asa@rayssd.UUCP (Asa B. Simmons) (03/17/86)
*** REPLACE THIS LINE WITH YOUR MESSAGE *** gentlepersons: let's clear this up, once and for all! take it from one who was there 'foo' comes from 'fubar'- that is correct. 'fubar' is a member of a set of three terms: 'snafu', 'tarfu', and 'fubar'. 'snafu' means 'situation normal, all fucked up' (in the best military tradition of how to fuck up everything). 'tarfu' means 'things are *really* fucked up' (this is worse than the normal military goof). 'fubar' means 'fucked up beyond all repair' (they've *really* done it this time). now you have the real 'skinny'. ca va?
travis@cucca.UUCP (Travis Lee Winfrey) (03/21/86)
In article <2072@rayssd.UUCP> asa@rayssd.UUCP (Asa B. Simmons) writes: >'fubar' is a member of >a set of three terms: 'snafu', 'tarfu', and 'fubar'. I've also heard of "janfu", meaning "Joint Army-Navy Fuck Up." Perhaps that was just for bureaucratic specialists. :) t-- Smile. Arpa: travis@cu20b.columbia.edu, winfrey@cs.columbia.edu Bitnet: travis@cucca, tlwus@cuvma Usenet: ucbvax!mtxinu!ea!okstate!cucca!travis || !seismo!columbia!cucca!travis USMail: 612 W. 115th, #811, NYC 10025 Phone: 212-280-3704
chriso@3comvax.UUCP (Chris Olds) (03/27/86)
[ I just saw a line eater in THIS newsgroup ]
One reference that no one has mentioned is DEC. Although it is certainly not
the origin of fubar, my Vax hardware handbook ('82-'83) lists a register
called the "Failed UNIBUS Address Registers" [sic] which is abbreviated, you
guessed it, FUBAR. From my reading of the handbook, if anything lands in
that register, things really are fubar.
Reference: Vax Hardware Handbook, 1982-83 , Digital Equipment Corp.,1982
Vax, UNIBUS, and DEC are trademarks of Digital Equipment Corp.
--
Chris "I call 'em as I see 'em" Olds
hplabs!oliveb!3comvax!chriso