etymology of tl;dr (was ... Re: How recover from aborted dist-upgrade ... (due to apt-listbug bug 585448))
On Sat, Dec 15, 2012 at 09:49:13PM -0600, nv wrote:
> On Sat, 15 Dec 2012 19:31:52 +1300
> Chris Bannister <cbannister@slingshot.co.nz> wrote:
> > > tl;dr: Is it recommended that I use apt-pinning to upgrade some
> > > packages to
> >
> > Weird, considering yours was the long post and not Andrei's
>
> Eek! I meant no disrespect! :) I ALWAYS read the whole reply.
>
> > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Too_long%3B_didn't_read
> >
>
> Interesting. I was surprised to find my usage not described in that
> Wikipedia page. In some places, particularly, slashdot.org, I have
> seen "tl;dr" used also as a self-summarizing of one's own posting. Of
So it can also mean "too long don't read"? After all it is an acronym
and the letters are supposed to mean something. :(
I wonder why/how it started being abused in that way ...
> course, I see now that I probably should have placed it at the top for
> better clarity, or used, "tl;dr version:," perhaps.
Do you see it as abuse, or just following a trend?
> From http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/tldr
> "Usage
> Most of the time, tl;dr is used to call out another user on the length
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Really? It could be just a statement of fact ...
> of their post. However, in cases of more courteous exchanges and
> serious discussions, tl;dr can be self-invoked by the original poster
> as a disclaimer to the readers. It is then paired with a brief summary
> of the longer original text."
Really? Is this is an example of acronym abuse evolving right before
our very eyes? The etymology of this second meaning would be an
interesting read.
http://neologisms.rice.edu/index.php?a=term&d=1&t=7392
Etymology : acronym of 'too long; don't read'
Curiouser and curiouser! Cried Alice (she was so much surprised, that
for the moment she quite forgot how to speak good English).
--
"If you're not careful, the newspapers will have you hating the people
who are being oppressed, and loving the people who are doing the
oppressing." --- Malcolm X
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