[plug] Acronyms and obscurity - was Re: [plug] wine, netscape

[russ]

This may help.

http://members.aol.com/nigthomas/alphabet.txt


Bret Busby wrote:
> 
> skribe wrote:
> >
> > At 13:41 29/09/00, Christian wrote:
> > >It's a very well-known acronym that's been in
> > >use on the Internet for many, many years
> >
> > It's been around at least since 1993.
> >
> 
> Obscure - not clearly expressed or easily understood.
>  - Concise Oxford Dictionary, 8th edition
> 
> Whilst these acronyms may have been around for a few years, it does not
> follow that everyone either understands, or remembers, what the letters
> respresent. The alternative, referring the unhealthy monster, is an
> example. Some have different meanings, some at least half a dozen
> different meanings.
> 
> Thus, to a person who does not remember what one represents (and, I
> remember about only two or three; IMO, IMHO, RTFM - not sure whether the
> first is valid, or is used), the acronym is obscure.
> 
> A phrase, that has been around for thousands of years (about 2050 years,
> from memory), and, which is widely used, and, no doubt, will have many
> results from search engines, is "audi alteram partem" - first usage
> acknowledged, is in Seneca's Medea. But, the only other person, apart
> from me, on this list, that I would regard as being likely to know what
> it means, without any research, is Jeremy Malcolm. It is a fairly
> commonly used phrase, possibly moreso than the acronym mentioned.
> However, I would not be inclined to use the phrase on this list, in that
> form, in normal messages, as I would regard it as too obscure. And, on a
> mailing list, the readers should be able to easily understand the terms
> used, without having to translate them.
> 
> The usage of acronyms, seldom directly relates directly to Linux, as
> does the phrase mentioned. The only acronyms, of which I can think, at
> present, that relate directly to Linux, are OS, and RH. No doubt, there
> will be more.
> 
> I believe that it is a matter of courtesy, to use language in a message,
> that makes it easy to read and understand, by a reader, but, obviously,
> others on the list disagree.
> 
> And, as I mentioned in a previous posting, the installfest may result in
> people reading these messages, who haven't got a clue, as to the meaning
> of the acronyms. Should they also be told as has been suggested, to get
> lost?
> 
> Does that then mean that the mailing list is solely for the benefit of a
> noisy few?
> 
> These are things for people to consider, if they have open minds.
> 
> --
> 
> Bret Busby
> 
> ......................................
> "So once you do know what the question actually is, you'll know what the
> answer means."
>  - Deep Thought, Chapter 28 of The Hichhiker's Guide to the Galaxy
>  - Douglas Adams, 1988
> ......................................