On Friday, September 30, 2016 10:46:16 AM Greg Wooledge wrote: > We are talking about right now. The name CUPS is clearly an acronym > that stands for Common Unix Printing System (or "UNIX" if you prefer). > Everyone who uses CUPS knows this. It's the dirty little secret that > Apple can no longer admit, because lawyers.
This is really a reply to Brian, but I'm quoting the above paragraph to respond. I'm talking about the past! It is often useful to know the origin of a term--among other things, it is sometimes more meaningful, as in this case. Common Unix Printing System was the (or close to the) original term. The fact that it got changed for any reason doesn't keep my mind from thinking of it as the Common Unix Printing System, although I'm usually happy with the acronym / abbreviation CUPS. (Aside: If I'm in court, and the judge threatens to cite me for contempt if I say Common Unix Printing System, I'm not sure what I'll do ;-) I'd like to think of one or more additional examples, but none immediately come--oh, how about radar, sonar, lidar, laser, MCC (for me, usually Motor Control Center, for CEGELEC, Mill Control Computer, and for others, other meanings depending on the context), ...in fact, it helps me to know (and think in terms of) the original words comprising any acronym or "natural word" derived from an acronym.