Comments on: Metasyntactic variable http://www.kgarner.com/blog/archives/2005/12/02/metasyntactic-variable/ Keith's attempts to fix the cable of life Tue, 02 Dec 2008 22:33:26 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.5 By: Ralph W Siegler http://www.kgarner.com/blog/archives/2005/12/02/metasyntactic-variable/#comment-3046 Ralph W Siegler Mon, 05 Dec 2005 03:08:15 +0000 http://www.kgarner.com/blog/?p=197#comment-3046 I notice Wikipedia does not mention the fourth member of the series, 25+ years ago it was "foo bar baz blee", sometimes seen in LISP programs of the era. The origins of BAZ might have been from an exclaimation of the Pogo comic character Albert the Alligator ("Bazzle!"), modified and coined for geek use at MIT in the late 50's, some say. Since BAZ is properly pronounced as the bleating of a sheep with the A having a duration of over 2 seconds, it could be "blee" is short for "bleat". I notice Wikipedia does not mention the fourth member of the series, 25+ years ago it was “foo bar baz blee”, sometimes seen in LISP programs of the era. The origins of BAZ might have been from an exclaimation of the Pogo comic character Albert the Alligator (”Bazzle!”), modified and coined for geek use at MIT in the late 50’s, some say. Since BAZ is properly pronounced as the bleating of a sheep with the A having a duration of over 2 seconds, it could be “blee” is short for “bleat”.

]]> By: Danny Howard http://www.kgarner.com/blog/archives/2005/12/02/metasyntactic-variable/#comment-3012 Danny Howard Sat, 03 Dec 2005 00:58:45 +0000 http://www.kgarner.com/blog/?p=197#comment-3012 Wikipedia rules. I think Benjy observed the other day that having direct access to Wikipedia is like having an augmented brain. -d Wikipedia rules. I think Benjy observed the other day that having direct access to Wikipedia is like having an augmented brain.

-d

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