Com Mode

HomeAbout
Go up to Top.

Go forward to Connector Conspiracy.

 COM MODE (variants: COMM MODE, TALK MODE) [from the ITS feature for
       linking two or more terminals together so that text typed on any is
       echoed on all, providing a means of conversation among hackers] n. The
       state a terminal is in when linked to another in this way. Com mode
       has a special set of jargon words, used to save typing, which are not
       used orally: BCNU Be seeing you. BTW By the way... BYE? Are you ready
       to unlink? (This is the standard way to end a com mode conversation;
       the other person types BYE to confirm, or else continues the
       conversation.) CUL See you later. FOO? A greeting, also meaning R U
       THERE? Often used in the case of unexpected links, meaning also
       "Sorry if I butted in" (linker) or "What's up?"
       (linkee). FYI For your information... GA Go ahead (used when two
       people have tried to type simultaneously; this cedes the right to type
       to the other). HELLOP A greeting, also meaning R U THERE? (An instance
       of the "-P" convention.) MtFBWY May the Force be with you.
       (From Star Wars.) NIL No (see the main entry for NIL). OBTW Oh, by the
       way... R U THERE? Are you there? SEC Wait a second (sometimes written
       SEC...). T Yes (see the main entry for T). TNX Thanks. TNX 1.0E6
       Thanks a million (humorous). <double CRLF> When the typing party
       has finished, he types two CRLF's to signal that he is done; this
       leaves a blank line between individual "speeches" in the
       conversation, making it easier to re-read the preceding text.
       <name>: When three or more terminals are linked, each speech is
       preceded by the typist's login name and a colon (or a hyphen) to
       indicate who is typing. The login name often is shortened to a unique
       prefix (possibly a single letter) during a very long conversation.
       /\/\/\ The equivalent of a giggle. At Stanford, where the link feature
       is implemented by "talk loops", the term TALK MODE is used
       in place of COM MODE. Most of the above "sub-jargon" is used
       at both Stanford and MIT.