JargonFile/entries/talk mode.txt

talk mode

n. A feature supported by Unix and some other OSes that allows two or more logged-in users to set up a real-time on-line conversation. It combines the immediacy of talking with all the precision (and verbosity) that written language entails. It is difficult to communicate inflection, though conventions have arisen for some of these (see the section on writing style in the Prependices for details). Talk mode has a special set of jargon words, used to save typing, which are not used orally. Some of these are identical to (and probably derived from) Morse-code jargon used by ham-radio amateurs since the 1920s. AFAIAC as far as I am concerned AFAIK as far as I know BCNU be seeing you BTW by the way BYE? are you ready to unlink? (this is the standard way to end a  talk-mode conversation; the other person types BYE to confirm, or else continues the conversation) CUL see you later ENQ? are you busy? (expects ACK or NAK in return) FOO? are you there? (often used on unexpected links, meaning also Sorry if I butted in ellipsis; (linker) or What's up? (linkee)) FWIW for what it's worth FYI for your information FYA for your amusement GA go ahead (used when two people have tried to type  simultaneously; this cedes the right to type to the other) GRMBL grumble (expresses disquiet or disagreement) HELLOP hello? (an instance of the -P convention) IIRC if I recall correctly JAM just a minute (equivalent to SEC.... ) MIN same as JAM NIL no (see NIL ) NP no problem O over to you OO over and out / another form of over to you (from x/y as x over y ) \ lambda (used in discussing LISPy things) OBTW oh, by the way OTOH on the other hand R U THERE? are you there? SEC wait a second (sometimes written SEC... ) SYN Are you busy? (expects ACK, SYN|ACK, or RST in return; this  is modeled on the TCP/IP handshake sequence) T yes (see the main entry for T ) TNX thanks TNX 1.0E6 thanks a million (humorous) TNXE6 another form of thanks a million TTBOMK to the best of my knowledge WRT with regard to, or with respect to. WTF the universal interrogative particle; WTF knows what it  means? WTH what the hell? double newline When the typing party has finished, he/she types two newlines  to signal that he/she is done; this leaves a blank line between  'speeches' in the conversation, making it easier to reread the  preceding text. YHTBT You Had To Be There. Used of a situation which loses  significant meaning in the telling, usually because it's difficult  to convey tone and timing.
	`talk mode`

	n. A feature supported by Unix and some other OSes that allows two or more logged-in users to set up a real-time on-line conversation. It combines the immediacy of talking with all the precision (and verbosity) that written language entails. It is difficult to communicate inflection, though conventions have arisen for some of these (see the section on writing style in the Prependices for details). Talk mode has a special set of jargon words, used to save typing, which are not used orally. Some of these are identical to (and probably derived from) Morse-code jargon used by ham-radio amateurs since the 1920s. AFAIAC as far as I am concerned AFAIK as far as I know BCNU be seeing you BTW by the way BYE? are you ready to unlink? (this is the standard way to end a talk-mode conversation; the other person types BYE to confirm, or else continues the conversation) CUL see you later ENQ? are you busy? (expects ACK or NAK in return) FOO? are you there? (often used on unexpected links, meaning also Sorry if I butted in ellipsis; (linker) or What's up? (linkee)) FWIW for what it's worth FYI for your information FYA for your amusement GA go ahead (used when two people have tried to type simultaneously; this cedes the right to type to the other) GRMBL grumble (expresses disquiet or disagreement) HELLOP hello? (an instance of the -P convention) IIRC if I recall correctly JAM just a minute (equivalent to SEC.... ) MIN same as JAM NIL no (see NIL ) NP no problem O over to you OO over and out / another form of over to you (from x/y as x over y ) \ lambda (used in discussing LISPy things) OBTW oh, by the way OTOH on the other hand R U THERE? are you there? SEC wait a second (sometimes written SEC... ) SYN Are you busy? (expects ACK, SYN\|ACK, or RST in return; this is modeled on the TCP/IP handshake sequence) T yes (see the main entry for T ) TNX thanks TNX 1.0E6 thanks a million (humorous) TNXE6 another form of thanks a million TTBOMK to the best of my knowledge WRT with regard to, or with respect to. WTF the universal interrogative particle; WTF knows what it means? WTH what the hell? double newline When the typing party has finished, he/she types two newlines to signal that he/she is done; this leaves a blank line between 'speeches' in the conversation, making it easier to reread the preceding text. YHTBT You Had To Be There. Used of a situation which loses significant meaning in the telling, usually because it's difficult to convey tone and timing.