How do you pronounce /etc ? Weird question, I know...

QtCoder · 11-21-2003, 06:50 PM

Hello!

This is probably the most retarded question here. How is /etc pronounced?

Some people say it like this: "et - see"
Others say it like "et cetera"

How is it pronounced, and more importantly, what is it short for?

LoL.

Thanks

fancypiper · 11-21-2003, 06:59 PM

I don't pronounce it, myselt

Quote:

and more importantly, what is it short for?

The folder that configuration files can be found under.

QtCoder · 11-21-2003, 07:00 PM

Well, what I meant by "what is it short for" was what does etc stand for? Is it an acronym, or an abbreviation of someting? I'm just curious.

fancypiper · 11-21-2003, 07:12 PM

I have wondered about this too.

michaelk · 11-21-2003, 09:31 PM

Maybe just et cetera

QtCoder · 11-21-2003, 09:34 PM

You know, I think I'm going to email "The Man" and ask him, and if he doesn't reply because he's "too busy", I'll flood his inbox with spam.

Just kidding, lol.

It think this is a very serious issue, though. A linux hacker cannot live without knowing what etc means! :-)

Hopefully, we'll get the answer some day. I might actually try to get ahold of Linus and ask this trivial question.

mary · 11-21-2003, 09:43 PM

I would pronounce it et cetera.

Here's what a dictionary.com search returned:

et cet·er·a
Abbreviation etc.
And other unspecified things of the same class; and so forth.

---
A number of unspecified persons or things.
etceteras Additional odds and ends; extras.

Does /etc contain unspecified things, odds and ends? I'm a newbie, so I'm not sure, but that does seem like what it contains.

trickykid · 11-22-2003, 10:53 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by mary
I would pronounce it et cetera.

Here's what a dictionary.com search returned:

et cet·er·a
Abbreviation etc.
And other unspecified things of the same class; and so forth.

---
A number of unspecified persons or things.
etceteras Additional odds and ends; extras.

Does /etc contain unspecified things, odds and ends? I'm a newbie, so I'm not sure, but that does seem like what it contains.

That's how I pronounce and that is the correct term for this directory.

et cetera and that is what's exactly in there, bunch of configuration files and misc other files.

I guess etc looked and sounded better than misc...

cjpsparks · 11-24-2003, 12:03 PM

According to Craig Hunt's Linux System Administration:

it's pronounced "et-see" and used for system configuration files.

trickykid · 11-24-2003, 12:06 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by cjpsparks
According to Craig Hunt's Linux System Administration:

it's pronounced "et-see" and used for system configuration files.

et-see is for short.. but the correct dictionary term is for et cetera and yes, its used for configuration files for different settings and so on. That's why they named it.. etc. For everything extra or for everything else...

fancypiper · 11-24-2003, 12:08 PM

I would think that matches with GNU, pronounced guh-new' and Gnome, pronounced guh-nome'

Is KDE prounounced "kiddy"???

TheOneKEA · 11-24-2003, 12:13 PM

I pronounciate each letter. K-D-E.

jsmarshall85 · 11-24-2003, 12:50 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by fancypiper
I would think that matches with GNU, pronounced guh-new' and Gnome, pronounced guh-nome'

Is KDE prounounced "kiddy"???

vote: who says guh-nome? i say guh-nu, but just gnome like the little people (nothing against little people mind you)

do people actually say guh-nome? and for KDE i say each letter. there are just some acronyms that you cant speak. like url. i say the leters u-r-l, not the word url.

fancypiper · 11-24-2003, 12:56 PM

When I first visited the Gnome site, they had that pron. in their FAQ. I haven't visited lately.

netboy_541 · 11-24-2003, 09:13 PM

i call gnome a peice of trash.

does that count? :P