*BSD News Article 82807


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From: ab915@torfree.net (William J. Hayes)
Subject: Re: On the Naming of UNIX Things
Message-ID: <E0tAts.BAr.0.queen@torfree.net>
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Date: Wed, 13 Nov 1996 13:58:40 GMT
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Mark Whetzel (markw@zeus.wg.waii.com) wrote:
: I was having a discussion with some of my co-workers on WHY things
: are named as they are in UNIX.  Anybody have some of the
: tales behind the odd things that bound in unix history?

: One question we had of some students we are training:

:    Why are system processes called 'daemons'?

After the traditional meaning, "A diabolic creature, of minimal 
intelligence, bound to ones will, to perform boring or repetitive 
chores". 

: Some of the others I have heard about: the naming of 'biff', grep, yacc.

biff:
	The name of the dog which belonged to the programmer at UC 
Berkeley who wrote the program. Dog would bark whenever the mailman 
showed up.

grep:
	"Generic Regular Expression Printer"

yacc:
	"Yet Another Compiler Compiler"

: E-mail preferred, as I can then post a summary of the BEST of this quest.

These are easy, with definitive answers.

: References to printed material and other net resources appreciated.

Find "The Jargon File"

: -- 
: Mark Whetzel     My comments are my own, not my company's.
: Western Geophysical - A division of Western Atlas International Inc.,
: A Subsidiary of Western Atlas Inc.  DOMAIN addr: mark.whetzel@waii.com
: VOICE: (713) 963-2544		   FAX: (713) 963-2758