Posted by JDS on 08/17/05 17:49

On Tue, 16 Aug 2005 21:03:21 +0000, Luigi Donatello Asero wrote:

> What does "quux" in this example stand for?


Jargon File (4.3.1, 29 Jun 2001) [jargon]


quux /kwuhks/ n. [Mythically, from the Latin semi-deponent verb quuxo,
quuxare, quuxandum iri; noun form variously `quux' (plural `quuces',
anglicized to `quuxes') and `quuxu' (genitive plural is `quuxuum', for
four u-letters out of seven in all, using up all the `u' letters in
Scrabble).] 1. Originally, a metasyntactic variable like foo and
foobar. Invented by Guy Steele for precisely this purpose when he was
young and naive and not yet interacting with the real computing
community. Many people invent such words; this one seems simply to have
been lucky enough to have spread a little. In an eloquent display of
poetic justice, it has returned to the originator in the form of a
nickname. 2. interj. See foo; however, denotes very little disgust,
and is uttered mostly for the sake of the sound of it. 3. Guy Steele in
his persona as `The Great Quux', which is somewhat infamous for light
verse and for the `Crunchly' cartoons. 4. In some circles, used as a
punning opposite of `crux'. "Ah, that's the quux of the matter!" implies
that the point is _not_ crucial (compare tip of the ice-cube). 5.
quuxy: adj. Of or pertaining to a quux.

--
JDS | jeffrey@example.invalid
| http://www.newtnotes.com
DJMBS | http://newtnotes.com/doctor-jeff-master-brainsurgeon/

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