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From: dtrg@st-andrews.ac.uk (David Thomas Richard Given)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.misc,comp.unix.bsd.misc,alt.folklore.computers
Subject: Re: On the Naming of UNIX Things
Date: 21 Nov 1996 13:54:54 GMT
Organization: University Of St. Andrews, Fife, UK.
Lines: 34
Message-ID: <571mve$ov8@calvin.st-and.ac.uk>
References: <55vhpf$q3o@mail1.wg.waii.com> <steve.847913388@fastnet.prd.co.uk> <328bb47a.2221749@news.msn.fullfeed.com> <56n415$5k6@news.ece.nwu.edu>
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Xref: euryale.cc.adfa.oz.au comp.unix.misc:26593 comp.unix.bsd.misc:1581 alt.folklore.computers:125003
In article <56n415$5k6@news.ece.nwu.edu>,
Robert Bonomi <bonomi@eecs.nwu.edu> wrote:
>In article <328bb47a.2221749@news.msn.fullfeed.com>,
>Jay.Jaeger@msn.fullfeed.com says...
>cording to whom? The dictionary I ahve lists the pronunciation as
>>dEmen (long E). However, I know lots of would be Unix hacks who, for
>>some reason, think it should be pronounced dAmen (long A). Or is this
>>one of those British English vs. US English debates?
>
>Neither. In the _context- of "Operating systems design" and utilities
>discussions, it is traditionally prounounced "day-mon". Specifically
>do distinguish it from 'demon'. This is -not- unique to UNIX, and can
>be found in several O/S's that predate it -- e.g. TOPS (-10 or -20), MULTICS,
>just to name a couple..
?
Over here, everyone I know and everyone they know and everyone *they*
know pronounce it deemon. I tink it's just another of those words that is
only ever used when written down, so it doesn't really matter. (kludge vs
kluge, anyone?)
Daemons are traditionally the helpers of the gods, who keep things
running behind the scenes. They were never intended to be seen by mortals
and so looked... disturbing.
sendmail.cf, perhaps? :)
--
------------------- http://www-hons-cs.cs.st-and.ac.uk/~dg --------------------
If you're up against someone more intelligent than you are, do something
totally insane and let him think himself to death. --- Pyanfar Chanur
---------------- Sun-Earther David Daton Given of Lochcarron ------------------