Date:         Thu, 18 Jan 2007 06:37:27 -0500
Reply-To:     Peter Flom <flom@NDRI.ORG>
Sender:       "SAS(r) Discussion" <SAS-L@LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
From:         Peter Flom <flom@NDRI.ORG>
Subject:      Re: OT: More FOO
Comments: To: davidlcassell@MSN.COM
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII

And here I thought FOO came from the OLD OLD joke popular among
pre-adolescents (at
least, it was popular in the dark ages when I was a pre-adolescent)
about the
foo bird and its peculiar defecatory habits.....


Peter

>>> David L Cassell <davidlcassell@MSN.COM> 01/18/07 2:22 AM >>>
kviel@EMORY.EDU wrote:
>
>dictionary.com:
>
>Word of the Day for Wednesday, January 17, 2007
>
>foofaraw \FOO-fuh-raw\, noun:
>
>1. Excessive or flashy ornamentation or decoration.
>2. A fuss over a matter of little importance.
>
>Sorry, I could help it, with the penchant for FOO, and all:
>
>data FOO ;
>
>data FOOfuhraw ; * <- programming for fabulous job security? ;
>
>
>Kevin
>
>
>Kevin Viel
>PhD Candidate
>Department of Epidemiology
>Rollins School of Public Health
>Emory University
>Atlanta, GA 30322

It is generally regarded that the original use of 'foo' in the computer
programming biz came as an in-joke, from the nonsense word 'foo'
used in the (extremely) old comic strip "Smokey Stover".  The comic's
author, Bill Holman, never gave anyone a straight answer about where
HE got the word.  And since he died nearly 20 years ago, he's not likely
to help out now.

So maybe there's a connection to 'foofaraw'.

Or not.

David
--
David L. Cassell
mathematical statistician
Design Pathways
3115 NW Norwood Pl.
Corvallis OR 97330

_________________________________________________________________
Get in the mood for Valentines' Day. View photos, recipes and more on
your
Live.com page.
http://www.live.com/?addTemplate=ValentinesDay&ocid=T001MSN30A0701