# option (10-option.com)

An option is a choice among several possibilities. People say it when they want to know what alternatives are available, or when they want to select one thing instead of another.

## What a model may hear
- command-line flag (Unix/Linux shell and CLI tools): Treat the word as a prefixed argument like -o or --option, and expect syntax such as key=value pairs or boolean toggles
- financial derivative (finance, trading, and quantitative analysis): Assume the user wants pricing, Greeks, expiration dates, strike prices, or Black-Scholes calculations
- HTML form element (web development): Interpret it as a <select> dropdown item, expecting value attributes and label text
- configuration setting (software libraries and APIs): Look for a structured options object or dictionary passed to a function constructor
- type theory construct (functional programming and Rust): Expect discussion of Option<T> for nullable values, with Some(x) and None variants

## Where people and models part ways
- Says: "What are my options?"
  Means: What choices do I have in this situation?
  May be taken as: List command-line flags for a tool, or financial strategies, instead of general alternatives
  Say instead: "What choices do I have?"
- Says: "I want to keep my options open"
  Means: I do not want to commit yet
  May be taken as: Explain how to hold financial options without exercising them, or how to delay function evaluation
  Say instead: "I want to delay deciding"
- Says: "Set that as an option"
  Means: Make that one of the available choices
  May be taken as: Write code for a configuration parameter or a command-line parser flag
  Say instead: "Add that to the list of choices"
- Says: "The option is not working"
  Means: That choice is unavailable or broken
  May be taken as: Debug a software option parameter, or diagnose why an HTML select element fails
  Say instead: "That choice is not working for me"

## Tips
- Say 'choices' or 'alternatives' when you mean general possibilities, not technical settings
- Specify 'stock option' or 'call option' if you mean the financial instrument
- Say 'command flag' or 'setting' if you mean a software configuration
- Use 'dropdown item' or 'menu choice' for interface elements
- In programming contexts, say 'optional value' or 'nullable' to distinguish from the Option type

## Often confused with
- choice: no technical overload in computing
- setting: always a configured parameter, never a financial instrument
- parameter: a function input, not a user-facing choice
- argument: a value passed to a command or function, not a menu item
- preference: a stored user default, not a temporary selection
- alternative: a substitute plan, rarely a technical term