# change (0-change.org)

People say "change" when they want something to become different. They might want to change a plan, a habit, or their mind. It is one of the most common words in everyday speech.

## What a model may hear
- git commit delta (version control): treat the request as about code differences, patches, or repository history
- database transaction (database systems): assume the user wants to modify stored data or roll back to a prior state
- state mutation (programming): interpret the word as altering a variable, object property, or system state in running code
- currency exchange (finance APIs): connect to conversion rates, forex, or monetary value updates
- configuration diff (DevOps and infrastructure): look for infrastructure changes, drift detection, or desired-state adjustments

## Where people and models part ways
- Says: "I need to change this"
  Means: the person wants to revise something they wrote or decided
  May be taken as: the model generates a git diff or database update query
  Say instead: "Please help me revise what I wrote"
- Says: "Can you track the changes?"
  Means: keep a record of edits to a document
  May be taken as: the model enables code-level change tracking or audit logging
  Say instead: "Please show me a history of edits to this text"
- Says: "Nothing changed"
  Means: the situation stayed the same
  May be taken as: the model checks for failed state mutations or empty commit diffs
  Say instead: "The situation is still the same as before"
- Says: "Make a change"
  Means: do something differently
  May be taken as: the model initiates a system modification or deploys an update
  Say instead: "Please suggest a different approach"

## Tips
- Say 'revise' or 'edit' instead of 'change' when you mean text
- Add 'my mind' or 'the plan' to clarify you mean a decision
- Say 'update the file' rather than 'change' for document edits
- Use 'convert' or 'exchange' when you mean money or units
- Say 'what is different' rather than 'what changed' when comparing two things in plain language

## Often confused with
- modify: slightly more technical, still risks code interpretation
- update: strongly signals software or data refresh to models
- transform: invokes data pipelines and machine learning preprocessing
- mutate: explicitly a programming term for in-place alteration
- alter: similarly broad but less frequent in version control contexts
- shift: suggests schedules, gears, or data structures more than personal choices