Verb. To do a manually do a process that either is or should be automated.
Usage:
“I haven’t had time to launch the new version, so we’re mech-turking the database until tomorrow.”
Origin: a verbing of Mechanical Turk
Credit for this word goes to: Peter Fleck
Another successful contribution to the pseudo-dictionary.
Thanks for the credit, Garrick!
A looong time ago at the beginning of this whole thing, I remember one of the first video-on-demand implementations attempted by a cableco. I think it was in Florida. They allowed their users to choose movies and the request was sent to a room with an attendant and thousands of vhs tapes and a bunch of players. When they got the request, they would find the tape and play it and you would be able to view it at home — unless someone else was watching the tape or they ran out of players or the attendant dozed off.
I think I read about this in Wired.
this is a test.