Dec 05 2005
Ping isn’t the same as finger
I used to finger people on UNIX in the 1980’s. Now I PING computers. Sigh.
PING:
Packet Inter-Network Groper "acronym was contrived to match the submariners’ term for the sound of a returned sonar pulse." Wikipedia outlines complex nuances of PING outside the software community.
"named for the act of pointing. " was a program to "to solve the need of users who wanted information on other users… … to check the availability of a person"
Ping and finger both served an "are you there?" role for me.
As far as I know, Jeep, the car name, has nothing to do with pinging or fingering:
Jeep:
GP "The origin of the term "jeep" is somewhat of a mystery.
Popular notion has it that the vehicle designation "GP" (for "General Purpose") was phonetically slurred in pronunciation, eventually becoming "jeep."
W ping
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