On Thu, 1 Feb 1996, Jeff Kell wrote:
 
> For example, I have heard:
>
>    /etc - "ett-see" as in "ett-see mott-dee" (/etc/motd)
>    chmod - "cha-mode" (sort of rhymes with "commode")
>    ! - "bang"
 
  Hey, we UNIX folk have various pronunciations for our commands. :)
 
> Seems they have a phonetic "code" for otherwise gibberish phrases.  I wonder
> now many others there are?  Like "gnu".  Is this pronounced "nue/new" like
> the animal, or is it "ga-NEW"?
 
  Hey, but can MPE say, "tcsh" or "bash" (ie.  Command line completion?
Command line history and editing?)  That would be nice.  In fact, I
believe it takes $15,000 to say "GCC" ? :)
 
> Another conversational quirk is "www".  Talk about the web, and you have to
> say "double-you double-you double-you" countless times.  For me, that runs
> right up there with "rubber baby buggy bumpers" as tongue-twisters go.  If
> any gibberish acronym ever needed a phonetic "handle", this one does!
 
  Of course, I've heard the classical "MPE _V_" or "MPE _5_" arguement
before... which do you say to prevent people from confusing you with "MPE
iX/5.0" ?  Although I will give it to HP to start UNIX-ising their OS
names... MPE _System_ V and MPE System iX; of course, now when I tell
people I run MPE System V they think MPE is some sort of AT&T UNIX System
V derivative! :)  Sigh, we can't win.
 
Daniel Kosack  -- Linux Man --
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  --Nothing is ever impossible.  Imagination and improvisation are the key.