Dave's ESL Cafe's Student Discussion Forums

[Joseph@Shiga]

Hi native teachers,

Many thanks for your kind suggestion for each time.

What bothers me today is the preposition to be used with "be configured".
For example, Some guys write in the following way:
1. The device is configured with a first conductive layer, an insulating layer, and a second conductive layer.

But other guys write as follows:
2. The device is configured of a first conductive layer, an insulating layer, and a second conductive layer.

Are both sentences identical?
Is there any difference in nuance between them?

Thanls a lot for your help.

Joseph@Shiga

[ESL-ish]

Configure is a verb that was most commenly used in the sciences. However, it is now heavily used in relation to computers and software so you may find a lot of variation in usage.

My internet research (www.m-w.com) turned up the following definition
configure: ( transitive verb) to set up for operation especially in a particular way <a fighter plane configured for the Malaysian air force>

Here's how I think the verb should be used with prepositions. If anyone can add to this I'd be grateful.

Someone configures something for a specific purpose with special components by modifying its structure.

In your example questions, Joseph, I'd accept 1 but not 2.
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