Jeff writes: > For example, I have heard: > > /etc - "ett-see" as in "ett-see mott-dee" (/etc/motd) > chmod - "cha-mode" (sort of rhymes with "commode") These seem to be universal. I say ch-mod rather than ch-mode personally. > ! - "bang" This goes way back, and is certainly not specific to unix. Haven't any of you people read the Jargon File? If you have Windows, go get it from: http://www.denkart.com/jargon It's good for you. > 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"? The G is pronounced. Otherwise people could have trouble understanding exactly what you mean when you say "I used the new C compiler". > Another conversational quirk is "www". I just say 'Web" whenever possible. When reading URLs to people you are usually stuck with spelling out "http://www." all the time, but since they expect this, you can say it in a fast mutter pretty quickly and they will still know what you said. Gee.