I can see Offsets' point here: You either have a legally held Alternate, or you dont. Black and white, simple.
It sihts me to tears to hear this rot like 'Technical Alternate", "De-facto Alternte" and the like. I've read Jepps and AIP, AERAD you name it and there is not one, NOT ONE, reference to a "technical" alternate.
The use of these terms should really be considered a CRM 'red flag'.