2/23 Does anyone else think it's lame that the abbreviation for linux
distribution is "distro"? Do linux geeks think it's spelled
distr*O*bution, or something?
\_ This is a fairly common way to make abbreviations in English --
it follows the same pattern as "ammo", "lotto", "afro", "aggro",
etc. --mconst
\_ mconst, how are you modifying motd?
\_ I usually write the text in a seperate editor window, and
then cut-and-paste it in -- that way I can write slowly
without keeping the motd locked for a long time. --mconst
\_ ah ok thanks. I was wondering how you typed so fast.
\_ 'distri' does not roll off the tongue as well, and 'dist' is
ambiguous and would be shortened to 'dis', which is even more
confusing. Do 'facs' machines annoy you too?
\_ I bet you get really up in arms about ATM machine and VIN number
don't you?
\_ "Vehicle Identification Number number" doesn't make sense.
\_ That's his point. "Automated Teller Machine machine"
\_ Some people like to say "NIC card" too.
\_ Exactly. Common (and accepted) acronymn usage in English is
to use the word for the last letter of the acronymn after the
acronymn. English usage rules often exist because it's easier
to say or it sounds better than the alternative. Learn to
live with it.
\_ Meh. I think it has more to do with the way english is
parsed -- adjectives precede nouns (ie TUNA fish is the
same phenomenon as NIC card). The acronym is treated as
as adjective modifying the type of the object. If the
acronym was Card for Interfacing the Network, then I'd
bet it would be 'CIN card' rather than 'CIN network' as
your explanation would seem to suggest, since it's a type
of card rather than a type of network. The fact that
the general type of the object is included with the
adjectival acronym is ignored by the layman.
adjectival acronym (and is in fact typically a noun) is
ignored by the layman.
\_ What are you talking about? TUNA is not an acronym.
\_ No, but it's a noun with a presumed type (fish) that
is often redundantly prepended to its superclass.
"TUNA fish is the same phenomenon" -- I didn't say it
was an acronym, but it's an example of the NIC card
construct. |
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