctuated in this regard. I wonder if this phrase is used quite differently by different people. To me there is no implication of haste or carelessness, and on the fly simply means that something is made up at the time rather than according to earlier plans. Do other people share this perception or am I alone in it? Do other people very clearly take the phrase to imply carelessness? If there is a split on this, it might be simplest to say that some people understand it in one sense and others in another. It might help to know I'm UK based. Is there an international difference? Rowmn (talk) 20:17, 11 February 2008 (UTC)

The term itself does not imply carelessness, merely to be able to do it without stopping the action. Sure, sometimes haste involves poor planning, but sometimes the haste is merely because the task itself is important. For example, I design spare capacity into critical systems so that you can isolate and replace a faulty component without having to shut down the process. The more important it is to avoid unscheduled downtime, the more likely it is that you will want the capability to swap out components on the fly.

That is just one example, I could come up with many more. The examples the article uses in the automotive, sports, and computer useage all carry that same connotation of being able to do something quickly, but none of which carry the impression of carelessness. The element of carelessness only comes up from the context that is being described, not the phrase itself.