In message <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>, Robert Newson <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> writes >... > >> dos is perfectly legal, as in dos and don'ts. According to the Oxford >> Talking Dictionary Unix is a proprietary name, yet they spell it as I have >> done. Although I suppose whoever owns the name can spell it however they >> like, its not afaik an acronym, so by writing UNIX all youre doing is giving >> the owners free advertising. > >According to "The Design of the Unix(R) Operating System" (ISBN >0-13-201757-1), the name Unix was (is) a pun on the name "Multics". > >Multics was (developed as far as) a single user system (Multi- prefix >meaning "many"), and Unix is a many user system (Uni- prefix meaning "one", >or "single"). > >Incidently, those barbers and hairdressers that describe themselves as >"Unisex salons" ought really to be calling themselves "Omnisex salons" - >most salons are unisex, catering for one sex: male or female (Uni- =: one, >Omni- := all); though it probably originated as an abbreviation of >"Universal Salon".
Very erudite, Robert ... thanks for all the information. These 'fun' discussions throw up some unusual twists. Although it is probably true to say that there has always been a 'wicked' sense of humour in the computer world ... :-) I seem recall that the "C" language, for example, emerged as a new variant computer language, as it was not "A" or "B" - which already existed. So it became "C". -- Malcolm Cadman _______________________________________________ QL-Users Mailing List http://www.q-v-d.demon.co.uk/smsqe.htm
