Synopsis for What's in a Name? Gaming by Any Other Name Just Doesn't Sound as Sweet.

In this address, ETC Executive Producer and Co-Founder, Don Marinelli, addresses the issue of nomenclature as it relates to and has impacted the development of gaming in all manner of environments. Academic initiatives, military applications, health-industry related inquiries, sports, all have confronted the issue of what to call "games" with mixed success. A combination of factors: ignorance, arrogance, narrow definitions, context, process, among myriad other variables, have made this seemingly simple endeavor incredibly difficult. In this talk, Marinelli will review historical legacy of this debate while examining the current state of acceptance. Suggestions for handling the recurring arguments against gaming and the persistent suspicion of the metaphor will also be addressed.