kirkaas@makaha.cs.ucla.edu (paul kirkaas) (11/11/90)
What the heck is the history behind "xyzzy" ???? I've seen so many references to it here I feel like I'm missing a vital piece of historic computer lore. What gives? What is the origin of xyzzy, what is it supposed to do; how have so many people heard of it??? Thanks, Paul -- -- Paul Kirkaas kirkaas@cs.ucla.edu
xanthian@zorch.SF-Bay.ORG (Kent Paul Dolan) (11/11/90)
kirkaas@makaha.cs.ucla.edu (paul kirkaas) writes: >What the heck is the history behind "xyzzy" ???? I've seen so many >references to it here I feel like I'm missing a vital piece of >historic computer lore. >What gives? What is the origin of xyzzy, what is it supposed to >do; how have so many people heard of it??? I can only justify posting this because it will be the first answer on _my_ machine. ;-) In Adventure, the original, very first computer text adventure, by Crowther and Woods, the magic word "xyzzy" is a short-cut from the hut next to the starting point of the adventure, to a location well into the adventure, and back. When you type xyzzy at either end of the magic path, you are whisked to the other end. When you type it anywhere else, the response is "Nothing happens". Adventure has been ported to many systems, and so has been played through by many people, thus the widely known "in joke". The implication of "Nothing happens" in the Data General OS is that if you were in the correct location (directory), something _would_ happen. From an earlier posting, that is, or was, /etc. By the way, Adventure is also the source of the line "you are in a maze of twisty little passages, all alike", in case that one also had you confused. /// It's Amiga /// for me: why Kent, the man from xanth. \\\/// settle for <xanthian@Zorch.SF-Bay.ORG> <xanthian@well.sf.ca.us> \XX/ anything less? -- Convener, ongoing comp.sys.amiga grand reorganization.
nelson@sgi.com (Nelson Bolyard) (11/13/90)
In article <1990Nov11.040756.27552@zorch.SF-Bay.ORG> xanthian@zorch.SF-Bay.ORG (Kent Paul Dolan) writes: >By the way, Adventure is also the source of the line "you are in a maze of >twisty little passages, all alike", in case that one also had you confused. > In the adventure game, any attempt to take something that was not in the same cave room (e.g. a stick) would generate error messages like: "I see no stick here." "I see no bird here." "I see no dragon here." Five years ago, it was not uncommon to hear computer users utter the phrase "I see no <whatever> here." Another magic transport word, like xyzzy, was "plugh" (which I always pronounced "ploog", but I also heard pronounced "ploo" "ploof" "plooj" "pluf" and "plug") which took you from the well room to somewhere (I forget). Other Adventure phrases: "You are at <roomname>." This message was generated when you entered a room you've been in before. "With what, your bare hands?" This was the reponse to the command "kill dragon". The correct answer was "yes". "You can't get there from here." This message occurred when you had gone thru a one-way passage and tried to go back. "Your batteries are getting weak." "There's a vending machine around here somewhere." "You are now in complete darkness. If you proceed, you are likely to fall into a pit." "You are at Witt's End. Passages lead off in ALL directions." "There is a copy of Spelunker's Gazzette here." "You can't, it's written in dwarvish." I once worked on a computer system that had been changed to generate adventure responses to frequent commands, e.g. pwd would reply "You are at /foo." rm foo (where foo doesn't exist) would respond "I see no foo here." rm foo (when you didn't have permission to remove the file) replied: "With what, your bare hands?" cd /foo (when /foo was non-existant) replied: You can't get there from here. It was fun for a while. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nelson Bolyard nelson@sgi.COM {decwrl,sun}!sgi!whizzer!nelson Disclaimer: Views expressed herein do not represent the views of my employer. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------
mjd@saul.cis.upenn.edu (Mark-Jason Dominus) (11/13/90)
In article <1990Nov12.193257.24541@odin.corp.sgi.com> nelson@sgi.com (Nelson Bolyard) writes: > Another magic transport word, like xyzzy, was "plugh" > (which I always pronounced "ploog", but I also heard > pronounced "ploo" "ploof" "plooj" "pluf" and "plug") > which took you from the well room to somewhere (I > forget). "Y2" It isn't as widely known as it should be that "Y" is a spelunker's term for a cave entrance. Thus, "Y2" is the second entrance to the cave, which is a very subtle hint indeed! I've been wondering for a long time if there mightn't be sufficient material to warrant an `alt.adventure' newsgroup; there are at least three hacked-up versions on my machine, and folklore about it, obscure stories, and other mutterings, perhaps. Does anyone know where to find David Platt, for example? -- In some sense a stochastic process can do better; at least it has a chance. Mark-Jason Dominus mjd@central.cis.upenn.edu
jfh@rpp386.cactus.org (John F. Haugh II) (11/13/90)
In article <1990Nov12.193257.24541@odin.corp.sgi.com> nelson@sgi.com (Nelson Bolyard) writes: >I once worked on a computer system that had been changed to generate >adventure responses to frequent commands, e.g. you can do this with AIX v3 - all of the standard error messages are in message catalogs. i've considered making a set of "valspeak" or "jive" catalogs. "Like, you know, I'm sending your output to /dev/null!" -- John F. Haugh II UUCP: ...!cs.utexas.edu!rpp386!jfh Ma Bell: (512) 832-8832 Domain: jfh@rpp386.cactus.org "SCCS, the source motel! Programs check in and never check out!" -- Ken Thompson
sean@ms.uky.edu (Sean Casey) (11/15/90)
kirkaas@makaha.cs.ucla.edu (paul kirkaas) writes: |What the heck is the history behind "xyzzy" ???? I've seen so many |references to it here I feel like I'm missing a vital piece of |historic computer lore. Sigh. I'm getting old. -- *** Sean Casey <sean@s.ms.uky.edu> *** ``HaaAhh Huhhhhhh!'' -James Brown (quote corrected by oz@nexus.yorku.ca)
dkarres@hubcap.clemson.edu (Dean Karres) (11/15/90)
sean@ms.uky.edu (Sean Casey) writes: >kirkaas@makaha.cs.ucla.edu (paul kirkaas) writes: >|What the heck is the history behind "xyzzy" ???? I've seen so many >|references to it here I feel like I'm missing a vital piece of >|historic computer lore. I have just picked up on this thread so forgivness is asked where necessary :-) If you ever have the chance to play on a Data General machine running an operating system named AOS or AOS/VS (*) type "xyzzy" at a command prompt and you get... Nothing happens. (*) - I know about this through first hand experience on DG machines running pre-rev-7 versions of AOS and AOS/VS. That means that it existed 10+ years ago and was carried on until, at least, 1987. dean...k... -- || /X\/X\ || Any technology, sufficiently dean...k... ||// XX \\|| advanced, is indistinguishable ||\\ XX //|| from magic dkarres@hubcap.clemson.edu || \X/\X/ || - A. C. Clark
terry@wag.caltech.edu (Terry R. Coley) (11/16/90)
On the route to Las Vegas from LA on Interstate 15 one passes a road in the middle of the desert named "xyzzy" (or was it actually "xyzzx"?). Anyone know which came first - the Adventure magic word or the road sign? More importantly, one wonders where xyzzy road leads... -- - Terry terry@wag.caltech.edu Caltech 127-72 Pasadena, CA 91125 818-356-6532
kdq@demott.COM (Kevin D. Quitt) (11/17/90)
In article <1990Nov16.060233.4305@nntp-server.caltech.edu> terry@wag.caltech.edu (Terry R. Coley) writes: >On the route to Las Vegas from LA on Interstate 15 one passes >a road in the middle of the desert named "xyzzy" (or was it actually >"xyzzx"?). Anyone know which came first - the Adventure magic >word or the road sign? More importantly, one wonders where xyzzy road >leads... Actually, it's Zzyzx, what was supposedly (according to the guy who made it up) oatented as the last word in the English language. From this fame this person (a developer), built a small sommunity by that name. -- _ Kevin D. Quitt demott!kdq kdq@demott.com DeMott Electronics Co. 14707 Keswick St. Van Nuys, CA 91405-1266 VOICE (818) 988-4975 FAX (818) 997-1190 MODEM (818) 997-4496 PEP last 96.37% of all statistics are made up.
cosell@bbn.com (Bernie Cosell) (11/18/90)
kdq@demott.COM (Kevin D. Quitt) writes: }In article <1990Nov16.060233.4305@nntp-server.caltech.edu> terry@wag.caltech.edu (Terry R. Coley) writes: }>On the route to Las Vegas from LA on Interstate 15 one passes }>a road in the middle of the desert named "xyzzy" (or was it actually }>"xyzzx"?). Anyone know which came first - the Adventure magic }>word or the road sign? More importantly, one wonders where xyzzy road }>leads... } Actually, it's Zzyzx, what was supposedly (according to the guy who }made it up) oatented as the last word in the English language. From }this fame this person (a developer), built a small sommunity by that name. And, just to close the loop, "xyzzy" was just made up out of whole cloth in Adventure. Any attempts at divining its etymology are futile. /Bernie\
mferrare@physics.adelaide.edu.au (Mark Ferraretto) (11/19/90)
kdq@demott.COM (Kevin D. Quitt) writes: >In article <1990Nov16.060233.4305@nntp-server.caltech.edu> terry@wag.caltech.edu (Terry R. Coley) writes: >>a road in the middle of the desert named "xyzzy" (or was it actually >>"xyzzx"?). Anyone know which came first - the Adventure magic > Actually, it's Zzyzx, what was supposedly (according to the guy who So how do you pronounce it? -- _ Name : Mark Ferraretto \ \ Place : Department of Physics and Mathematical Physics || \ \ University of Adelaide ==========>==>==-- Aarnet: mferrare@physics.adelaide.edu.au
roy%cybrspc@cs.umn.edu (Roy M. Silvernail) (11/19/90)
mferrare@physics.adelaide.edu.au (Mark Ferraretto) writes: > kdq@demott.COM (Kevin D. Quitt) writes: > > > Actually, it's Zzyzx, what was supposedly (according to the guy who > > So how do you pronounce it? I'd guess 'zizz-ix. Any other ideas? -- Roy M. Silvernail |+| roy%cybrspc@cs.umn.edu |+| #define opinions ALL_MINE; main(){float x=1;x=x/50;printf("It's only $%.2f, but it's my $%.2f!\n",x,x);} "This is cyberspace." -- Peter da Silva :--: "...and I like it here!" -- me
jdudeck@polyslo.CalPoly.EDU (John R. Dudeck) (11/20/90)
In an article roy%cybrspc@cs.umn.edu (Roy M. Silvernail) wrote: >mferrare@physics.adelaide.edu.au (Mark Ferraretto) writes: > >> kdq@demott.COM (Kevin D. Quitt) writes: >> > Actually, it's Zzyzx, what was supposedly (according to the guy who >> So how do you pronounce it? >I'd guess 'zizz-ix. Any other ideas? For those of us who grew up in SoCal, you might remember that there was a quack on the radio that talked about health food and stuff. Seems like his name was Curtis Springer or something like that. He offered bottles of water from Zzyzx mineral springs as cure-all. Then he developed a spa out there and tried to make a commercial go of it. Seems like he ended up in bankruptcy or jail (don't sue me for libel if I'm wrong... it's been a long time). Anyway, he pronounced it zye - zex. -- John Dudeck "Nothing is foolproof, because jdudeck@Polyslo.CalPoly.Edu fools are so ingenious." ESL: 62013975 Tel: 805-545-9549 -- quote from PC Mag.
kdq@demott.COM (Kevin D. Quitt) (11/20/90)
In article <mferrare.658973563@adelphi.ua.oz.au> mferrare@physics.adelaide.edu.au (Mark Ferraretto) writes: >kdq@demott.COM (Kevin D. Quitt) writes: > >>In article <1990Nov16.060233.4305@nntp-server.caltech.edu> terry@wag.caltech.edu (Terry R. Coley) writes: >>>a road in the middle of the desert named "xyzzy" (or was it actually >>>"xyzzx"?). Anyone know which came first - the Adventure magic > >> Actually, it's Zzyzx, what was supposedly (according to the guy who > >So how do you pronounce it? Same way as the guy who made it up. 8-{)}. Two syllables, ('i' as in is) zi-ziks (zi is pronounced like "is", backwards). -- _ Kevin D. Quitt demott!kdq kdq@demott.com DeMott Electronics Co. 14707 Keswick St. Van Nuys, CA 91405-1266 VOICE (818) 988-4975 FAX (818) 997-1190 MODEM (818) 997-4496 PEP last 96.37% of all statistics are made up.
jon%vector0@sactoh0.SAC.CA.US (A Product of Society) (11/21/90)
mferrare@physics.adelaide.edu.au (Mark Ferraretto) writes: > kdq@demott.COM (Kevin D. Quitt) writes: > > > Actually, it's Zzyzx, what was supposedly (according to the guy who > > So how do you pronounce it? Zzyzx = Zee-Zee-Why-Zee-Ex Xyzzy = Ex-Why-Zee-Zee-Why ..ask a silly question... Jon vector0!jon@sactoh0.SAC.CA.US ...ames!pacbell!sactoh0!vector0!jon fezzes for one and all!
vances@xenitec.on.ca (Vance Shipley) (11/25/90)
In article <7Twys1w163w@vector0> jon%vector0@sactoh0.SAC.CA.US (A Product of Society) writes: >> So how do you pronounce it? > > Zzyzx = Zee-Zee-Why-Zee-Ex > > Xyzzy = Ex-Why-Zee-Zee-Why > I thought it was: Zzyzx = Zed-Zed-Why-Zed-Ex Xyzzy = Ex-Why-Zed-Zed-Why Vance Shipley Canadian
jon%vector0@sactoh0.SAC.CA.US (A Product of Society) (11/27/90)
vances@xenitec.on.ca (Vance Shipley) spews forth: > In article <7Twys1w163w@vector0> jon%vector0@sactoh0.SAC.CA.US (A Product of > >> So how do you pronounce it? > > > > Zzyzx = Zee-Zee-Why-Zee-Ex > > Xyzzy = Ex-Why-Zee-Zee-Why > > I thought it was: > > Zzyzx = Zed-Zed-Why-Zed-Ex > > Xyzzy = Ex-Why-Zed-Zed-Why > > Vance Shipley > Canadian Well, I just read it aloud to myself to listen to the differences in pronouciation. If it makes any difference, when I read your version (Ex-Why-Zed-Zed-Why), a loud booming voice said "Nothing happens." So I guess you must be right. ..the thread that just wouldn't die... Jon vector0!jon@sactoh0.SAC.CA.US ...ames!pacbell!sactoh0!vector0!jon fezzes for one and all!