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Newsgroups: comp.unix.shell,comp.os.linux.misc,comp.os.linux.x,alt.os.linux,comp.unix.bsd.misc,comp.unix.bsd.freebsd.misc,gnu.misc.discuss,comp.unix.solaris Path: euryale.cc.adfa.oz.au!newshost.carno.net.au!harbinger.cc.monash.edu.au!munnari.OZ.AU!spool.mu.edu!uwm.edu!vixen.cso.uiuc.edu!ais.net!ix.netcom.com!rsmith From: rsmith@netcom.com (Richard S. Smith) Subject: Re: unix acronyms -collecting a list? Message-ID: <rsmithEBoyHI.58I@netcom.com> Followup-To: comp.unix.shell,comp.os.linux.misc,comp.os.linux.x,alt.os.linux,comp.unix.bsd.misc,comp.unix.bsd.freebsd.misc,gnu.misc.discuss,comp.unix.solaris X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.2 PL2] References: <337C64F0.41C6@cs.ucc.ie> <5lsbv4$id8@bmtlh10.bnr.ca> <5noncj$2lb$1@despair.u-net.com> Date: Fri, 13 Jun 1997 01:51:18 GMT Lines: 39 Sender: rsmith@netcom10.netcom.com Xref: euryale.cc.adfa.oz.au comp.unix.shell:46020 comp.os.linux.misc:180136 comp.os.linux.x:64167 alt.os.linux:22172 comp.unix.bsd.misc:3556 comp.unix.bsd.freebsd.misc:42813 gnu.misc.discuss:31761 comp.unix.solaris:109411 Kevin Mulholland (kevin@dvstsol.demon.co.uk) wrote: : Just so we can put this part of the thread to rest [ Quote from Jargon File ] Sorry but that doesn't put it to rest. I've been a fan of the Jargon File for years and have even contributed a few entries. I've sent email to Eric Raymond suggesting that the definition of TLA be modified to mention the difference between an acronym and an abbreviation and also note that most hackers are at least mildly aware of this distinction but choose to ignore it in typical hackish fashion. It's sort of like the way hackers use the word "baud" to mean "bits per second" even when they know that if someone cornered them on it they'd have to fess up and admit that that's not the precise definition of the term. The jargon file definition of "baud" mentions this. Long story short, Eric never got back to me. Maybe he's sticking to the belief that it's OK to refer to unpronounceable three-letter-abbreviations as acronyms. But then again maybe he just didn't feel like wading into the issue. Now that I think about it, I actually had a friend in college who would pronounce every three-letter-abbreviation as if it were a word. To him, IBM was "ib-bum" and a BBS was a "bu-bus". Of course we all thought he was a loser for doing this, but at least he was being intellectually consitent. One more thing... In Scrabble you can use an acronym (like laser or NASA) because acronyms are words. But you can't use abbreviations just like you can't use proper nouns. Actually I guess you can't use NASA. =:-o -- +--------------------------------------------------------------------+ | Richard S. Smith / rsmith@netcom.com / http://www.captech.com/~rss | | Progress(tm) 4gl v[678] Developer/DBA / Los Gatos, California, USA | | The PROGRESS FAQ --> http://www.captech.com/~rss/progress-faq.html | +--------------------------------------------------------------------+