The word "synthetic" is often equated with artificial, fake, or made up! This is not the intended meaning of the term "synthetic environment", where we mean the depiction of the environment, in a digital form, that is the possible synthesis and integration of a variety of data elements. However, the word "synthetic" remains misleading in some instances and domains.

In addition, the term "synthetic environment" means something different in different sectors of the broader community of modeling and simulation. For example, in the UK, the term "synthetic environment" involves the entire simulation environment, including the totality in which an individual can be considered immersed. This definition even includes the panels and knobs of the simulation equipment.

The word SEDRIS is well-recognized and heavily used in a variety of venues; from references in documentation, software and data, to name-brand recognition. Therefore, it is neither practical nor desired to change the word SEDRIS. However, its expanded form is open to erroneous interpretation and no longer reflective of its original meaning.

For these reasons, the word SEDRIS is kept, but its original expanded form is no longer used.