From - Fri Jan 31 17:11:47 1997 Path: news.unizar.es!news.rediris.es!news.belnet.be!news.glo.be!news.sprintlink.net!news-dc-10.sprintlink.net!news-pull.sprintlink.net!news.sprintlink.net!news-peer.sprintlink.net!howland.erols.net!EU.net!uknet!usenet1.news.uk.psi.net!uknet!dispatch.news.demon.net!demon!mail2news.demon.co.uk!i-m-t.demon.co.uk!i-m-t From: ppint@lspace.orgy Newsgroups: alt.fan.pratchett,alt.fan.pratchett.bofh Subject: *M* Acronymphomania ! Followup-To: poster Date: Sat, 25 Jan 97 11:31:31 GMT Organization: interstellar master traders, lancaster (u.k.) Lines: 182 Message-ID: <854191891snz@i-m-t.demon.co.uk> References: <853455407snz@i-m-t.demon.co.uk> Reply-To: ppint@lspace.orgy X-Mail2News-User: ppint@i-m-t.demon.co.uk X-Mail2News-Path: i-m-t.demon.co.uk X-Newsreader: Demon Internet Simple News v1.30 Xref: news.unizar.es alt.fan.pratchett:54763 alt.fan.pratchett.bofh:9 take 6, slightly revised - again, Followup To: set to: poster (me) - (n.b. please remove the final letter of this, before e-mailing me); - remove this line from the header, to post to AFP (q.v.)- but in either case, *please* don't repost the entire protofaq - i already have it, and i believe there's a copy already on AFP (q.v.)... constructive suggestions, additions, alterations, and alliterations, etc. are always welcome... -------!-------!-------!-------!-------!-------!-------!------!------!------- Acronymphomania ! The Totally Unofficial and Incomplete AfpGuide to Acronyms and other Abbreviations in Common Use upon AFP n.b. this guide has quite specifically *not* received the imprimatur of the CABAL (q.v.) which, equally specifically, *does*not*exist* ABP alt.books.pratchett - a strictly serious newsgroup devoted to the rigorous analysis of the works of a lesser-known humourist A.D. anno domini; a dating system based on a mistaken interpretation of the information given in the new testament of the bible regarding the date of birth of one particular palestinian. best estimate of the numerical error in assigning the "nazarene"'s date of birth would put it in 6 B.C.(q.v.), sfaiaa (q.v.), and in approximately march of that year, too... AFAIK as far as i know [cf. SFAIK (q.v.) & SFAIAA (q.v.)] AFK absent from keyboard AFP alt.fan.pratchett - a generally harmonious anarchy AFPA alt.fan.pratchett.announce - a rigidly controlled dictatorship (hi, mike !) AFPB either AFPBOFH (q.v.) or a mistaken abbreviation (for ABP (q.v.)): because of the possibility of confusion, probably better not used (though The Bellinghman differs with me upon this...) AFPBOFH alt.fan.pratchett.bofh (see BOFH) A.S.R. alt.sex.reptiles (see LART) ATM at the moment; automatic teller machine (bank "hole in the wall"); asynchronous transfer mode BBFN 'bye-'bye for now [cf. BFN, GBFN, TTFN (q.v.)] B.C. "before christ" [cf. B.C.E., A.D., C.E. (q.v.)] B.C.E. a system for dating years prior to the first year C.E./A.D. counting is retrograde, by the number of years by which a given year preceded the start of the C.E.(q.v.)/A.D.(q.v.) calendar. see also, immediately above this entry. ba*d bastard (coined: colm@lspace.org - not a member of the CABAL (q.v.)) BFN 'bye for now [cf. BBFN, GBFN, TTFN (q.v.)] BOFH bastard operator from hell: sys(tem)admin(istrator) - or, "the tech who knows how these ******* things work" (see LART) BSL big scary looming (BSL Simes, originally)(coined by whom - joann ?) BTSOOM beats the shit out of me [also ..F.. - fuck*; ..H.. - hell; etc.] BTW by the way CABAL a covert association of conspirators, frequently one attempting to wrest control of an organisation; or, actually having succeeded in taking control, that chooses to keep its existence - and the extent of its powers - hidden from all but its own members. the acronym was formed from the initial letters of the first group of plotters to be so identified, and is therefore in origin an acroeponym. n.b. there is *no* CABAL (q.v.) controlling AFP (q.v.). C.E. common era: indicates dating system used. numerically identical to the A.D. system, this makes no presumption about the faith(s) of the readers, or the historical accuracy (or otherwise) of such faiths. regarded by some as more polite, derided by others as PC (q.v.). C|N>K coffee (through the) nose (onto the) keyboard [extended to:] C|N>M ditto, but all over the monitor [etc... with "S", onto "screen"] CORFLU correcting fluid ("snopake" - "idiot ink" - "whiteout" - was once pink, inflammable and "sniffable", way back in the dim and distant age of _The Enchanted Duplicator_); magical potion of great strength and most efficacious, though strictly NBM (q.v.) (from fandom) DMWC (the) dear madwoman carol (_the_) [and variations extemporised herefrom] e.g. exempli gratia etc. et cetera ETLA extended three-letter acronym [because FLA isn't] [and DETLA, etc.] FAQ frequently asked questions - and files listing these, with answers, periodically posted to AFP (q.v.) and available via FTP (q.v.) from ftp.lspace.org (in the netherlands), ftp-au.lspace.org, ftp-uk. lspace.org (was also nl), and ftp-us.lspace.org [see also RTFFAQ] FETLA further-extended three-letter acronym. after ETLA (q.v.). [etc....] FLA four-letter acronym; but it isn't one [see ETLA/DETLA] FTP file transfer protocol: to get files from a distant online computer; if you do not yet know how to achieve this, RTFM (q.v.); if you have none, ask your ISP (q.v.) or the nearest friendly BOFH (q.v.); if they cannot, or will not help, ask one who has the same ISP as you. if you still have no joy, ask on AFP (q.v.) - but be prepared to be a) swamped with offers of instruction - and helpful advice - or b) totally ignored (at random). (- n.b. i said "at"; not "by" .) FUBAR fucked up beyond all recognition* FUD fear, uncertainty, and dismay [or doubt, or disinformation] FWIW for what it's worth ("stop, hey, what's that sound...") FX (sound) effects - originally a stage direction - now frequently given as , or : GBFN good-bye for now [cf. BBFN, BFN, TTFN (q.v.)] HAND "have a nice day" - meaningless phrase parrotted incessantly and completely insincerely by many, esp. merkins; the sentiments of the phrase may be truly and honestly meant - by a few - who would not so abbreviate it... (cf. WYMM (q.v.)) HTH hope this helps (! _not_ to be confused with WTH (q.v.)...) i.e. id est ICURYY4ME see YYUR, YYUB IIRC if i recall correctly IMAO in my arrogant opinion (coined by pete/quantum) IMHO in my humble opinion IMNSHO in my not so humble opinion IME in my experience IMO in my opinion IOW in other words [or, in other worlds...] IRL in real life [see RL] ISP internet service provider - the company, institution, group, or individual that is responsible for letting you loose on AFP (q.v.) ISTR i seem to recall [or, rembember] IYWBSG(AT) if you would be so good (as to...) [similarly IYWBSK ....kind] LART this information is classified: see your nearest BOFH (q.v.) for further instruction. (n.b. no responsibility is or can be accepted by the compiler for aught that may subsequently transpire...see ASR) LOL laughing out loud MERKIN not an abbreviation: it is a word in the english language n.b. nota bene OTOH on the other hand OTTH on the third hand [etc....] PC personal computer; personal computer based on the standards used by I.B.M. inc. for their personal computer. also: politically correct - i.e. following or applying a standard/standards of moral behaviour to actions. in this latter sense, also misused and derided by the senseless to left and right of the political spectrum, and by idiots in general: consider the proposals or arguments, and their source. q.e.d. quod erat demonstrandum q.v. quod videt RL real life - a semi-mythical state of existence ROTFL rolling on the floor laughing ROTFLKAS rolling on the floor laughing, kicking and screaming [etc....] RSN real soon now (from fandom - means "sometime, honestly !") RTFFAQ read the fucking FAQ (q.v.)* RTFI read the fucking instructions* RTFM read the fucking manual* SFAIAA so far as i am aware [cf. AFAIK, SFAIK (q.v.)] SFAIK so far as i know [ditto] SNAFU situation normal; all fucked up* [also as a noun; a snag or error] TAP terracotta anechoic priapichteroid TLA three-letter acronym or abbreviation [which it is] TRSZ the red salamander zaruga TTFN ta-taa for now [cf. BBFN, BFN, GBFN (q.v.)] WTF what the fuck* WTH what the hell...? WYMM will you marry me ? (the afpuse of the abbreviation may be taken as a reliable guide as to the sincerity of, and the depth of, the feelings involved upon the part of the purported supplicant...) YHBT you have been trolled (a practice not greatly encouraged upon AFP); YMMV your mileage may vary (merkinism) = your opinion may differ: derived from the "so you can't sue us clause" in car advertisements quoting a mileage figure for fuel consumption, so also may be used to mean that your _experimental_results_ may differ... YHN your humble narrator YYUR,YYUB "... ICURYY4ME" * - abbreviations now most oftenly used without any necessary implication or meaning of great force, or desire to offend... the coy may wish to imagine polite alternatives to parts of the verb, to "fuck": the polite may choose to avoid these expressions - and their abbreviations - completely... - that's all i've been able to think of, or have noticed on AFP (q.v.), or have been advised of & see to be of afprelevance, since agreeing the need for, and offering to compile, this list. many thanks to everyone else on AFP (q.v.) who's helped, or may yet help in the future. - not much added since the posting of 12/12/96 (12/12/96 for merkins): does anyone think it's fit to afpfaqautomate - and can any kind afper explain to me how to do this (pc; novell dos 7/demon's dis216d suite) ? - love, ppint. 25/1/97 (1/25/97 for merkins) -- "Never Play Leap-Frog with a Unicorn" - andrew bell, the bookworm, morecambe, c.1974> (24/10/96 for the rest of us) "never trust a man with shaved buttocks" - jim darby, 2/9/96 (9/2/96 for merkins)()