Sideways Dictionary uses hilarious analogies to explain boring tech terms

It might not be as useful as the popular Merriam-Webster or your favorite slang companion Urban Dictionary, but but this new dictionary is by far the most entertaining technology lexicon I have come across so far.

As it says on its website, Sideways Dictionary is “like a dictionary, but using analogies instead of definitions” – which is actually a lot more amusing (and much less useless) than it sounds.

The project focuses exclusively on providing explanations and analogies for often misunderstood or little known technology terms, like ‘access control list,’ ‘botnet’ and ‘backdoor.’

Here’s how the tool sums up the meaning of ‘botnet’ for example:

It’s like a zombie army, full of dead-eyed, half-crazed people obeying the instructions of a remote and unseen master, without realizing they are part of a destructive tribe.

Or if you’d prefer the alternative:

It’s like sleepwalking. You have a respectable day job, a nice life, and you don’t even realize you’re doing it. But by night you’re wandering the streets and relieving yourself on your neighbor’s lawns.

Here are a few more fun examples:

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The best part is that you can contribute to Sideway’s list of words with your own analogies. All you need to do is sign up for the website with your Google, Facebook or Twitter account.

Go check out Sideways Dictionary and find the meaning of all the tech terms that never made sense here.