From: Bill Higgins-- Beam Jockey Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers Subject: Backronyms (was Re: Proliferation of memes via Usenet) Date: Thu, 30 Mar 2000 15:10:09 -0600 Organization: Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory Lines: 34 Message-ID: References: <38db7140.43194336@news.cadvision.com> NNTP-Posting-Host: fsgi02.fnal.gov Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: TEXT/PLAIN; charset=US-ASCII In-Reply-To: Path: chonsp.franklin.ch!pfaff.ethz.ch!news-zh.switch.ch!newsfeed-zh.ip-plus.net!news.ip-plus.net!News.Amsterdam.UnisourceCS!newspeer.te.net!news.indigo.ie!diablo.theplanet.net!newsfeed.berkeley.edu!newsfeed.stanford.edu!info1.fnal.gov!newscli.fnal.gov!fsgi02.fnal.gov!higgins Xref: chonsp.franklin.ch alt.folklore.computers:53550 On Mon, 27 Mar 2000, Edward Rice wrote: > I've been working on getting "backronym" popularized for a long time, and > have been seeing small but heartening results over the years. > > A backronym is, of course, a too-clever-by-at-least-half all-caps word that > /obviously/ was planned into documentation (or advertising) first, and only > afterward did someone sit down to figure out what the succession of letters > ought to stand for in order to produce the lovely result. Here's one. In the early Eighties, a new control system was introduced to run all the thousands of gadgets needed to deliver particle beams here at Fermilab. It replaced the old system (which had no particular name) based on Lockheed MAC-16 minicomputers with a new one using a PDP-11 and some funny memory hardware. It was called EPICS, allegedly for Experimental Physics Interactive Control System. EPICS was late, and never delivered all its promised features. Not many years later, a fresh new system using Vaxen and VMS appeared. Some of its designers harbored strong feelings about the shortcomings of its predecessor. The backronym? "Experimental Physics Interactive Controls User Resource Enhancement." EPICURE. -- ___ O~~* /_) ' / / /_/ ' , , ' ,_ _ \|/ / / - ~ -~~~~~~~~/_) / / / / / / (_) (_) / / / _\~~~~~~~~~~~zap! /__// \ (_) (_) / | \ | | Bill Higgins Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory \ / Bitnet: Sic transit gloria mundi - - Internet: HIGGINS@FNAL.FNAL.GOV ~ SPAN/Hepnet/Physnet: 43011::HIGGINS ###### From: "Rick Lugg" Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers Subject: Re: Backronyms (was Re: Proliferation of memes via Usenet) Date: Fri, 31 Mar 2000 09:00:14 +0200 Organization: The South African Internet Exchange Lines: 45 Message-ID: <8c1idb$c6c$1@ctb-nnrp1.saix.net> References: <38db7140.43194336@news.cadvision.com> NNTP-Posting-Host: rsb53-01-p101.gt.saix.net X-Trace: ctb-nnrp1.saix.net 954485995 12492 155.239.84.101 (31 Mar 2000 06:59:55 GMT) X-Complaints-To: abuse@saix.net NNTP-Posting-Date: 31 Mar 2000 06:59:55 GMT X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Newsreader: Microsoft Outlook Express 5.00.2919.6600 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V5.00.2919.6600 Path: chonsp.franklin.ch!pfaff.ethz.ch!news-zh.switch.ch!news-ge.switch.ch!news.maxwell.syr.edu!btnet-peer!btnet!ctb-nntp1!not-for-mail Xref: chonsp.franklin.ch alt.folklore.computers:53494 "Bill Higgins-- Beam Jockey" wrote in message news:Pine.SGI.4.05.10003301502080.12807-100000@fsgi02.fnal.gov... > On Mon, 27 Mar 2000, Edward Rice wrote: > > > I've been working on getting "backronym" popularized for a long time, and > > have been seeing small but heartening results over the years. > > > > A backronym is, of course, a too-clever-by-at-least-half all-caps word that > > /obviously/ was planned into documentation (or advertising) first, and only > > afterward did someone sit down to figure out what the succession of letters > > ought to stand for in order to produce the lovely result. > > Here's one. In the early Eighties, a new control system was introduced to > run all the thousands of gadgets needed to deliver particle beams here at > Fermilab. It replaced the old system (which had no particular name) based > on Lockheed MAC-16 minicomputers with a new one using a PDP-11 and some > funny memory hardware. It was called EPICS, allegedly for Experimental > Physics Interactive Control System. > > EPICS was late, and never delivered all its promised features. Not many > years later, a fresh new system using Vaxen and VMS appeared. Some of its > designers harbored strong feelings about the shortcomings of its > predecessor. > > The backronym? "Experimental Physics Interactive Controls User Resource > Enhancement." EPICURE. > A "backcronym" that showed up years ago (c.1969) at NCR UK was S H I T . (Software, Hardware Integration Test) The (in)famous Stan Armstrong used to walk around with a large disc suitably labelled in very large letters. He got some complaints apparently and renamed the disc for Software, Hardware Acceptance Test, which seemed to be acceptable to the upper echelons. -- Rick Lugg ###### From: Dave Daniels Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers Subject: Re: Backronyms (was Re: Proliferation of memes via Usenet) Date: Fri, 31 Mar 2000 18:26:32 +0100 Organization: None Lines: 26 Message-ID: <49a800d436a__fake__address@127.0.0.1> References: <38db7140.43194336@news.cadvision.com> NNTP-Posting-Host: usercq17.uk.uudial.com X-Trace: lure.pipex.net 954590189 8107 62.188.156.145 (1 Apr 2000 11:56:29 GMT) X-Complaints-To: abuse@uk.uu.net NNTP-Posting-Date: 1 Apr 2000 11:56:29 GMT User-Agent: Pluto/1.14i (RISC-OS/4.00) Path: chonsp.franklin.ch!pfaff.ethz.ch!news-zh.switch.ch!news-ge.switch.ch!news.maxwell.syr.edu!howland.erols.net!news-out-b.news.pipex.net.MISMATCH!tank.news.pipex.net!pipex!tube.news.pipex.net!pipex!argonet.co.uk!argbq79 Xref: chonsp.franklin.ch alt.folklore.computers:53499 In article , Bill Higgins-- Beam Jockey wrote: > Here's one. In the early Eighties, a new control system was introduced to > run all the thousands of gadgets needed to deliver particle beams here at I can recall reading in Byte many years ago of an American university that installed a new network infrastructure. Two elements of it were called 'VICE' and 'VIRTUE'. As far I can recall, 'VICE' stood for 'Vast Interconnected Computing Environment' and 'VIRTUE' was 'VICE Is Reached Through Unix and Emacs'. I think they should get at least 7 out of 10 for effort there. Dave Daniels -- ANTISPAM: Please note that the email address above is false. My correct address is: dave_danielsargonetcouk Please replace the and s with @ and . respectively when replying - Thanks! ###### Message-ID: <38E5F6E5.4337DD6A@trailing-edge.com> Date: Sat, 01 Apr 2000 13:17:25 -0400 From: Tim Shoppa Organization: Trailing Edge Technology X-Mailer: Mozilla 3.03Gold (X11; I; OpenVMS V7.0 DEC 3000 Model 300L) MIME-Version: 1.0 Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers Subject: Re: Backronyms (was Re: Proliferation of memes via Usenet) References: <38db7140.43194336@news.cadvision.com> <49a800d436a__fake__address@127.0.0.1> <38e63058.28674018@news.compuserve.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Lines: 20 NNTP-Posting-Host: 63.73.218.130 X-Trace: reader0.news.uu.net 954613046 16856 63.73.218.130 Path: chonsp.franklin.ch!pfaff.ethz.ch!news-zh.switch.ch!news-ge.switch.ch!news.maxwell.syr.edu!feed2.onemain.com!feed1.onemain.com!uunet!ffx.uu.net!spool1.news.uu.net!spool0.news.uu.net!reader0.news.uu.net!not-for-mail Xref: chonsp.franklin.ch alt.folklore.computers:53567 Dav Vandenbroucke wrote: > > On Fri, 31 Mar 2000 18:26:32 +0100, Dave Daniels > wrote: > > >Environment' and 'VIRTUE' was 'VICE Is Reached Through Unix and > >Emacs'. I think they should get at least 7 out of 10 for > >effort there. > > This is another interesting development in computerland. There are so > many abbreviations and acronyms (not that most of them know the > difference between those words) that there are acronyms in which some > of the letters stand for other acronyms. And, for the ultimate in geeky/nerdy acronyms, there are *recursive* acronyms. The earliest I can remember is 'MINCE', for 'MINCE is not complete EMACS', an early attempt at porting EMACS to microcomputers. Tim. ###### Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers References: <38db7140.43194336@news.cadvision.com> <49a800d436a__fake__address@127.0.0.1> From: jata@aepiax.net (Julian Thomas) Subject: Re: Backronyms (was Re: Proliferation of memes via Usenet) Message-ID: <38e633b0$1$wg$mr2ice@news.epix.net> X-Newsreader: MR/2 Internet Cruiser Edition for OS/2 v2.1 c10 Lines: 23 Date: Sat, 01 Apr 2000 17:36:50 GMT NNTP-Posting-Host: 199.224.125.30 X-Complaints-To: abuse@epix.net X-Trace: news1.epix.net 954610610 199.224.125.30 (Sat, 01 Apr 2000 12:36:50 EST) NNTP-Posting-Date: Sat, 01 Apr 2000 12:36:50 EST Path: chonsp.franklin.ch!pfaff.ethz.ch!news-zh.switch.ch!news-ge.switch.ch!news.maxwell.syr.edu!newspeer1.nac.net!yellow.newsread.com!netaxs.com!newsread.com!news-xfer.epix.net!news1.epix.net!not-for-mail Xref: chonsp.franklin.ch alt.folklore.computers:53576 In <49a800d436a__fake__address@127.0.0.1>, on 03/31/00 at 06:26 PM, Dave Daniels said: >I can recall reading in Byte many years ago of an American >university that installed a new network infrastructure. Two >elements of it were called 'VICE' and 'VIRTUE'. There were a couple of internal IBM disk optimization programs - one was a Volume Organizer and Optimizer (VOO); the other was a Directory ditto (DOO). Jim and Lynn may remember the flap that arose when these were combined into VOODOO. -- Julian Thomas: jt . epix @ net http://home.epix.net/~jt remove letter a for email (or switch . and @) In the beautiful Finger Lakes Wine Country of New York State! Boardmember of POSSI.org - Phoenix OS/2 Society, Inc http://www.possi.org WarpTech 2000: May 26-28 in Phoenix - plan NOW to attend! www.warptech.org -- -- Press any key... no, no, no, NOT THAT ONE! ###### From: Dav_and_Frances_Vandenbroucke@compuserve.com (Dav Vandenbroucke) Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers Subject: Re: Backronyms (was Re: Proliferation of memes via Usenet) Date: Sat, 01 Apr 2000 17:38:25 GMT Organization: CompuServe Interactive Services Lines: 16 Message-ID: <38e62ead.28247448@news.compuserve.com> References: <38db7140.43194336@news.cadvision.com> <8c1idb$c6c$1@ctb-nnrp1.saix.net> NNTP-Posting-Host: mid-tgn-neu-vty37.as.wcom.net X-Trace: ssauraab-i-1.production.compuserve.com 954610505 23139 216.192.70.37 (1 Apr 2000 17:35:05 GMT) X-Complaints-To: newsmaster@compuserve.com NNTP-Posting-Date: 1 Apr 2000 17:35:05 GMT X-Newsreader: Forte Free Agent 1.11/32.235 Path: chonsp.franklin.ch!pfaff.ethz.ch!news-zh.switch.ch!news-ge.switch.ch!newsfeeds.belnet.be!news.belnet.be!skynet.be!triton.skycache.com!portc01.blue.aol.com!portc.blue.aol.com!news.compuserve.com!news-master.compuserve.com!not-for-mail Xref: chonsp.franklin.ch alt.folklore.computers:53579 Perhaps the most famous computer backronym is BASIC. On the other hand, Pascal is not any kind of acronym, although I often encounter persons who insist on capitalizing it. In the USA, we have Operation PUSH, a pressure group organized by Jesse Jackson (not Helms!). It supposedly stands for People United to Save Humanity. I work for a federal government agency with a perfectly honest acronym (HUD), but it has many backronym programs. One is HOPE VI, which I understand was retrofitted as an acronym. Our office for disseminating research results is called HUD USER, which is always capitalized. However, no one that I've talked to can remember if the "USER" part is an acronym, still less what it might have stood for. Dav Vandenbroucke dav_and_frances_vandenbroucke@compuserve.com ###### From: Dav_and_Frances_Vandenbroucke@compuserve.com (Dav Vandenbroucke) Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers Subject: Re: Backronyms (was Re: Proliferation of memes via Usenet) Date: Sat, 01 Apr 2000 17:38:27 GMT Organization: CompuServe Interactive Services Lines: 17 Message-ID: <38e63058.28674018@news.compuserve.com> References: <38db7140.43194336@news.cadvision.com> <49a800d436a__fake__address@127.0.0.1> NNTP-Posting-Host: mid-tgn-neu-vty37.as.wcom.net X-Trace: ssauraab-i-1.production.compuserve.com 954610507 23139 216.192.70.37 (1 Apr 2000 17:35:07 GMT) X-Complaints-To: newsmaster@compuserve.com NNTP-Posting-Date: 1 Apr 2000 17:35:07 GMT X-Newsreader: Forte Free Agent 1.11/32.235 Path: chonsp.franklin.ch!pfaff.ethz.ch!news-zh.switch.ch!news-ge.switch.ch!newscore.univie.ac.at!194.25.134.126.MISMATCH!newsfeed01.sul.t-online.de!newsfeed00.sul.t-online.de!t-online.de!diablo.theplanet.net!newsfeed.icl.net!netnews.com!cpk-news-hub1.bbnplanet.com!news.gtei.net!portc01.blue.aol.com!portc.blue.aol.com!news.compuserve.com!news-master.compuserve.com!not-for-mail Xref: chonsp.franklin.ch alt.folklore.computers:53577 On Fri, 31 Mar 2000 18:26:32 +0100, Dave Daniels wrote: >Environment' and 'VIRTUE' was 'VICE Is Reached Through Unix and >Emacs'. I think they should get at least 7 out of 10 for >effort there. This is another interesting development in computerland. There are so many abbreviations and acronyms (not that most of them know the difference between those words) that there are acronyms in which some of the letters stand for other acronyms. Why is "acronym" so easy to misspell? I get it wrong almost every time. Dav Vandenbroucke dav_and_frances_vandenbroucke@compuserve.com ###### Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers Subject: Re: Backronyms (was Re: Proliferation of memes via Usenet) References: <38db7140.43194336@news.cadvision.com> <49a800d436a__fake__address@127.0.0.1> <38e63058.28674018@news.compuserve.com> <38E5F6E5.4337DD6A@trailing-edge.com> From: Ric Werme X-Newsreader: NN version 6.5.0 CURRENT #119 Lines: 13 Message-ID: Date: Sun, 02 Apr 2000 04:57:46 GMT NNTP-Posting-Host: 24.218.4.112 X-Complaints-To: abuse@mediaone.net X-Trace: typhoon.ne.mediaone.net 954651466 24.218.4.112 (Sat, 01 Apr 2000 23:57:46 EST) NNTP-Posting-Date: Sat, 01 Apr 2000 23:57:46 EST Organization: Road Runner Path: chonsp.franklin.ch!pfaff.ethz.ch!news-zh.switch.ch!newsfeed-zh.ip-plus.net!news.ip-plus.net!nyc-news-feed1.bbnplanet.com!nycmny1-snh1.gtei.net!cpk-news-hub1.bbnplanet.com!news.gtei.net!portc03.blue.aol.com!portc.blue.aol.com!cyclone-east.rr.com!news.rr.com!news-east.rr.com!chnws02.mediaone.net!chnws05.ne.mediaone.net!24.128.8.70!typhoon.ne.mediaone.net.POSTED!not-for-mail Xref: chonsp.franklin.ch alt.folklore.computers:53587 Tim Shoppa writes: >And, for the ultimate in geeky/nerdy acronyms, there are >*recursive* acronyms. The earliest I can remember is 'MINCE', >for 'MINCE is not complete EMACS', an early attempt at porting >EMACS to microcomputers. I think predating that was MUNG - Mung Until No Good, for a RT-11/RSX-11M? command that ran TECO, but started it running a TECO program passed via the command line. -- Ric Werme | werme@nospam.mediaone.net http://people.ne.mediaone.net/werme | ^^^^^^^ delete ###### From: greg@apple2.com Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers Subject: Re: Backronyms (was Re: Proliferation of memes via Usenet) Organization: II Infinitum References: <38db7140.43194336@news.cadvision.com> <49a800d436a__fake__address@127.0.0.1> <38e63058.28674018@news.compuserve.com> <38E5F6E5.4337DD6A@trailing-edge.com> User-Agent: MT-NewsWatcher/3.0 (PPC) X-Face: &@UA7$)=n9C7!qu%-5s},3tR@NEy+B>8PW"^,8?A>%."0{J2c1Yr]NKw';5/( J\r@/{UADjCdE~iRnOEOfbre(/1Y=$TS3Wt7B`a4sz, Lines: 15 NNTP-Posting-Date: Sat, 01 Apr 2000 23:26:23 CST X-Trace: sv2-kW5Gx6PjYlhFxBRxgRjB5pvKgEcVufHBIFqPlYQizkVzHC92ibaYhXdzi1PaQj7R+1QAaH1phVC180d!Mgjnc/0W0Z22fwu+VL7MVjSXeA== X-Complaints-To: abuse@GigaNews.Com X-Abuse-Info: Please be sure to forward a copy of ALL headers X-Abuse-Info: Otherwise we will be unable to process your complaint properly Date: Sat, 01 Apr 2000 23:26:13 -0600 Path: chonsp.franklin.ch!pfaff.ethz.ch!news-zh.switch.ch!news-ge.switch.ch!enews.sgi.com!nntp.primenet.com!nntp.gctr.net!cpk-news-hub1.bbnplanet.com!news.gtei.net!feed1.news.rcn.net!rcn!nntp.giganews.com!nntp3.giganews.com!news5.giganews.com.POSTED!greg Xref: chonsp.franklin.ch alt.folklore.computers:53581 In article <38E5F6E5.4337DD6A@trailing-edge.com>, Tim Shoppa wrote: > And, for the ultimate in geeky/nerdy acronyms, there are > *recursive* acronyms. The earliest I can remember is 'MINCE', > for 'MINCE is not complete EMACS', an early attempt at porting > EMACS to microcomputers. Are there any mutually recursive acronyms? -- -- --- -- -- -- ------------------------------------------------------------------ -- -- --- --- ###### From: Jeff Teunissen Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers Subject: Re: Backronyms (was Re: Proliferation of memes via Usenet) Organization: Dusk To Dawn Computing Lines: 22 Message-ID: <38E726D4.9B2BD0BC@dusknet.dhs.org> References: <38db7140.43194336@news.cadvision.com> <49a800d436a__fake__address@127.0.0.1> <38e63058.28674018@news.compuserve.com> <38E5F6E5.4337DD6A@trailing-edge.com> Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Mailer: Mozilla 4.72 [en] (X11; I; Linux 2.2.13 i586) X-Accept-Language: en Date: Sun, 02 Apr 2000 11:00:02 GMT NNTP-Posting-Host: 24.13.35.106 X-Complaints-To: abuse@home.net X-Trace: news1.rdc1.mi.home.com 954673202 24.13.35.106 (Sun, 02 Apr 2000 04:00:02 PDT) NNTP-Posting-Date: Sun, 02 Apr 2000 04:00:02 PDT Path: chonsp.franklin.ch!pfaff.ethz.ch!news-zh.switch.ch!news-ge.switch.ch!isdnet!logbridge.uoregon.edu!newsfeed.direct.ca!newshub2.home.com!news.home.com!news1.rdc1.mi.home.com.POSTED!not-for-mail Xref: chonsp.franklin.ch alt.folklore.computers:53563 greg@apple2.com wrote: > > In article <38E5F6E5.4337DD6A@trailing-edge.com>, > Tim Shoppa wrote: > > > And, for the ultimate in geeky/nerdy acronyms, there are > > *recursive* acronyms. The earliest I can remember is 'MINCE', > > for 'MINCE is not complete EMACS', an early attempt at porting > > EMACS to microcomputers. > > Are there any mutually recursive acronyms? The GNU (GNU's Not Unix, of course) Hurd: HURD = Hird of Unix-Replacing Daemons HIRD = Hurd of Interfaces Representing Depth -- | Jeff Teunissen - Pres., Dusk To Dawn Computing - deek at dusknet.dhs.org | Disclaimer: I am my employer, so anything I say goes for me too. :) | Core developer, The QuakeForge Project http://www.quakeforge.net/ | Specializing in Debian GNU/Linux http://dusknet.dhs.org/~deek/ ###### From: Phil Edwards Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers Subject: Re: Backronyms (was Re: Proliferation of memes via Usenet) Date: Sun, 02 Apr 2000 17:26:40 +0100 Message-ID: <6vieess50o65v6l7f8o2j6d9em1cm5n1b0@4ax.com> References: <38db7140.43194336@news.cadvision.com> <49a800d436a__fake__address@127.0.0.1> <38e63058.28674018@news.compuserve.com> <38E5F6E5.4337DD6A@trailing-edge.com> <38E726D4.9B2BD0BC@dusknet.dhs.org> X-Newsreader: Forte Agent 1.8/32.548 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Lines: 18 NNTP-Posting-Host: man-a091.dialup.zetnet.co.uk X-Trace: news.zetnet.co.uk 954692619 567 194.247.44.91 Path: chonsp.franklin.ch!pfaff.ethz.ch!news-zh.switch.ch!news-ge.switch.ch!isdnet!diablo.theplanet.net!news-hub.cableinet.net!peer.news.zetnet.net!master.news.zetnet.net!not-for-mail Xref: chonsp.franklin.ch alt.folklore.computers:53585 On Sun, 02 Apr 2000 11:00:02 GMT, Jeff Teunissen wrote: >greg@apple2.com wrote: >> >> Are there any mutually recursive acronyms? > >The GNU (GNU's Not Unix, of course) Hurd: > >HURD = Hird of Unix-Replacing Daemons >HIRD = Hurd of Interfaces Representing Depth Do you mind? My brain's just exploded. Phil -- Phil Edwards http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/amroth/ "Let the good Lord do the driving" - Jon Langford ###### From: "Charlie Gibbs" Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers Subject: Re: Backronyms (was Re: Proliferation of memes via Usenet) Date: 03 Apr 00 11:41:48 -0800 Organization: http://extra.newsguy.com Lines: 123 Message-ID: <5171.128T2416T7015433@sky.bus.com> References: <49a800d436a__fake__address@127.0.0.1> <38e63058.28674018@news.compuserve.com> <38E5F6E5.4337DD6A@trailing-edge.com> <38E87664.31FCC839@inthan.be> NNTP-Posting-Host: p-539.newsdawg.com X-Newsreader: THOR 2.5a (Amiga;TCP/IP) Path: chonsp.franklin.ch!pfaff.ethz.ch!news-zh.switch.ch!news-ge.switch.ch!news.maxwell.syr.edu!skynet.be!209.155.56.21.MISMATCH!pln-e!spln!extra.newsguy.com!newsp.newsguy.com!news1 Xref: chonsp.franklin.ch alt.folklore.computers:53621 While we're talking about Lisp, let's not forget its real meaning: Lots of Irritating Spurious Parentheses In article <38E87664.31FCC839@inthan.be> donald.fisk@inthan.be (Donald Fisk) writes: >What about alternative acronyms? I can think of > >Escape Meta Alt Control Shift >Eats Megabytes And Constantly Swapping Eventually Mallocs All Computer Storate Eventually Mallocs All Core Memory Eight Megabytes And Constantly Swapping Emacs Makes All Computers Slow Ego Maniacs Addicted to Control Sequences What the heck, here's a list where someone really went nuts: >Fri Feb 22 08:01:06 1991 >Message : #1277517 From: raymond@math.berkeley.edu >Group : NETCOMP.FolkLore >Length : 379 words >Subject : Re: emacs stands for WHAT??!!!!! (long list) > >Msg-ID: <1991Feb22.114248.25939@agate.berkeley.edu> >Posted: 22 Feb 91 11:42:48 GMT > >Org. : U.C. Berkeley >Person: Raymond Chen > >What does EMACS mean? > >Officially: Editing MACroS. > >Unofficially: > >Even a Master of Arts Comes Simpler >Emacs Manuals Are Cryptic and Surreal >Energetic Merchants Always Cultivate Sales >Each Manual's Audience is Completely Stupified >Emacs Means A Crappy Screen >Eventually Munches All Computer Storage >Even My Aunt Crashes the System >Eradication > of Memory Accomplished > with Complete Simplicity >Elsewhere Maybe Alternative Civilizations Survive >Egregious Managers Actively Court Stallman >Esoteric Malleability Always Considered Silly >Emacs Manuals Always Cause Senility >Easily Maintained > with the Assistance of Chemical Solutions >EMACS MACRO ACTED CREDO SODOM >Edwardian Manifestation > of All Colonial Sins >Except by Middle Aged Computer Scientists >Extended Macros Are Considered Superfluous >Every Mode Accelerates Creation of Software >Elsewhere Maybe All Commands are Simple >Emacs May Allow Customised Screwups >Excellent Manuals Are Clearly Suppressed >Emetic Macros Assault Core and Segmentation >Embarrassed Manual-Writer Accused of Communist Subversion >Extensibilty > and Modifiability Aggravate Confirmed Simpletons >Emacs May Annihilate Command Structures >Easily Mangles, Aborts, Crashes and Stupifies >Extraneous Macros And Commands Stink >Exceptionally Mediocre Algorithm for Computer Scientists >EMACS Makes no Allowances Considering its Stiff price >Equine Mammals Are Considerably Smaller >Embarrasingly Mundane Advertising Cuts Sales >Every Moron Assumes CCA is Superior >Exceptionally Mediocre Autocratic Control System >EMACS May Alienate Clients and Supporters >Excavating Mayan Architecture Comes Simpler >Erasing Minds Allows Complete Submission >Every Male Adolescent Craves Sex >Elephantine Memory Absolutely Considered Sine que non >Emacs Makers Are Crazy Sickos >Eenie-Meenie-Miney-Mo- > Macros Are Completely Slow >Experience the Mildest Ad Campaign ever Seen >Emacs Makefiles Annihilate C- Shells >Eradication of Memory Accomplished > with Complete Simplicity >Emetic Macros Assault Core and Segmentation >Epileptic MLisp Aggravates Compiler Seizures >Eleven thousand > Monkeys Asynchronously Crank out these Slogans >Emacs Makes All Computing Simple >Evenings, Mornings, And a Couple of Saturdays > > In reference to the odd hours that went into the creation of my > implementation. -- ihnss!warren (Warren Montgomery) 10 Sep 85 > >--- >And while we're on the topic... > >GNU = GNU's Not UNIX >GNU = Generally Not Used > >FINE = FINE Is Not Emacs > >THIEF = THief Isn't Even Fine > >MINCE = Mince Is Not a Complete Emacs > >SINE = Sine Is Not Emacs (MIT Architecture Machine Group) > >EINE = Eine is Not Emacs > >ZWEI = Zwei Was Eine Initially > >DREI = DREI: Really Emacs Inside > (exists only in the mind of Paul Bennett (ulysses!pajb) -- cgibbs@sky.bus.com (Charlie Gibbs) Remove the first period after the "at" sign to reply. ###### From: Donald Fisk Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers Subject: Re: Backronyms (was Re: Proliferation of memes via Usenet) Date: Mon, 03 Apr 2000 12:45:56 +0200 Organization: Brutele sc - 29 rue de Naples - 1050 Bruxelles - Belgium Lines: 58 Message-ID: <38E87664.31FCC839@inthan.be> References: <38db7140.43194336@news.cadvision.com> <49a800d436a__fake__address@127.0.0.1> <38e63058.28674018@news.compuserve.com> <38E5F6E5.4337DD6A@trailing-edge.com> NNTP-Posting-Host: 212.68.202.178 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Trace: news.brutele.be 954759789 4192 212.68.202.178 (3 Apr 2000 11:03:09 GMT) X-Complaints-To: news@news.brutele.be NNTP-Posting-Date: 3 Apr 2000 11:03:09 GMT X-Mailer: Mozilla 4.6 [en] (WinNT; I) X-Accept-Language: en Path: chonsp.franklin.ch!pfaff.ethz.ch!news-zh.switch.ch!newsfeed-zh.ip-plus.net!news.ip-plus.net!News.Amsterdam.UnisourceCS!news.kpnbelgium.be!212.68.202.178!nobody Xref: chonsp.franklin.ch alt.folklore.computers:53677 Tim Shoppa wrote: > Dav Vandenbroucke wrote: > > > > On Fri, 31 Mar 2000 18:26:32 +0100, Dave Daniels > > wrote: > > > > >Environment' and 'VIRTUE' was 'VICE Is Reached Through Unix and > > >Emacs'. I think they should get at least 7 out of 10 for > > >effort there. > > > > This is another interesting development in computerland. There are so > > many abbreviations and acronyms (not that most of them know the > > difference between those words) that there are acronyms in which some > > of the letters stand for other acronyms. > > And, for the ultimate in geeky/nerdy acronyms, there are > *recursive* acronyms. The earliest I can remember is 'MINCE', > for 'MINCE is not complete EMACS', an early attempt at porting > EMACS to microcomputers. I didn't see Gnu's Not Unix. From the Lisp world: Lisp In Small Pieces (a book on Lisp implementation) Lisp Is Simply Perfect Eine Is Not Emacs Zwei Was Eine Initially What about alternative acronyms? I can think of Escape Meta Alt Control Shift Eats Megabytes And Constantly Swapping Pathologically Eclectic Rubbish Lister Back to Backronyms: Ralph Griswold stated in an article on the history of Snobol that the name was chosen because it sounded like a good name for a programming language (e.g. it rhymes with Cobol), and it wasn't until someone insisted on knowing what it stood for did he think of StriNg Oriented symBOLic language. > Tim. Le Hibou (ma propre opinion) -- "part of any serious QA is removing perl code the same way you go over a dilapidated building you inherit to remove chewing gum and duct tape and fix whatever was kept together for real" -- Erik Naggum ###### From: dg@pearl.tao.co.uk (David Given) Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers Subject: Re: Backronyms (was Re: Proliferation of memes via Usenet) Date: Mon, 3 Apr 2000 11:52:53 +0100 Organization: I do not speak for anyone but myself, and barely that. Lines: 14 Message-ID: <56t9c8.av2.ln@127.0.0.1> References: <38db7140.43194336@news.cadvision.com> <8c1idb$c6c$1@ctb-nnrp1.saix.net> <38e62ead.28247448@news.compuserve.com> NNTP-Posting-Host: 212.19.67.123 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii X-Trace: 954780600 IIX5YQT0T437BD413C uk25.supernews.com X-Complaints-To: newsabuse@remarq.com X-Newsreader: knews 1.0b.1 Path: chonsp.franklin.ch!pfaff.ethz.ch!news-zh.switch.ch!news-ge.switch.ch!HSNX.atgi.net!logbridge.uoregon.edu!sn-xit-01!supernews.com!sn-inject-01!127.0.0.1!nobody Xref: chonsp.franklin.ch alt.folklore.computers:53660 In article <38e62ead.28247448@news.compuserve.com>, Dav_and_Frances_Vandenbroucke@compuserve.com (Dav Vandenbroucke) writes: > Perhaps the most famous computer backronym is BASIC. On the other > hand, Pascal is not any kind of acronym, although I often encounter > persons who insist on capitalizing it. And of course, there's ACRONYM itself, which as everyone knows stands for A Contrived Regime Of Nomenclature, Yielding Mnemonics. -- +- David Given ---------------McQ-+ "Living on Earth may be expensive, but it | Work: dg@tao-group.com | does include an annual free trip round the | Play: dgiven@iname.com | sun." --- Jack Handey +- http://wired.st-and.ac.uk/~dg -+ ###### From: "Simo Tuominen" Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers Subject: Re: Backronyms (was Re: Proliferation of memes via Usenet) Date: Mon, 3 Apr 2000 22:34:44 +0300 Organization: Freenet Finland Lines: 33 Message-ID: <8cc7ic$ei3$1@learnet.freenet.hut.fi> References: <38db7140.43194336@news.cadvision.com> <49a800d436a__fake__address@127.0.0.1> <38e63058.28674018@news.compuserve.com> <38E5F6E5.4337DD6A@trailing-edge.com> <38E87664.31FCC839@inthan.be> NNTP-Posting-Host: aqua00.edu2.evitech.fi X-Priority: 3 X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Newsreader: Microsoft Outlook Express 5.00.2919.6600 X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V5.00.2919.6600 Path: chonsp.franklin.ch!pfaff.ethz.ch!news-zh.switch.ch!news-ge.switch.ch!feed2.news.luth.se!luth.se!news-peer-europe.sprintlink.net!news.sprintlink.net!newsfeed.bahnhof.se!news.defero.net!news.bbnetworks.net!learnet.freenet.hut.fi!not-for-mail Xref: chonsp.franklin.ch alt.folklore.computers:53646 "Donald Fisk" wrote in message news:38E87664.31FCC839@inthan.be... > Tim Shoppa wrote: > > And, for the ultimate in geeky/nerdy acronyms, there are > > *recursive* acronyms. The earliest I can remember is 'MINCE', > > for 'MINCE is not complete EMACS', an early attempt at porting > > EMACS to microcomputers. > > I didn't see Gnu's Not Unix. You could argue for "Linux Is Not UniX" if you were interested and decided to ignore the fact that Linux isn't an acronym. > What about alternative acronyms? I can think of > > Escape Meta Alt Control Shift > Eats Megabytes And Constantly Swapping Eight/Eighty Megabytes And Constantly Swapping > Back to Backronyms: Ralph Griswold stated in an > article on the history of Snobol that the name was chosen > because it sounded like a good name for a programming > language (e.g. it rhymes with Cobol), and it wasn't until > someone insisted on knowing what it stood for did he > think of StriNg Oriented symBOLic language. This begs the question "was/is there a language called ODDBOL?" ###### From: dowe@209-165-2.107.lightspeed.net (Dowe Keller) Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers Subject: Re: Backronyms (was Re: Proliferation of memes via Usenet) References: <38db7140.43194336@news.cadvision.com> <49a800d436a__fake__address@127.0.0.1> <38e63058.28674018@news.compuserve.com> <38E5F6E5.4337DD6A@trailing-edge.com> <38E87664.31FCC839@inthan.be> Message-ID: X-Newsreader: slrn (0.9.4.3 UNIX) Lines: 26 Date: Mon, 03 Apr 2000 19:55:58 GMT NNTP-Posting-Host: 209.165.1.140 X-Complaints-To: abuse@onemain.com X-Trace: nntp1.onemain.com 954791758 209.165.1.140 (Mon, 03 Apr 2000 15:55:58 EDT) NNTP-Posting-Date: Mon, 03 Apr 2000 15:55:58 EDT Path: chonsp.franklin.ch!pfaff.ethz.ch!news-zh.switch.ch!news-ge.switch.ch!news.maxwell.syr.edu!newsswitch.lcs.mit.edu!feed2.usenet-server.onemain.com.MISMATCH!feed2.onemain.com!feed1.onemain.com!nntp1.onemain.com.POSTED!dowe Xref: chonsp.franklin.ch alt.folklore.computers:53599 Donald Fisk wrote: >Escape Meta Alt Control Shift >Eats Megabytes And Constantly Swapping > Used to be Eight Megs And Constantly Swapping (guess eight megs isn't considered a lot of core anymore). I personally like EMACS Makes A Computer Slow. >Le Hibou (ma propre opinion) > >-- >"part of any serious QA is removing perl code the same >way you go over a dilapidated building you inherit to >remove chewing gum and duct tape and fix whatever was >kept together for real" -- Erik Naggum Great sig. I happen to use perl alot. Ofcourse you could probably find quite alot of ductape around my house to :-) -- dowe dowe@onemain.com --- I want to dress you up as TALLULAH BANKHEAD and cover you with VASELINE and WHEAT THINS ... ###### From: greenaum@BOLLOCKSyahoo.co.uk Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers Subject: Re: Backronyms (was Re: Proliferation of memes via Usenet) Organization: Rossum's Universal Robots Reply-To: greenaum@BOLLOCKSyahoo.co.uk Message-ID: <38f008c1.578878@news.freeuk.net> References: <38db7140.43194336@news.cadvision.com> X-Newsreader: Forte Agent 1.5/32.452 X-No-Archive: yes MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Lines: 14 Date: Mon, 03 Apr 2000 21:10:27 GMT NNTP-Posting-Host: 212.126.145.4 X-Complaints-To: abuse@freeuk.net X-Trace: nnrp3.clara.net 954796229 212.126.145.4 (Mon, 03 Apr 2000 22:10:29 BST) NNTP-Posting-Date: Mon, 03 Apr 2000 22:10:29 BST Path: chonsp.franklin.ch!pfaff.ethz.ch!news-zh.switch.ch!news-ge.switch.ch!newscore.univie.ac.at!194.25.134.126.MISMATCH!newsfeed01.sul.t-online.de!newsfeed00.sul.t-online.de!t-online.de!diablo.theplanet.net!newsfeed.icl.net!newspeer.clara.net!news.clara.net!nnrp3.clara.net.POSTED!not-for-mail Xref: chonsp.franklin.ch alt.folklore.computers:53631 Check out C.Y.B.O.R.G at www.brunching.com , it does exactly this to create acronyms for 1980s-esque cybernetic killing machines, for any word you want to type in. It's hilarious, and really good. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ "Shyness is nice, and shyness can stop you from doing all the things in life you'd like to" - - - - - - - - greenaum@yahoo.co.uk Call me morbid, call me pale - http://www.sam-x.freeuk.com/chest1.jpg ###### From: pete@fenelon.com (Pete Fenelon) Subject: Re: Backronyms (was Re: Proliferation of memes via Usenet) Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers References: <38db7140.43194336@news.cadvision.com> <49a800d436a__fake__address@127.0.0.1> <38e63058.28674018@news.compuserve.com> <38E5F6E5.4337DD6A@trailing-edge.com> <38E87664.31FCC839@inthan.be> User-Agent: tin/pre-1.4-19990216 ("Styrofoam") (UNIX) (Linux/2.2.13 (i586)) Date: Mon, 3 Apr 2000 23:47:37 +0100 Message-ID: <927bc8.301.ln@fenelon.com> Lines: 26 NNTP-Posting-Host: man-021.dialup.zetnet.co.uk X-Trace: news.zetnet.co.uk 954803084 567 news@194.247.41.26 Path: chonsp.franklin.ch!pfaff.ethz.ch!news-zh.switch.ch!newsfeed-zh.ip-plus.net!news.ip-plus.net!News.Amsterdam.UnisourceCS!skynet.be!diablo.theplanet.net!ayres.ftech.net!news.ftech.net!peer.news.zetnet.net!master.news.zetnet.net!not-for-mail Xref: chonsp.franklin.ch alt.folklore.computers:53600 Dowe Keller wrote: >>"part of any serious QA is removing perl code the same >>way you go over a dilapidated building you inherit to >>remove chewing gum and duct tape and fix whatever was >>kept together for real" -- Erik Naggum > Great sig. I happen to use perl alot. Ofcourse you could probably > find quite alot of ductape around my house to :-) In a previous job I was asked to do a security/reliability audit of some third party code running on a web site. 8000-odd lines of Perl that had been bodged together over a period of months. I rejected it out of hand -- potential buffer overflows, path exploits and all manner of nasties all over the place. Compltely undocumented, of course, with no "design" anywhere, because Perl's just a scripting language and it's easy, right? (Least likely book titles, #103: "Software Engineering In Perl"). We tendered for and got the contract to replace it -- 2000 lines of reliable, robust C, written in a week. Far too much duct tape in there. Felt marvellous saying "I'm not letting that near any server we manage". pete -- pete@fenelon.com "there's no room for enigmas in built-up areas." ###### From: Alexandre Pechtchanski Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers Subject: Re: Backronyms (was Re: Proliferation of memes via Usenet) Organization: Rockefeller University Hospital (GCRC), New York Message-ID: References: <38db7140.43194336@news.cadvision.com> <49a800d436a__fake__address@127.0.0.1> <38e63058.28674018@news.compuserve.com> <38E5F6E5.4337DD6A@trailing-edge.com> <38E87664.31FCC839@inthan.be> <927bc8.301.ln@fenelon.com> X-Newsreader: Forte Agent 1.7/32.534 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Lines: 32 Date: Tue, 04 Apr 2000 11:56:37 -0400 NNTP-Posting-Host: 129.85.24.56 X-Trace: rockyd.rockefeller.edu 954863911 129.85.24.56 (Tue, 04 Apr 2000 11:58:31 EDT) NNTP-Posting-Date: Tue, 04 Apr 2000 11:58:31 EDT Path: chonsp.franklin.ch!pfaff.ethz.ch!news-zh.switch.ch!news-ge.switch.ch!news.maxwell.syr.edu!newsfeed.nyu.edu!rockyd.rockefeller.edu!not-for-mail Xref: chonsp.franklin.ch alt.folklore.computers:53598 On Mon, 3 Apr 2000 23:47:37 +0100, pete@fenelon.com (Pete Fenelon) wrote: >Dowe Keller wrote: >>>"part of any serious QA is removing perl code the same >>>way you go over a dilapidated building you inherit to >>>remove chewing gum and duct tape and fix whatever was >>>kept together for real" -- Erik Naggum > >> Great sig. I happen to use perl alot. Ofcourse you could probably >> find quite alot of ductape around my house to :-) > >In a previous job I was asked to do a security/reliability audit of some >third party code running on a web site. 8000-odd lines of Perl that had >been bodged together over a period of months. > >I rejected it out of hand -- potential buffer overflows, path exploits >and all manner of nasties all over the place. Compltely undocumented, >of course, with no "design" anywhere, because Perl's just a scripting >language and it's easy, right? (Least likely book titles, #103: "Software >Engineering In Perl"). > >We tendered for and got the contract to replace it -- 2000 lines of reliable, >robust C, written in a week. Far too much duct tape in there. Felt marvellous >saying "I'm not letting that near any server we manage". > >pete Don't bash the language - we all know that "real programmer can write FORTRAN in any language". [ When replying, remove *'s from address ] Alexandre Pechtchanski, Systems Manager, RUH, NY ###### From: michael.wojcik@merant.com (Michael Wojcik) Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers Subject: Re: Backronyms (was Re: Proliferation of memes via Usenet) Date: 4 Apr 2000 17:57:24 GMT Organization: MERANT Inc. Lines: 44 Message-ID: <8cdae4033n@news2.newsguy.com> References: <38db7140.43194336@news.cadvision.com> <49a800d436a__fake__address@127.0.0.1> <38e63058.28674018@news.compuserve.com> Reply-To: michael.wojcik@merant.com NNTP-Posting-Host: p-404.newsdawg.com X-Newsreader: xrn 9.00 Originator: mww@lorelei-n Path: chonsp.franklin.ch!pfaff.ethz.ch!news-zh.switch.ch!news-ge.switch.ch!feed2.news.luth.se!luth.se!feed2.onemain.com!feed1.onemain.com!newsswitch.lcs.mit.edu!newsfeed.enteract.com!feed.newsfeeds.com!newsfeeds.com!cyclone.pbi.net!165.113.238.17!pln-w!spln!extra.newsguy.com!newsp.newsguy.com!mww Xref: chonsp.franklin.ch alt.folklore.computers:53687 In article <38e63058.28674018@news.compuserve.com>, Dav_and_Frances_Vandenbroucke@compuserve.com (Dav Vandenbroucke) writes: > This is another interesting development in computerland. There are so > many abbreviations and acronyms (not that most of them know the > difference between those words) that there are acronyms in which some > of the letters stand for other acronyms. Computer types recognize that acronyms are graphs. Usually they're minimal-length tries, with a symbol internal node linked directly to a word external node, but of course they can be deeper. They can even include cycles (eg. "GNU"). > Why is "acronym" so easy to misspell? I get it wrong almost every > time. Are you actually misspelling it, or mistyping it? It's easy to mistype if you use the standard QWERTY touch-typing: a little finger, left hand, home row c middle finger, left hand, bottom row r index finger, left hand, top row o ring finger, right hand, top row n index finger, right hand, bottom row y index finger, right hand, top row m index finger, right hand, bottom row There's a hand-switching race between r and o (swapping r and o because the right hand hit before the left did), three index finger keystrokes alternating bottom and top row at the end (easy to mix up), and generally a lot of moving around. And since n and m are adjacent, it's easy to hit m by mistake for n (while anticipating the final m). If you *are* misspelling it, well, I don't know what the problem is. -- Michael Wojcik michael.wojcik@merant.com AAI Development, MERANT (block capitals are a company mandate) Department of English, Miami University When [Columbus] landed on America it was more like an evasion than a discovery. -- Matt Walsh ###### From: Philippe Nave Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers Subject: Re: Backronyms (was Re: Proliferation of memes via Usenet) Date: Tue, 04 Apr 2000 15:05:46 -0600 Organization: Lucent Technologies Lines: 29 Message-ID: <38EA592A.C7AAD910@lucent.com> References: <38db7140.43194336@news.cadvision.com> NNTP-Posting-Host: cof110nave.dr.lucent.com Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Mailer: Mozilla 4.61 [en] (WinNT; U) X-Accept-Language: en Path: chonsp.franklin.ch!pfaff.ethz.ch!news-zh.switch.ch!news-ge.switch.ch!news.maxwell.syr.edu!wn4feed!worldnet.att.net!207.24.196.41!nntphub.cb.lucent.com!news Xref: chonsp.franklin.ch alt.folklore.computers:53679 > On Mon, 27 Mar 2000, Edward Rice wrote: > > I've been working on getting "backronym" popularized for a long time, and > have been seeing small but heartening results over the years. > > A backronym is, of course, a too-clever-by-at-least-half all-caps word that > /obviously/ was planned into documentation (or advertising) first, and only > afterward did someone sit down to figure out what the succession of letters > ought to stand for in order to produce the lovely result. I wrote the factory draw ticket system for the Denver Works AT&T plant in the early 90's and called it MARS (Materials Automated Request System). Why? Because I had a cute little Marvin Martian graphic I wanted to use - Marvin planting a flag with MARS written on it. Some time later, I wrote the executive information system for the factory. Its name? ARES (Automated Results Enterprise System). Only about three people in the whole programming group ever figured out that I was playing games with system names, with Mars and Ares being two of the names of the 'god of war.' Philippe -- ======================================================================= Philippe D. Nave, Jr.| 'Cry havoc, and let slip the dogs of war!' Denver, Colorado USA | How's my posting? 1-800-DEV-NULL pnave@lucent.com | Reality 2.0: Score counter, extra men, and hints ###### From: greg@apple2.com Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers Subject: Re: Backronyms (was Re: Proliferation of memes via Usenet) Message-ID: References: <38db7140.43194336@news.cadvision.com> <49a800d436a__fake__address@127.0.0.1> <38e63058.28674018@news.compuserve.com> <8cdae4033n@news2.newsguy.com> Organization: II Infinitum X-Newsreader: MT-NewsWatcher 2.4.4 X-Face: &@UA7$)=n9C7!qu%-5s},3tR@NEy+B>8PW"^,8?A>%."0{J2c1Yr]NKw';5/( J\r@/{UADjCdE~iRnOEOfbre(/1Y=$TS3Wt7B`a4sz,, michael.wojcik@merant.com wrote: > c middle finger, left hand, bottom row I never hit c that way. I know it is the preferred way that people are taught, but I prefer using the index finger for c. Generally for "zxc" and "m,.", I find it easier to curl the fingers toward the palm rather than slid another perpendicularly to the key and under another finger. -- -- --- -- -- -- ------------------------------------------------------------------ -- -- --- --- ###### From: korpela@islay.ssl.berkeley.edu (Eric J. Korpela) Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers Subject: Re: Backronyms (was Re: Proliferation of memes via Usenet) Date: 5 Apr 2000 01:30:24 GMT Organization: Cal Berkeley-- Space Sciences Lab Lines: 31 Message-ID: <8ce4vg$2et$1@agate.berkeley.edu> References: <38db7140.43194336@news.cadvision.com> NNTP-Posting-Host: islay.ssl.berkeley.edu X-Trace: agate.berkeley.edu 954898224 2525 128.32.98.192 (5 Apr 2000 01:30:24 GMT) X-Complaints-To: abuse@berkeley.edu NNTP-Posting-Date: 5 Apr 2000 01:30:24 GMT Path: chonsp.franklin.ch!pfaff.ethz.ch!news-zh.switch.ch!news-ge.switch.ch!isdnet!newscore.gigabell.net!nntp-relay.ihug.net!128.32.206.60.MISMATCH!ihug.co.nz!test-hog.berkeley.edu!agate.berkeley.edu!agate!islay.ssl.berkeley.edu!korpela Xref: chonsp.franklin.ch alt.folklore.computers:53697 On Mon, 27 Mar 2000, Edward Rice wrote: > I've been working on getting "backronym" popularized for a long time, and > have been seeing small but heartening results over the years. > > A backronym is, of course, a too-clever-by-at-least-half all-caps word that > /obviously/ was planned into documentation (or advertising) first, and only > afterward did someone sit down to figure out what the succession of letters > ought to stand for in order to produce the lovely result. And, of course, the best acronyms are usually backronyms. And the best ones are often unusable. The first project I worked on here was the Far-Ultraviolet Coronal Rocket. That didn't go over too well with some people at the funding agency, so we had to tone down the follow on mission from it's original "Mother of the Far Ultraviolet Coronal Rocket" to a subsequent "Parasitic Orbiting Nebular and Diffuse SpectroscopiC Ultraviolet Mission". Even that wasn't tame enough, so we had to make a peace offering of the acronym "Diffuse UltraViolet Experiment" (pronounced like the bird). About seven years ago someone asked my ideas about naming a program connecting schools to the internet. The obvious names I came up with were: WHIPS (Wiring Horny Internet Perverts to Schools) and, of course, CHAINS (Connecting Harmless Adolescents to Inmates, Nymphos, and Sociopaths). For some reason, neither of my ideas were used. Eric -- Eric Korpela | An object at rest can never be korpela@ssl.berkeley.edu | stopped. Click for home page. ###### From: greenaum@BOLLOCKSyahoo.co.uk Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers Subject: Re: Backronyms (was Re: Proliferation of memes via Usenet) Organization: Rossum's Universal Robots Reply-To: greenaum@BOLLOCKSyahoo.co.uk Message-ID: <38f93c5b.13240190@news.freeuk.net> References: <49a800d436a__fake__address@127.0.0.1> <38e63058.28674018@news.compuserve.com> <38E5F6E5.4337DD6A@trailing-edge.com> <38E87664.31FCC839@inthan.be> <5171.128T2416T7015433@sky.bus.com> X-Newsreader: Forte Agent 1.5/32.452 X-No-Archive: yes MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Lines: 22 Date: Wed, 05 Apr 2000 13:15:26 GMT NNTP-Posting-Host: 212.126.146.75 X-Complaints-To: abuse@freeuk.net X-Trace: nnrp4.clara.net 954940524 212.126.146.75 (Wed, 05 Apr 2000 14:15:24 BST) NNTP-Posting-Date: Wed, 05 Apr 2000 14:15:24 BST Path: chonsp.franklin.ch!pfaff.ethz.ch!news-zh.switch.ch!news-ge.switch.ch!newscore.univie.ac.at!194.25.134.126.MISMATCH!newsfeed01.sul.t-online.de!t-online.de!news.nikoma.de!news0.de.colt.net!colt.net!newspeer.clara.net!news.clara.net!nnrp4.clara.net.POSTED!not-for-mail Xref: chonsp.franklin.ch alt.folklore.computers:53691 On 03 Apr 00 11:41:48 -0800, "Charlie Gibbs" sprachen: >EMACS >MACRO >ACTED >CREDO >SODOM l like this one. What's the word for one of these? I know they used to make magic spells out of them. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ "Shyness is nice, and shyness can stop you from doing all the things in life you'd like to" - - - - - - - - greenaum@yahoo.co.uk Call me morbid, call me pale - http://www.sam-x.freeuk.com/chest1.jpg ###### From: dg@pearl.tao.co.uk (David Given) Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers Subject: Re: Backronyms (was Re: Proliferation of memes via Usenet) Date: Thu, 6 Apr 2000 12:02:06 +0100 Organization: I do not speak for anyone but myself, and barely that. Lines: 21 Message-ID: References: <49a800d436a__fake__address@127.0.0.1> <38e63058.28674018@news.compuserve.com> <38E5F6E5.4337DD6A@trailing-edge.com> <38E87664.31FCC839@inthan.be> <5171.128T2416T7015433@sky.bus.com> <38f93c5b.13240190@news.freeuk.net> NNTP-Posting-Host: 212.19.67.123 Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii X-Trace: 955035540 IIX5YQT0T437BD413C uk25.supernews.com X-Complaints-To: newsabuse@remarq.com X-Newsreader: knews 1.0b.1 Path: chonsp.franklin.ch!pfaff.ethz.ch!news-zh.switch.ch!news-ge.switch.ch!isdnet!logbridge.uoregon.edu!sn-xit-01!supernews.com!sn-inject-01!127.0.0.1!nobody Xref: chonsp.franklin.ch alt.folklore.computers:53741 In article <38f93c5b.13240190@news.freeuk.net>, greenaum@BOLLOCKSyahoo.co.uk writes: > On 03 Apr 00 11:41:48 -0800, "Charlie Gibbs" > sprachen: > >>EMACS >>MACRO >>ACTED >>CREDO >>SODOM > > l like this one. What's the word for one of these? I know they used to > make magic spells out of them. Acrostic. -- +- David Given ---------------McQ-+ "Gaping from its single obling socket was | Work: dg@tao-group.com | scintillating, many fauceted scarlet | Play: dgiven@iname.com | emerald..." --- Jim Theis, _The Eye of +- http://wired.st-and.ac.uk/~dg -+ Argon_ ###### Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers Subject: Re: Backronyms (was Re: Proliferation of memes via Usenet) References: <38db7140.43194336@news.cadvision.com> <49a800d436a__fake__address@127.0.0.1> <38e63058.28674018@news.compuserve.com> <8cdae4033n@news2.newsguy.com> From: merlyn@stonehenge.com (Randal L. Schwartz) Message-ID: Organization: Stonehenge Consulting Services; Portland, Oregon, USA Lines: 21 User-Agent: Gnus/5.0803 (Gnus v5.8.3) Emacs/20.3 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Date: 16 Apr 2000 13:04:38 -0700 NNTP-Posting-Host: 192.108.254.12 X-Complaints-To: abuse@onemain.com X-Trace: nntp3.onemain.com 955915403 192.108.254.12 (Sun, 16 Apr 2000 16:03:23 EDT) NNTP-Posting-Date: Sun, 16 Apr 2000 16:03:23 EDT Path: chonsp.franklin.ch!pfaff.ethz.ch!news-zh.switch.ch!news-ge.switch.ch!newsfeeds.belnet.be!news.belnet.be!skynet.be!europa.netcrusader.net!63.208.208.143!feed2.onemain.com!feed1.onemain.com!nntp3.onemain.com.POSTED!not-for-mail Xref: chonsp.franklin.ch alt.folklore.computers:54311 >>>>> "greg" == greg writes: greg> In article <8cdae4033n@news2.newsguy.com>, greg> michael.wojcik@merant.com wrote: >> c middle finger, left hand, bottom row greg> I never hit c that way. I know it is the preferred way that people are greg> taught, but I prefer using the index finger for c. Generally for "zxc" greg> and "m,.", I find it easier to curl the fingers toward the palm rather greg> than slid another perpendicularly to the key and under another finger. You know, I can't tell where any finger is that hits anything. I'm amazed you can tell... But I just experimented and I *too* hit the "c" with my left index finger. Durn. -- Randal L. Schwartz - Stonehenge Consulting Services, Inc. - +1 503 777 0095 Perl/Unix/security consulting, Technical writing, Comedy, etc. etc. See PerlTraining.Stonehenge.com for onsite and open-enrollment Perl training! ###### From: prs@gol.com (Jacqui or (maybe) Pete) Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers Subject: Re: Backronyms (was Re: Proliferation of memes via Usenet) Message-ID: <38fdfe2c.22590894@nnrp.gol.com> References: <38db7140.43194336@news.cadvision.com> <49a800d436a__fake__address@127.0.0.1> <38e63058.28674018@news.compuserve.com> <8cdae4033n@news2.newsguy.com> X-Newsreader: Forte Agent 1.5/32.451 MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Lines: 23 Date: Mon, 17 Apr 2000 12:09:55 GMT NNTP-Posting-Host: 203.216.43.204 X-Complaints-To: abuse@gol.com X-Trace: nnrp.gol.com 955973395 203.216.43.204 (Mon, 17 Apr 2000 21:09:55 JST) NNTP-Posting-Date: Mon, 17 Apr 2000 21:09:55 JST Organization: Global Online Japan Path: chonsp.franklin.ch!pfaff.ethz.ch!news-zh.switch.ch!news-ge.switch.ch!isdnet!sunqbc.risq.qc.ca!newsfeed.gol.com!203.216.70.8.MISMATCH!nnrp.gol.com.POSTED!not-for-mail Xref: chonsp.franklin.ch alt.folklore.computers:54271 On 16 Apr 2000 13:04:38 -0700, merlyn@stonehenge.com (Randal L. Schwartz) wrote: >>>>>> "greg" == greg writes: > >greg> In article <8cdae4033n@news2.newsguy.com>, >greg> michael.wojcik@merant.com wrote: > >>> c middle finger, left hand, bottom row > >greg> I never hit c that way. I know it is the preferred way that people are >greg> taught, but I prefer using the index finger for c. Generally for "zxc" >greg> and "m,.", I find it easier to curl the fingers toward the palm rather >greg> than slid another perpendicularly to the key and under another finger. > >You know, I can't tell where any finger is that hits anything. I'm >amazed you can tell... But I just experimented and I *too* hit the "c" >with my left index finger. Durn. My typing course was >20 years ago so I forget the rules but I can't believe you're supposed to you use your middle finger. I mean, it's *hard* to stay on the home keys and do that! Maybe easier on a stand up typewriter? That's what I was taught on so maybe that's the original way? Where's the Mave Binchey (sp?) site? ###### From: Stewart Stremler Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers Subject: Re: Backronyms (was Re: Proliferation of memes via Usenet) Date: 18 Apr 2000 05:04:30 GMT Organization: San Diego State University Lines: 19 Message-ID: <8dgqcu$h90$1@gondor.sdsu.edu> References: <38db7140.43194336@news.cadvision.com> <49a800d436a__fake__address@127.0.0.1> <38e63058.28674018@news.compuserve.com> <8cdae4033n@news2.newsguy.com> NNTP-Posting-Host: rohan.sdsu.edu X-Server-Date: 18 Apr 2000 05:04:30 GMT User-Agent: tin/1.4.2-20000123 ("Polish") (UNIX) (SunOS/5.7 (sun4u)) Path: chonsp.franklin.ch!pfaff.ethz.ch!news-zh.switch.ch!news-ge.switch.ch!enews.sgi.com!newsfeed.berkeley.edu!newshub.sdsu.edu!not-for-mail Xref: chonsp.franklin.ch alt.folklore.computers:54340 Randal L. Schwartz wrote: [snip] > You know, I can't tell where any finger is that hits anything. I'm > amazed you can tell... But I just experimented and I *too* hit the "c" > with my left index finger. Durn. Hm. I had to experiment as well... and I hit "c" with left middle finger. It's disturbing that I didn't *know*. Using the index finger [to type "c"] feels awkward; I end up hitting the space between "c" and "v". 'Course, some days all I *do* is type in the spaces. -- ---Stewart Stremler-------------------------------stremler@rohan.sdsu.edu--- Well, I think an award has to go to the people who chapioned 'rec.fucking' way back when. Without them, alt.sex.* might not have gotten started, and the internet would be half its current size. -- Peter Seebach (1999) ###### From: greg@apple2.com Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers Subject: Re: Backronyms (was Re: Proliferation of memes via Usenet) Organization: II Infinitum References: <38db7140.43194336@news.cadvision.com> <49a800d436a__fake__address@127.0.0.1> <38e63058.28674018@news.compuserve.com> <8cdae4033n@news2.newsguy.com> <8dgqcu$h90$1@gondor.sdsu.edu> User-Agent: MT-NewsWatcher/3.0 (PPC) X-Face: &@UA7$)=n9C7!qu%-5s},3tR@NEy+B>8PW"^,8?A>%."0{J2c1Yr]NKw';5/( J\r@/{UADjCdE~iRnOEOfbre(/1Y=$TS3Wt7B`a4sz, Lines: 31 NNTP-Posting-Date: Wed, 19 Apr 2000 11:02:12 CDT X-Trace: sv2-GH10UwCHiJ6lfMKtS29Qp3vUjZpz3fWruXzjxri7uVALCpMspodfJ7rR1vE3PkP21L3rRnYQwVjuR44!MjhsrMXStLl/sjvXwq2Hsq/E4A== X-Complaints-To: abuse@GigaNews.Com X-Abuse-Info: Please be sure to forward a copy of ALL headers X-Abuse-Info: Otherwise we will be unable to process your complaint properly Date: Wed, 19 Apr 2000 11:02:14 -0500 Path: chonsp.franklin.ch!pfaff.ethz.ch!news-zh.switch.ch!news-ge.switch.ch!news.maxwell.syr.edu!howland.erols.net!portc.blue.aol.com.MISMATCH!portc03.blue.aol.com!portc.blue.aol.com!nntp2.giganews.com!nntp3.giganews.com!news5.giganews.com.POSTED!greg Xref: chonsp.franklin.ch alt.folklore.computers:54417 In article <8dgqcu$h90$1@gondor.sdsu.edu>, Stewart Stremler wrote: >Randal L. Schwartz wrote: >> You know, I can't tell where any finger is that hits anything. I'm >> amazed you can tell... But I just experimented and I *too* hit the "c" >> with my left index finger. Durn. > Hm. I had to experiment as well... and I hit "c" with left middle finger. > It's disturbing that I didn't *know*. > > Using the index finger [to type "c"] feels awkward; I end up hitting the > space between "c" and "v". Ew. Your wrists must not be straight. In order for me to comfortably hit C with the left middle finger my left wrist forms a 120 degree angle on the outside, which just moves the discomfort from the finger to the wrist. I'd say you're risking carpal tunnel injury. Wait, is your keyboard straight or curved/split? Still, with that degree of split, it would be quite a reach to keep the left little finger on the A key. Still, they teach you to hit c with the left middle finger on straight keyboards. -- -- --- -- -- -- ------------------------------------------------------------------ -- -- --- --- ###### From: michael.wojcik@merant.com (Michael Wojcik) Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers Subject: Re: Backronyms (was Re: Proliferation of memes via Usenet) Date: 20 Apr 2000 20:59:08 GMT Organization: MERANT Inc. Lines: 40 Message-ID: <8dnr2s02n6k@news2.newsguy.com> References: <38db7140.43194336@news.cadvision.com> <49a800d436a__fake__address@127.0.0.1> <38e63058.28674018@news.compuserve.com> <8cdae4033n@news2.newsguy.com> <8dgqcu$h90$1@gondor.sdsu.edu> Reply-To: michael.wojcik@merant.com NNTP-Posting-Host: p-587.newsdawg.com X-Newsreader: xrn 9.00 Originator: mww@lorelei-n Path: chonsp.franklin.ch!pfaff.ethz.ch!news-zh.switch.ch!news-ge.switch.ch!enews.sgi.com!pln-w!spln!extra.newsguy.com!newsp.newsguy.com!mww Xref: chonsp.franklin.ch alt.folklore.computers:54509 In article , greg@apple2.com writes: > [snip discussion of what finger to touch-type 'c' with] > Ew. Your wrists must not be straight. In order for me to comfortably > hit C with the left middle finger my left wrist forms a 120 degree angle > on the outside, which just moves the discomfort from the finger to the > wrist. I'd say you're risking carpal tunnel injury. As the instigator of this subthread, I probably should reply. My wrists generally aren't perfectly straight; I learned to touch-type on a mechanical non-assisted typewriter, where the keys were a bit further apart in the horizontal plane and had much more vertical distance than any computer keyboard I've seen. Consequently, I tend to put my upper arms quite close to my body when typing, which forces my wrists to bend a bit. Not at a 120 degree angle, though. > Wait, is your keyboard straight or curved/split? Straight. I hate split keyboards. When my hands, wrists, or fingers start to hurt, I leave the keyboard and do some work on paper or read a book instead. Most of the programming and writing I do isn't a matter of hitting a lot of keys. > Still, they teach you to hit c with the left middle finger on straight > keyboards. If my hands are positioned well to hit c with my left index finger, b is a real reach. -- Michael Wojcik michael.wojcik@merant.com AAI Development, MERANT (block capitals are a company mandate) Department of English, Miami University Painful lark, labouring to rise! The solemn mallet says: In the grave's slot he lies. We rot. -- Basil Bunting ###### From: greg@apple2.com Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers Subject: Re: Backronyms (was Re: Proliferation of memes via Usenet) Organization: II Infinitum References: <38db7140.43194336@news.cadvision.com> <49a800d436a__fake__address@127.0.0.1> <38e63058.28674018@news.compuserve.com> <8cdae4033n@news2.newsguy.com> <8dgqcu$h90$1@gondor.sdsu.edu> <8dnr2s02n6k@news2.newsguy.com> User-Agent: MT-NewsWatcher/3.0 (PPC) X-Face: &@UA7$)=n9C7!qu%-5s},3tR@NEy+B>8PW"^,8?A>%."0{J2c1Yr]NKw';5/( J\r@/{UADjCdE~iRnOEOfbre(/1Y=$TS3Wt7B`a4sz, Lines: 16 NNTP-Posting-Date: Fri, 21 Apr 2000 01:58:02 CDT X-Trace: sv2-24SaVzONwl5nqmVFSNlRw11oAC5Hj7eGToh+CZmJY170xQWED1RdyFrGg1vIpKDkAmVq5nZsoMjPVee!D6NdfNmqGYDL/HKHkHSg/YKAWg== X-Complaints-To: abuse@GigaNews.Com X-Abuse-Info: Please be sure to forward a copy of ALL headers X-Abuse-Info: Otherwise we will be unable to process your complaint properly Date: Fri, 21 Apr 2000 01:58:04 -0500 Path: chonsp.franklin.ch!pfaff.ethz.ch!news-zh.switch.ch!news-ge.switch.ch!enews.sgi.com!news-peer.gip.net!news.gsl.net!gip.net!howland.erols.net!outgoing.news.rcn.net.MISMATCH!feed1.news.rcn.net!rcn!nntp.giganews.com!nntp3.giganews.com!news4.giganews.com.POSTED!greg Xref: chonsp.franklin.ch alt.folklore.computers:54524 In article <8dnr2s02n6k@news2.newsguy.com>, michael.wojcik@merant.com wrote: > If my hands are positioned well to hit c with my left index finger, > b is a real reach. B is always a real reach. And I hit b with whichever index finger is available at the moment. Similar with space bar and shift (though the thumb I use for the space bar varies according to the task--programming vs. prose). -- -- --- -- -- -- ------------------------------------------------------------------ -- -- --- --- ###### From: Geoff McCaughan Newsgroups: alt.folklore.computers Subject: Re: Backronyms (was Re: Proliferation of memes via Usenet) Date: 22 Jun 2000 21:48:01 -0800 Organization: CRL Network Services Lines: 7 Message-ID: <3952ec01@ihotnews.ihot.com> References: <38db7140.43194336@news.cadvision.com> <8c1idb$c6c$1@ctb-nnrp1.saix.net> <38e62ead.28247448@news.compuserve.com> NNTP-Posting-Host: news.ihot.com User-Agent: tin/pre-1.4-19990216 ("Styrofoam") (UNIX) (Linux/2.2.5-15 (i586)) X-Original-NNTP-Posting-Host: ihot-dyn146.ihot.com Path: chonsp.franklin.ch!pfaff.ethz.ch!news-zh.switch.ch!news-ge.switch.ch!news.maxwell.syr.edu!howland.erols.net!nntp1.crl.com!news3.crl.com!ihotnews.ihot.com!not-for-mail Xref: chonsp.franklin.ch alt.folklore.computers:58366 Dav Vandenbroucke wrote: > In the USA, we have Operation PUSH, a pressure group organized by > Jesse Jackson (not Helms!). It supposedly stands for People United to > Save Humanity. I suppose one could start a counter group called People Opposed to PUSH...