Re: 2.4.19pre7aa1

["J. Dow" <jdow@earthlink.net>]

From: "Ruth Ivimey-Cook" <Ruth.Ivimey-Cook@ivimey.org>

> On Sat, 20 Apr 2002, Andrew Morton wrote:
>
> >[1] Can we please not that term?  A "flush" is something which you
> >    do to a "dunny" after taking a "crap". [2]
> >
> >    Caches are either "written back" or are "invalidated".  Nothing
> >    else.
>
> I would agree with this: until a couple of years ago, I wasn't even aware that
> there were two options here: now I know, but I'm sure others don't.
>
> >[2] And a "sync" is something which you wash your hands in after the
> >    "flush".
>
> Well, actually the thing you wash in is a "sink". The term "sync" comes from
> synchronise (or -ize in American).

And I presume anyday now some twit will attempt to get the "fork" the
fork out of there, too. (I actually experienced this attempt once on a
DoD project I supported. The incompetent source code reviewers in DC
objected to "fork" as profanity thinly cloaked. It took a several page
letter citing the term's use in the art and related literature to get
the anal retentive creep to back down.)

"Flush" is a well known term of art. And as you note, Ruth, "sync" is
short for synchronize. Is cleaning up the use of language in the computer
arts the purpose we are all here?

{O.O}    A rather bemused and astonished Joanne Dow.