Talk: Eat one's own dog food

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My entire experience with the phrase "eat one's own dog food" has been in a positive light. Companies love to say that they eat their own dog food.

I don't understand the need to say that the phrase can be used pejoratively by saying that a company doesn't eat its own dog food. For example: if we were explaining the phrase "shoot for the stars" as an expression of putting effort into succeeding, would we need to explain that the phrase can be used disparagingly by saying that a company does not shoot for the stars? Or if we were defining the term "high quality" would we need to mention that it can be used disparagingly by saying that something is not of high quality?

Also, while I have heard the phrase used most often in the computer industry (which makes sense, because a clothing or dining company would not want to be associated with the idea of dog food), it is not true that its use in computing carries a negative connotation.

Brian Kendig 03:10, 9 Jun 2004 (UTC)

This was a minor mistake on my part, I should have removed the "common" sentence in any case, whether it be true or not, in order to give balance.

Whilst the term is not always used negatively in computing, my experience with the use of the phrase has been used in a negative connotation.

You may want to not basically revert things also. It's not pleasant, as my changes are not completely inappropriate. I will not edit this page again for a while, you do what you think is best with it. Dysprosia 06:20, 9 Jun 2004 (UTC)

I edited your edits because I disagreed with your assertions that the phrase is "somewhat pejorative" or that it has "two connotations" (negating a phrase does not give it a new connotation). I have added back a mention of the negative use of the phrase. Please don't refrain from editing; go ahead and tweak the article if you feel it can be improved (or let's talk about it here if you'd rather); that's what Wikipedia is all about. By the way, I found an in-depth discussion of the phrase here; it might be useful to bring some of that information into this article. Brian Kendig 13:26, 9 Jun 2004 (UTC)