so i thought that a list of terms might be very useful to newcomers. this list will not be exhaustive by any means, so feel free to add to it as necessary.
note: many of the terms that i will define come from the Ars Technica boards.
411 - information on something, derived from 411 being a general information telephone number you can call in the US much like 911 is a general emergency phone number
ad hom - ad hominem attack in a discussion; against the posting guidelines but the mod is the final arbitrator on whether or not a post crosses this threshold
AIM - AOL Instant Messenger
Avatar - the picture that is displayed to the left of your message. the option for changing this is at the bottom of your Profile menu.
BBB - big bad@$$ buick; i drive this 71 electra 225 once in a while. 'ware the bow wave
BBTL - bump before the lock; how brad & i used to tweak the mods noses whilst over at ars technica. ah, good times, good times
BTW - by the way
C/P - cut and paste
CMB - Community Message Board {Forum Index Grouping}
DA - devil's advocate/district attorney;one defends slime the other puts them away
DB - Database; the IBDoF has one
DC - distributed computing; a bio/science/math program which uses the internet and participating PC's to assemble a virtual supercomputer to attack such problems as finding prime numbers, curing SARS, developing an antidote to anthrax, folding proteins or searching for LGM's
DCA - Distributed Computing Arcana; a forum on the Ars Technica boards devoted to Distributed Computing
DOD - dildo of death; used to greet post whores who have crossed the 4-digit posting barrier, much as sea-men are initiated after crossing the equator for the first time
DotD - defender of the database; an ephemeral title once granted to me, since rescinded through no fault of my own (edit: ooooh, it's back, it's back! look quick before it disappears again)
Flame Suit - metaphorically donned by someone who is about to post a subject or opinion which he knows will be controversial
Flame War - heated online catfight, often involving ad hominem arguments and unsuitable language. such a thread is prime IBTL and PC++ territory
FUBAR - f'd up beyond all repair (1 step up from TARFU)
Haxor - computer hacker or, more often, a teenager who plays computer games
HC - hard cover
IBDoF - Acronym for the Internet Book Database of Fiction; why isn't it called the IDBoF? i dunno, try calling 1-800-GET-A-CLU
IBTL - in before the lock; posted in response to a thread which is either clearly off topic, ad hominem or totally without merit and which will be locked as soon as a mod shows up. often seen in conjunction with PC++
IIRC - if i remember correctly; consider yourself warned about my alzheimer's
IM - instant message/ing;real time message system such as YIM, AIM or WM
IME - in my experience
IMHO - in my humble opinion
IMNSHO - in my not so humble opinion
IMO - in my opinion
IP - intellectual property; something that is subject to copyright/trade mark/registration law: also internet protocol; used to configure your computer or talk on a local network/to the internet
IRC - internet relay chat; live chat channels sometimes hosted by a forum (not this one though)
IRC - i remember correctly; how dare you question me you little pipsqueak
leet - haxor speak for 'elite' or 'better than you'; usually used in reference to coding programs or playing computer games
LGM - little green men; extra-terrestrials or martians
Lock - the process of rendering it impossible to reply to a thread
LOL - laugh out loud
LOS - line of sight; lines of supply
L4 or L5 - the most stable lagrange orbit points. see this thread for descriptive picture. see posts below that for in depth discussion
Lurker - someone who peruses the board without ever adding content or participating in a conversation; shown as 'Guest' on the board stats
Mod - formal usage: moderator; forum referee, usually has broad authority to edit, delete or lock threads/posts/members (hint: it's usually a Bad Idea to insult or abuse a mod, especially in his home forum)
MOD - informal usage: Master Of Digression, a forum poster reknowned for his ability to fold, spindle or mutilate a thread so far from it's intended purpose that it's original subject is no longer decipherable.
MMP - mass market paperback; whenever possible, this will be the version linked by the IBDoF
MUE - mindless user error; OE
NDP - nom de plume; alternate or pen name when an author would prefer not to use their real name
NM - never mind
NMO - not my opinion
Noob - slang spelling of newbie; a newcomer or initiate - you if you actually need to read this FAQ
NPC - not politically correct: also non-player character when used in reference to video/computer games
OADF - Official Author Discussio Forum {Forum Index Grouping}
OE - operator error; what the computer help desk is always telling you
OT - off topic; a reply which takes the thread in a direction unrelated to the original post
OTOH - on the other hand
PC - politically correct
PC++ - post count plus; stylized as if in a programming language
PEBCAK - problem exists between chair and keyboard; also known as OE
PICNIC - problem in chair, not in computer; also known as OE (when is somebody gonna make fun of these help desk people?)
PIG - people in general; specific people are okay, i just can't stand PIGs
Post Whore - someone who posts at a profligate rate, often simply to raise their post total. also Brad_H
PM - personal/private mail; messages posted through the board that can only be seen by the individual recipient. both sender and receiver must be registered on the board
RAH - Robert A. Heinlein
RAYOR - read at your own risk; a spoiler warning
RL - real life; you know, that place without a computer or internet access
ROFL - rolling on floor laughing
RTFM - read the f'ing manual
RTM - read the manual
S/N - signal to noise ratio; please take all of your noise to the soapbox
SNAFU - situation normal, all f'd up
Stats Whore - someone who just likes watching numbers go up; you might be a stats whore if you're a baseball fan but if you play Progress Quest, Diablo II or participate in a DC program your soul is lost
SWAG - Scientific (or Stupid) Wild @ssed Guess
TANSTAAFL - there ain't no such thing as a free lunch
TARFU: Things Are Really F'd Up (1 step up from SNAFU)
TCWB - Time Consuming Work Bomb, most often an off-handed suggestion about improvements to the database that needs a HUGE amount of effort to accomplish, but is definately worth it.
TIA - thanks in advance
TP - trade paperback
UADF - Unofficial Author Discussio Forum {Forum Index Grouping}
WAG - wild @ssed guess
WM - windows messenger == the spawn of satan
WTF - what the f
WTH - what the heck / hell
WTK - what the krell; a DC variant of WTH using the name of an infamous cheater in place of the more usual subjects
W/O - without
YACA - yet another car analogy
YIM - Yahoo Instant Messenger
YGM - you've got mail, subject to a pending AOL lawsuit
YMMV - your mileage may vary
edited to add some new terms
[Mod note: edited to add still more terms. -- Brad, 2-Mar-2006]
and boy do we have a lot of picnics.
