short question

Josh Huber huber@alum.wpi.edu
Mon Mar 4 22:55:01 2002


Steve Butler <sbutler@fchn.com> writes:

> As for 'foo' and 'fubar', etc.  It's all based on well
> mis-understood mathematical functions.  It's like f(x) or f'(x) or
> f"(x).  Or, just think to yourself "It's a math thing".

Huh?

  foo
  
     <jargon> /foo/ A sample name for absolutely anything,
     especially programs and files (especially {scratch files}).
     First on the standard list of {metasyntactic variables} used
     in {syntax} examples.  See also {bar}, {baz}, {qux}, {quux},
     {corge}, {grault}, {garply}, {waldo}, {fred}, {plugh},
     {xyzzy}, {thud}.
  
     The etymology of "foo" is obscure.  When used in connection
     with "bar" it is generally traced to the WWII-era Army slang
     acronym {FUBAR}, later bowdlerised to {foobar}.


  FUBAR
          Fouled / Fucked Up Beyond All Recognition / Repair (slang, Usenet, IRC)

  FUBAR
  
     1. (WWII military slang) Fucked up beyond all
     recognition (or repair).


I'm not sure how you came up with mathematical functions out of
that... :)

ttyl,

-- 
Josh Huber