EOU
\ˈiːəɹˌuː], \ˈiːəɹˌuː], \ˈiː__ə_ɹ_ˌuː]\
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The mnemonic of a mythical ASCII controlcharacter (End Of User) that would make an ASR-33 Teletypeexplode on receipt. This construction parodies the numerousobscure delimiter and control characters left in ASCII fromthe days when it was associated more with wire-serviceteletypes than computers (e.g. FS, GS, RS, US, EM,SUB, ETX, and especially EOT). It is worth rememberingthat ASR-33s were big, noisy mechanical beasts with a lot ofclattering parts; the notion that one might explode wasnowhere near as ridiculous as it might seem to someone sittingin front of a tube or flatscreen today.
By Denis Howe
Word of the day
Snake's-head
- Guinea-hen flower; -- so called in England because its spotted petals resemble the scales of a snake's head.